UConn Basketball 2011-12: Can the Huskies Repeat as Big East National Champions?

No one saw it coming. It was never supposed to happen, but it did.

Not much was expected out of the Connecticut Huskies in the 2010-11 season. Kemba Walker was expected to have an All-American season and usher in the next generation, which included six freshmen, but that was about all that was supposed to happen.

Things seemed bright for the Huskies after taking the Maui Invitational by storm. With major contributions from the likes of Walker, sophomore Alex Oriakhi, and freshman Niels Giffey, Jim Calhoun's men stormed past Wichita State, No. 2 Michigan State and No. 9 Kentucky to reclaim the Maui championship.

UConn immediately soared from a vote-getting unranked team to No. 7 in the nation. The spark was ignited for UConn to do great things.

However, many expected UConn to struggle in Big East play. Going into the nation's toughest conference with a young, inexperienced squad was meant to be a struggle for any team, including one of the nation's top programs in the modern era. UConn showed signs of potential, but finished the conference season at 9-9, earning the ninth seed in the Big East Tournament.

Again, no one could have predicted what was about to happen.

The Huskies, led by Walker and rising superstar Jeremy Lamb, knocked off DePaul, No. 22 Georgetown, No. 3 Pittsburgh, No. 11 Syracuse and No. 14 Louisville to become the first team ever to win the Big East Tournament by winning five games in five days. Only a couple of times had it happened when the tournament was four days. Husky faithful saw the season as a success no matter how it ended now.

But why stop at winning the conference?

The run through Manhattan earned the Huskies a No. 3 seed out in the West region for the NCAA Tournament. UConn impressively knocked off Bucknell, Cincinnati, San Diego State and Arizona to claim the West for a fourth time and reach their fourth Final Four.

From there, Kentucky once again felt the pain of a loss to the Huskies and it was on to the program's third championship game. The previous two came in 1999 and 2004 and the Huskies had yet to lose.

Despite it being one of the "ugliest" National Championship games of all-time, Jim Calhoun and company knocked off Butler to take the school's third national championship and arguably the most memorable.

Following the championship, it came as no shock at all to Husky faithful and folks nationwide that Kemba Walker would be declaring for the NBA Draft.The Cousy Award winner went to the Charlotte Bobcats at No. 9.

Many figured that the absence of Walker this season would mean there is no way the Huskies could retain either of their trophies, especially with Louisville and Syracuse looking so good in the Big East.

However, contrary to what others might be saying, I think it is the exact opposite.

I think the Huskies look even better than they did in 2010-11 and will definitely have a say in the fight for the Big East and NCAA championships.

Okay, let me start with the big question mark in the room. Yes, the Huskies lost Kemba Walker, arguably the greatest player in the nation last season and the winner of the nation's best point guard award. He was the catalyst behind the Huskies' run all season and will be greatly missed. However, there is a very annoying and common misconception about last year's late-season Huskies:

KEMBA WALKER WAS NOT THE ONLY GUY DOING ANYTHING IN THE HUSKIES BACKCOURT!

Look no further than two guys that many experts see as one of the greatest guard tandems in the nation heading into 2011-12: Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier.

The farther the Huskies got into their season, the better Lamb and Napier got. Lamb quickly became one of the hottest names in America. Napier was an understudy to Kemba throughout the year and as I mentioned above, started to mirror Kemba with his defensive prowess and ability to drive the lane on the fast break as the season progressed.

Calhoun made a great decision in my opinion by naming Napier a captain for the upcoming season, along with junior Alex Oriakhi. Bazz has shown very often that he may be one of the smaller guys, but he has one of the biggest voices.

The Huskies also added a great talent in Ryan Boatright. The freshman from Illinois is going to be a solid addition to the UConn backcourt. He is an excellent shooter and can really improve UConn's perimeter game. There is no reason for UConn to worry about its guard play.

The frontcourt for Connecticut is going to be incredible.

In the Big East, the teams that will do best are teams that have the combination of big-man play and talent shooting from outside.

Enter Roscoe Smith, Niels Giffey and DeAndre Daniels.

DeAndre Daniels will likely be the starter for Jim Calhoun at the small forward position. The freshman shocked many by joining Connecticut, but now that he is in Storrs, he will make an immediate impact. He is an excellent shooter and provides some speed and size at the three spot for the Huskies.

