8th ranked Huskies look ready to start Big East play

After going 10-1 in non-conference play the UConn men's basketball team looks ready for the start of Big East play this Wednesday night in a road tilt against the University of South Florida. The Huskies are currently ranked 8th nationally and 4th in the RPI index which takes into account strength of schedule. More importantly, Calhoun and his impressive group of asst. coaches have engineered some significant results with a young team that started the season still clinging to the Kemba Walker legacy, confused about their roles, without Freshman sensation Ryan Boatright for the first six games and the 2nd nationally ranked recruit Andre Drummond not yet asserting himself.

Several key issues have been clarified:
1 - An eight man rotation of Napier, Lamb, Drummond, Oriakhi, Olander, Smith, Daniels and Boatright (an improving Giffey makes it nine in case of injury or foul trouble) has been firmly established with each player understanding their role. Calhoun seems to have settled on starting Lamb and Napier in the backcourt( each playing around 35 mpg) with Drummond, Olander, and Oriakhi upfront. This front court trio are each playing between 20-25 mpg with Smith and Daniels being used as conditions dictate. The multi-talented Freshman Ryan Boatright is coming off the bench and averaging about 27mpg, sometimes at the point to give Napier a rest and sometimes as part of a three guard offense.
2- The Huskies shot and point distribution is beginning to take shape. Lamb is leading the scoring parade at 18.9 ppg followed by Napier at 15.5, Boatright at 13.2 and Drummond at 10.0 and rising quickly. ( He had a career high 24 against Holy Cross followed by 16 against Fairfield. I think Drummond's PPg will continue to improve to around 13ppg but most of the scoring will continue to come from the backcourt trio of Napier, Lamb and Boatright. Olander, continues to impress averaging 7.0 ppg while Oriakhi is at 7.2 and should improve that number a bit.
3- This years version of the Huskies has the ability to turn up the defensive intensity and produce some iconic Husky game busting runs.
4- Drummond is now looking like he can be a dominant force and Boatright has the kind of Kemba Walker confidence that can excite the whole team.
In essence, my initial impression that this years team has final four potential has been strenghtened. They will need to improve by cutting down the turn overs and the oppositions offensive rebounds. Once again, the Big East looks very strong with six teams in the top 25 so the Huskies will be tested over the course of the season.
I am very excited by the enthusiasm and intensity of this year's Huskies. I hope to be, once again, sipping some reserve bourbon shots while I watch the Huskies in the final four; but this year not from Jerusalem or the Dead Sea.
"You heard it here first"
Steve