Not so much.
Of course, as soon as you substitute “UConn” for “Team A,” people start to think differently. Only once in the previous six seasons has UConn lost more than seven regular-season games. This year, coach Jim Calhoun‘s Huskies have already dropped six.
The losses this season have all been competitive, but the results are very telling. Possibly even more important than the total number of losses is the lack of convincing wins. The Huskies beat Hofstra, Central Florida and William & Mary by nine points each, Harvard by six, and Colgate by 14. These opponents aren’t all horrible, but past UConn squads used to absolutely bury these out-of-conference minnows.
So what’s the problem? Is this a down year for UConn? Should we simply not expect much out of this team?
For starters, let’s look at what has been working for the Huskies. First off, they get good scoring from their guards, Jerome Dyson and Kemba Walker. Dyson, a senior, is having an especially terrific year, averaging 19.0 points, 5.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game. He has tremendous speed and quickness, is particularly dangerous in the open court and is extremely difficult to stop once he gets a head of steam.
Senior swingman Stanley Robinson is also having by far his best season. He has added a jump shot to his repertoire and is now a dynamic offensive weapon. (Last season Robinson shot 13 percent from 3-point range. This year he is at 46 percent.) He has turned his terrific athletic ability and newfound jumper into more than 17 points and seven rebounds per game.
Another strength for UConn this season has been team defense. This has long been a staple of Jim Calhoun-coached teams. The Huskies entered this weekend ninth in the country in field goal percentage allowed, holding opponents to less than 40 percent from the field.
As usual, Connecticut has great team quickness as well. Every player on the floor, including the big men, is capable of covering a lot of territory. The Huskies’ quickness and length lead to many steals, tipped balls and blocked shots.
So why are they having trouble knocking off good teams?
The answer is simple: a lack of low-post scoring. They have other areas in which they could improve, but the lack of low-post offense is the most concerning. UConn gets enough points in the paint, but almost all of them are manufactured by their backcourt. This season the Huskies have only one big man, Gavin Edwards, who is even remotely consistent in the scoring column. However, Edwards gets most of his points from offensive put-backs. He does not create much for himself.
In the past, Connecticut has had an offensive presence inside. Recently it was Jeff Adrien and Hasheem Thabeet. Both of these players, especially Adrien, were capable of scoring with their back to the basket. But with Adrien and Thabeet no longer wearing blue and white, the Huskies no longer have that ability this season — and it is really hurting. It was a problem in all three of their Big East losses. Against Cincinnati, Georgetown and Pittsburgh, UConn had absolutely no offensive presence on the low block. The only time the team’s big men scored was when they hit the offensive glass, which the Huskies have done relatively well.
Having someone on the block capable of scoring is critical. Without an inside presence, teams can devote more attention to containing Dyson and Walker. With no one on the team likely to transform immediately into a low-post scorer, this is a problem that UConn will face all season long.
To date, UConn has not shown enough to be considered a serious threat to win the Big East. For most Big East schools, a 24-9 season is considered a success. In Storrs, it is a disappointment. That’s just the reality that Calhoun has created for himself.
