After two tough losses to St. John’s and Creighton, UConn was in serious need of a bounce-back win against a hot Butler squad at home Tuesday night. It came out strong from the opening tip and played efficiently on both sides of the ball, winning 63-51.
In the first half, the key to the Huskies (8-3, 5-3 Big East) success on the offensive end was the 3-pointer. After they took a 12-10 lead 8:53 into the game, the team hit six consecutive 3-pointers over roughly the next eight minutes, ultimately taking a 34-20 advantage. UConn would maintain a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game. During this run, the struggling Tyler Polley and Jalen Gaffney each hit two treys. The Huskies ultimately shot 6-9 from the outside in the half on their way to a 38-24 lead.
UConn was largely successful from behind the arc in the opening 20 minutes due to quality ball movement and players moving well without the ball. They were able to find open space and get set before shooting, which was a challenge in the losses. Polley especially benefited from teammates getting him the ball when open after constantly being defended tightly against St. John’s and Creighton. The Huskies , who started the game pushing the ball more than normal, also did an effective job of passing the ball into the post and setting screens to get open baskets at the rim in the first half, with Tyrese Martin and Isiah Whaley being the main beneficieres. UConn would shoot 62.1% in the half, with Martin and Polley leading the way with 9 and 8 points and the bench outscoring the Bulldogs (5-8, 4-6)) 14-7.
The Huskies defense, which had been inconsistent in the losses, was even better than the offense in the first half. It limited Butler to 29.6% and 1-11 on layups, and recorded both five steals and blocks. UConn did an excellent job of defending at the rim and providing help when necessary as well as avoiding fouls, and rarely allowed Bulldogs players quality open looks.
In the second half, the Huskies continued to play strong defense throughout even as they cooled off offensively. They were able to maintain a comfortable lead and squash any possible runs. After a few jumpers helped the Bulldogs go on a 8-2 run and cut UConn’s lead to 49-39 with just over nine minutes left, it put its foot down and went on an 11-2 spurt to take a 19-point lead with 5:54 remaining. Martin and R.J. Cole each made multiple impressive shots during the run. The Huskies defense continued to shut down the paint, and only Bryce Golden was able to shoot well from the perimeter for Butler.
UConn’s shooting percentage was both 50% from the field and 3-point line. Meanwhile, it allowed its fewest points of the season and limited the Bulldogs to 34.5% shooting and 7-21 from three. Golden shot 5-7 from three and scored 19, but his fellow starters scored 24 combined points on 11-38 shooting. The Huskies finished with nine blocks and six steals, and jumped up to 24th in KenPom’s defensive efficiency rankings.
Martin was outstanding from the field after struggling the previous two games, shooting 7-9 on his way to 20 pooints. The junior was able to make a wide array of shots, such as floaters and layups, which he has struggled to finish. Martin also again flashed his 3-point shooting ability, making 2-3. He has scored in double figures in five straight games. Cole handled and shot the ball well, scoring 11 on 4-7 shooting to go along with five assists. Polley and Sanogo each had eight points, and Whaley smacked seven blocks. UConn distributed 14 assists.
Tuesday night’s win was just the game UConn needed. The team played arguably its most well-rounded and consistent game of the season, and showed a ton of confidence against an opponent that is playing well. The win again showed that the Huskies are capable of beating anyone even with James Bouknight out. With the games that were originally scheduled to follow postponed (Villanova and St. John’s), UConn will get a lot of time to prepare for a tough matchup against Seton Hall on Feb. 6th, with Andre Jackson and Bouknight possibly playing.
Here are my five observations on the win against Butler:
The Huskies get impressive efforts across the board
Dan Hurley and UConn fans have stressed the importance of finding one or two primary scorers with Bouknight out. While that has not necessarily happened yet, most of the Huskies stepped up on at least one end against Butler. Martin had his best shooting game of the season and scored in double figures for the fifth consecutive game. Cole continued to play well on both ends of the floor and did not force shots while moving the ball well, and scored in double figures for the third straight game and recorded five assists for the fourth consecutive game. Gaffney built on his solid performance against Creighton, recording six points and three assists in 27 minutes. Pollley showed a better touch on 3-pointers and improved his rebounding. In the paint, Whaley had a monster defensive performance with his carrer-high seven assists, showing improved energy and his ability to guard all five positions. Finally, Sanogo (who again showed off good low-post moves) and Josh Carlton combined for 10 points and 12 rebounds in 30 minutes.
Without Bouknight, UConn has a very small margin of error, even against marginal opponents like the Bulldogs. Multiple players will have to step up on both ends of the floor until he comes back, and Tuesday’s win displayed how impressive the Huskies can be when they play as a team.
Martin steps up as a team leader
While Martin still needs to be a little more consistent on offense, he is continuing to establish himself as UConn’s top offensive player right now. Martin is averaging just under 16 points and six rebounds per game in the last five contests amd shooting roughly 48% from the field. On the season, Martin is now averaging 11.9 and 7.2 rebounds on the season while shooting 47.8%.
Tuesday was the guard’s best shooting game of the season (7-9) and stands with the first DePaul game as his best offensive performance. Martin demonstrated that he is capable of finishing at the rim when concentrating, and that he can finish tough floaters over defenders and stretch the floor by hitting dribble pull-up 3-pointers. Martin’s defining play came in the final seconds of the first haf when he did a cross-over and hit a floater over defender Jair Bolden as time expired. Few players do not have the smarts and shot-making ability to make that play, and UConn is lucky Martin has that gift. He is already defining himself as one of the best transfers the Huskies have ever had.
UConn returns to playing high-quality defense
Against Creighton and especially St. John’s, the defense had disappointing efforts. The Red Storm shot 49% and the Bluejays 51% overall, and Creighton shot 18-27 on 2-pointers. Both squads also killed the Huskies in the second half, scoring over 40 points. The defense especially struggled to stop these squads at the rim and on screens, constantly allowing open layups.
UConn’s defense was much better in all aspects of the game against Butler. Both the man-to-man defense and especially the help D was excellent, with players revolving over to help teammates stop drives and constantly contest shots. Sanogo continued to show improved defense, and Whaley, who was called out by Hurley to play with more energy, met his coach’s demands. He continued to display his ability to guard all five positions on his way to the seven blocks, as well as his remarkable ability to hedge. Whalley is now averaging 2.8 blocks per game, and is a prime contendor for Big East Defensive Player of the Year. The Huskies reminded opponents that they can shot down any and all opponents and star scorers.
Cole and Gaffney played well as a tandem at point guard
While Cole has consistently improved in recent games, Gaffney was struggling mightily and losing minutes. That’s why it was so rewarding to see both play efficiently. Cole (29 minutes) and Gaffney (27) combined for 17 points on 6-18 shooting and eight assists against four turnovers. Each handled the ball well and consistently found open teammates, and avoided taking reckless shots. They each also pushed the tempo more than in recent contests, putting the Bulldogs on their heels. It was especially rewarding to see Gaffney play efficiently, and if he continue to play smart while being more agressive, he can take pressure off Brendan Adams and help UConn be a more complete team.
UConn makes sure to keep the pressure on
Over the last few years, the Huskies have made a habit of allowing teams to get back into games after taking comfortable leads, and losing some of these contests as a result. Even more than in the AAC, this is a huge handicap when facing the heavy competition the Big East offers. That was why it was so rewarding to see UConn take a double-digit lead and then maintain it throughout, while quickly responding to any run by the Bulldogs. It was a good example of maturity and confidence, and hopefully it will continue when UConn gets similar leads against toughter competition this season.
HUSKY NATION 