There’s no single winning formula, but a drastic imbalance between the frontcourt and backcourt usually isn’t a good thing. This year in Storrs, it’s inevitable.
UConn’s backcourt — Shabazz Napier, Ryan Boatright, Omar Calhoun and R.J. Evans — has accounted for 65 percent of the team’s scoring and an alarming 78 percent of its free throw attempts. Meanwhile, the forwards have combined to grab just 17 boards per contest.
Here’s a statistical breakdown of UConn’s frontcourt in comparison to some other guard-heavy teams:
UConn frontcourt (Tyler Olander, DeAndre Daniels, Enosch Wolf, Phil Nolan, Leon Tolksdorf)
Tyler Olander (AP)
PER GAME AVERAGES
Points: 24.8
Rebounds: 17
Blocks: 4.3
Field Goals: 9.8 FGM/21.6 FGA
Free Throws: 3.3 FTM/5 FTA
Cincinnati (Titus Rubles, David Nyarsuk, Cheikh Mbodj, Justin Jackson, Shaquille Thomas)
Points: 27.6
Rebounds: 23.9
Blocks: 6.1
Field Goals: 10.6 FGM/22.7 FGA
Free Throws: 5.5 FTM/9 FTA
Marquette (Davante Gardner, Jamil Wilson, Chris Otule, Juan Anderson, Steven Taylor)
Points: 35.9
Rebounds: 18.7
Blocks: 3.4
Field Goals: 14.5 FGM/26.1 FGA
Free Throws: 5.9 FTM/8.7 FTA
Michigan (Glenn Robinson III, Jordan Morgan, Mitch McGary, Jon Horford)
Points: 26
Rebounds: 19.4
Blocks: 1.4
Field Goals: 10.5 FGM/18.3 FGA
Free Throws: 3.8 FTM/5.3 FTA
Virginia Commonwealth (Juvonte Reddic, DJ Haley, Jarred Guest, Justin Tuoyo)
*Note: VCU often plays four guards
Points: 20.8
Rebounds: 13.6
Blocks: 2.1
Field Goals: 8.3 FGM/15.5 FGA
Free Throws: 3.5 FTM/6.1 FTA
IN COMPARISON TO UCONN’S WORST FRONTCOURT (2006-07) and BEST (2003-04)
UConn 2006-07 (Jeff Adrien, Hasheem Thabeet, Stanley Robinson, Curtis Kelly, Gavin Edwards, Jonathan Mandeldove)
Points: 30
Rebounds: 25.8
Blocks: 7.4
Field Goals: 10.6 FGM/21.6 FGA
Free Throws: 7FTM/12.5 FTA
UConn 2003-04 (Emeka Okafor, Charlie Villanueva, Josh Boone, Hilton Armstrong, Shamon Tooles)
Points: 36.1
Rebounds: 26.6
Blocks: 7.3
Field Goals: 13.1 FGM/23.3 FGA
Free Throws: 5.4 FTM/10.5 FTA