Giffey had a solid first year at UConn though the transition was clearly a project. The German will likely see more time this year and if he shows the potential he showed at the Maui Invitational, he could compete for a starting spot with Daniels. Small forward will definitely be a deep position for the Huskies, especially since Roscoe Smith can also play there if the Huskies want to go really big.

Looking to the four and five spots, the Huskies will likely start Roscoe Smith and Alex Oriakhi. The Huskies have an abundance of big men who can make a difference and will certainly use all their possibilities.

The reason for starting Smith and Oriakhi: well first off, they were the starters last year. Why change what is not broken?

Second, as I mentioned before, the team that will dominate the Big East is the team that can play both inside and out at the same time. Smith shot 38 percent from the floor, 30 percent from three-point range, and showed his size with 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. With a year under his belt, Roscoe is going to have a much more productive season.

Oriakhi is the leader of the Huskies and a co-captain with Napier. The big man is expected to have an even bigger year than last year, which was a big season for the junior. Oriakhi recorded 9.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks last season. With many projecting AO's NBA Draft stock to rise this year, this could be a huge season for Oriakhi. He is considered one of the top big men in the conference. Not a good idea to drive the lane on him.

The good news this year is that UConn have two other big options down low. Tyler Olander, Michael Bradley and Enosch Wolf will likely see more time this season now that they have had time to develop and prepare to play in the nation's toughest conference.

Like I said, the returning battery of Oriakhi and Smith will likely start. That is a big combination which can also provide offense, but if the Huskies want to go really big, the 7'0" German Enosch Wolf will provide a menacing presence down low. After a semester at Wilbrahim and Monson Academy last fall, Wolf arrived at UConn and saw time in the late December games before the conference season started. He showed signs of a monstrous center who could provide a great addition to the frontcourt for UConn. A lineup of Napier-Lamb-Smith-Oriakhi-Wolf could be absolutely devastating.

Tyler Olander showed bits of brilliance last season, despite an overall feeling of pessimism from the media. The hometown kid earned respect for his performance in Manhattan during the Big East Semifinal against Syracuse. Olander was crucial on both sides of the ball, recording seven points and six rebounds in 27 minutes to help the Huskies to the Championship Game.

Like all the Husky freshman, he now has a year under his belt, a year in which he played 39 times. With the experience and knowing what to expect, Olander will have an even better season in 2011-12. The big key for him is to avoid foul trouble. He regularly started for Calhoun, but quick fouls kept him on the bench often. That will have to change.

Michael Bradley sat out last season as a redshirt, but is expected to see some time this year. Bradley at 6'10" provides another big man for Calhoun to look to. Even if the Huskies do get into foul trouble, they have depth at the big positions to feel a little more secure than when it was just Oriakhi, Smith, Olander and Charles Okwandu.

Finally, it is time to look at Jim Calhoun. Yes folks, the man is going to be UConn's coach this fall. Both DeAndre Daniels and 2012 recruit Omar Calhoun (no relation) have pointed to Calhoun's enthusiasm as a key factor in their decision.

I have been following UConn basketball practically since I was born. In those 19 years, I have seen three national championships and never seen the Hall of Famer in as happy a spirit as he is right now. He has mentioned how the freshman class from last year is one of his favorite classes he has ever had.

It is honestly too early to say if he will complete his contract and graduate with this class or leave sooner to allow Kevin Ollie to see them out, but for the not so distant future, Calhoun is the guy. He has a big role to play still, as the Huskies are pursuing the likes of Kris Dunn and Andre Drummond. Adding those two would make UConn the force to be reckoned with in the next couple years.

Overall, looking at every aspect of this team, it is really hard to see UConn not being better than last year. During the regular season, the Huskies will certainly look to win the Big East regular season title and at worst a double-bye in the conference tournament. Heading into the postseason, yes, Connecticut lost Kemba Walker, but with the likes of Jeremy Lamb, Shabazz Napier and Alex Oriakhi leading the way, how can the Huskies not make as much noise as last year? The road will not be as difficult as the team is more seasoned, more talented and more prepared for what is to come.

The future looks bright for Connecticut basketball.