Diamond Head Classic World Champions Team is slowly finding its identity. Grimes and Mills could be a hell of a combo in the tournament.
We aren't the 3 point shooting team we were last year, but we might be more talented. The defense is getting better and coach is doing a good job of finding the hot hand from game to game. Fabian White is healthy and really played well the past few games to give us some inside scoring which we really haven't had since Devin Davis graduated.
There’s a lot more talent on this team. It’s just way younger and the learning process took a step back. Time and experience will fix that
I'd add Temple, SMU, and Wichita State. Connecticut is 8-3 and could be a surprise team, although it would suck for them to win the conference with their noses turned up and bags packed for the Big East.
CKS said after the UTEP game if this group stays together 2yrs he thinks they will be on the same level as last years team.
Cincy, Memphis and Wichita St all are top 25 caliber teams. The conference isn’t short on good teams. They lack a top 5-10 team though. Memphis was expected by many to be that team but not likely having lost their best player. UH is also capable of being a top 25 team even being so young because they defend, have some solid talent and are well coached. Next year is when they have the potential to be a top 10 team because they have some very high end players coming in. Several of the kids they have commitments from have exploded since signing. Couple that with so many returning player next year.
We tend to struggle against zone defenses. UCF usually plays man and switched just for us. Nate Hinton had a career day though.
It is clear watching this years team that they are bigger and more athletic at the guard position. We lack the explosiveness of the sharpshooters we had last year in Corey Davis Jr. and Armani Brooks. That's really the only area last years team was better. On the inside are current rotation make it easy to forget Brady. Fabian White looks better this year than last year. If we can beat the teams we are supposed to beat and get a few balls to bounce our way against Memphis and Wichita State and avoid injuries no telling how good this team can be this year. After watching Tulsa beat Temple by 26 points there are not that many easy wins to be had in our conference this year. I am looking forward to seeing how we do against both Temple and Tulsa on the road next week.
There are very few gimme nights in this league and I really want to smack Temple in Philly after what happened up there last year.
Maybe it's just me but I really look forward to watching UH basketball. And it is much more satisfying to watch now that UH is back to having a winning basketball program. We need to do whatever it takes to keep Sampson here. Ideally I would love to see him retire here and hand the reins over to his son.