UConn Basketball: 3 key storylines heading into 2020-21 season

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 18: Head coach Dan Hurley of the Connecticut Huskies helps up Jalen Gaffney #0 during a college basketball game against the Villanova Wildcats at Wells Fargo Center on January 18, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 15: NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 15: Connecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

UConn’s Ceiling, Floor and Realistic Expectations

So, what’s UConn’s ceiling, floor, and realistic expectations for this season? In terms of the teams’ ceiling, I feel like it starts with a healthy Tyler Polley. With him starting in the frontcourt alongside Carlton, the duo form a consistent pair in the frontcourt. This allows Jackson and Sanogo to get playing time without having too much asked of them. Bouknight and Cole keep up their scoring form. The team doesn’t run into injury problems like last year, and finishes in the top four of the Big East, and earn a tournament bid.

In looking at the Huskies floor, it starts with injuries as Polley and Akok never return to full strength or play at all. Sanogo and Jackson are thrust into major minutes away and aren’t ready. Cole and Bouknight can’t coexist due to their need to want to score the ball, and the Huskies finish in the bottom half of the Big East and hope for an NIT bid.

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In reality, I think we’ll be a lot closer to the ceiling scenario. I believe Cole and Bouknight will find a way to coexist, and that Sanogo and Jackson are ready to play major minutes right away. The only question comes with Polley and Akok returning from injuries. That’s something I cannot predict. I’d be shocked not to see the Huskies in the 2020-21 NCAA Tournament.