UConn Basketball: Analyzing the Huskies’ 2018-19 rotation

Small Forward

Minutes Allocated (40 total): Jalen Adams (15), Christian Vital (10), Sidney Wilson (10) and Kwintin Williams (5)

For the most part, UConn will have a three-guard lineup on the court rather than a traditional “small forward”. That should be occupied by Adams, the team’s best player. He played over 38 mpg and took 16 shots a game. It hurt his efficiency for sure but the lack of offensive weapons tied his hands.

The reason why Adams will have to deal with the bigger opposing guards is simple – he’s the biggest perimeter player on the team. At 6’3 and nearly 200-pounds, the rising senior has the best chance at not being overwhelmed by the matchup and could be a problem himself on offense against a slower opponent. Vital should also get some minutes at the three-spot when it comes to maximizing the team’s offensive potential. The defense might be an issue here but there’s not much else that the Huskies can do.

One thing they can do is hope that Wilson will be able to play major minutes as a redshirt freshman. The 6’7 forward had to sit out last season after originally joining St. John’s and took summer classes. As a former top-100 recruit and the only true wing player on the roster, Wilson could be the key to balancing the lineups and eliminating potential matchup problems. It’s tough to drain minutes from those guards but it might have to be done to gain more wins. After a few games, we’ll see where Wilson fits in the rotation, and whether more or fewer minutes are warranted.