No. 20 SMU | No. 22 Michigan | Full List
No. 21: UCONN HUSKIES
Last Season: 20-15, 10-8 American
Kevin Ollie has taken to referring to 2014-15 as a "character-building year," which is a coach's polite way of describing disappointment. By mid-March, the 15-loss defending national champs weren't available for said defense, stuck as they were in the NIT.
"It's not going to always be national championships," Ollie told The Hartford Courant this summer. "You're going to have to go through some valleys, and that makes you stronger. I think we got stronger as a team."
Fair enough, but UConn fans are ready to get back on those peaks, and with graduate transfers Sterling Gibbs and Shonn Miller joining a returning group (Rodney Purvis, Daniel Hamilton, Amida Brimah) still full of untapped potential, base camp is buzzing. -- Eamonn Brennan
Best Case: UConn should look like UConn again, with size and scoring guards. The Huskies had the 11th-best block percentage last season behind Brimah and Kentan Facey. On the perimeter, having Hamilton, Gibbs, Purvis and Sam Cassell Jr. improve and take the next step is vital for UConn to win the American Athletic Conference and reach the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. But, there has to be quality decision-making and ball security in order to achieve that goal. If Jalen Adams is the real thing, and he is explosive and good with the ball, UConn can make an impact in the NCAA tournament.
Worst Case: If UConn does not get great leadership from the point guard position, and Adams takes a while to emerge while the big guys are not capable finishers and low-post scorers, UConn could struggle a bit and be sent home early from the NCAA tournament.
"Kevin Ollie won the transfer market -- and that was huge. They have a lot of weapons now and have top-25 talent. I think the pickup of Sterling Gibbs will really help them, and I also think Brimah is a game-changer on the defensive side. The key for them, though, is keeping everyone happy. They have a lot of guys who need shots."
No. 20 SMU | No. 22 Michigan | Full List
