Danny Atkinson

Observations on Providence Loss: UConn’s Offense is MIA at Home in Flat Performance

It’s hard to call a loss a worst-case scenario when the team you are rooting for only loses by four points. UConn’s performance against Providence was pretty ugly at some points however, and exposed the biggest weaknesses the Huskies currently have without Adama Sanogo, even after the return of Tyrese Martin. They had a terrible stretch at the end of the first half and beginning of the second to fall behind by 15 points, and their admirable comeback effort was eventually foiled by poor execution on both ends. Poor shot selection, terrible perimeter shooting, overreliance on one player, weird substitution patterns, costly defensive mistakes…. you mention it, Saturday’s57-53 defeat at the XL Center had it. It was a crappy way to start the program’s first home schedule with fans in two years and their first ever in the new Big East.

To ensure that this article is not too long, I am going to mainly just briefly focus on the most important stretches of the game before I get to the meet of the article, my observations on the game. After UConn took a 9-5 lead into the first TV timeout, the game entered a very ugly stretch, as it did not score a field goal for more than nine minutes after a Martin layup at the 15:20 mark. As already discussed, the Huskies and Tyler Polley and R.J. Cole in particular were struggling to make perimeter shots despite many of their opportunities being good looks, while blowing opportunities at the rim. UConn’s defense on the Friars was good enough that it managed to have a 21-20- lead with 3:09 remaining in the half. In its final stretch however, the Huskies fell apart on both ends and ultimately trailed 31-21 at the half. A.J. Reeves and Ed Croswell each made multiple 3-pointers and dunks, while UConn failed to score off multiple offensive rebounds.

After a poor start to the second half, a Martin three 4:35 in got UConn back within 10 at 39-29. The Friars shook off the trey and continued to execute well on offense, dominating the Huskies in the paint to go up 48-32 with 10:41 remaining. During this stretch, Croswell and Watson pushed around defenders and set up scoring opportunities through strong screens. UConn was doing a poor job of pressuring ball-handlers, and the lack of Sanogo or teammates to help out Whaley (calling out Akok Akok) made it very difficult for him to keep Watson and Croswell consistently in check. Meanwhile, the Huskies were forcing shots both outside and in the paint and looked to lack confidence on offense. They were also struggling with making adjustments to Providence constantly switching its defense. To the Huskies credit, they slowly clawed back after falling behind by 16. They executed a series of beautiful backdoor passes and shots at the rim that led to either baskets or fouls. UConn also finally begin hitting a few threes, with Andre Jackson of all people hitting two treys. The team tightened up its defense and forced the suddenly cold Friars into tough shots, while also benefiting from Providence’s poor free throw shooting. Polley’s 3-pointer (his only one of the day) made it 55-53 with 1:58 remaining and sent the crowd into a frenzy.

I will go more into UConn’s ugly performance on offense in the final two minutes, but let’s just say that it brought back memories of previous losses to West Virginia and Michigan State. The Huskies missed four 3-pointers in this stretch as well as a scoring opportunity off of an offensive rebound, and played poor defense on the Friars one basket during this stretch. It was a heartbreaking loss for the fans to stomach, and showed just how far UConn is right now to living up to its potential. UConn fell to 9-3 overall with the loss, with all these losses occurring with the team having at least one major player out and by a combined 11 points.

Below, let’s look at a series of observations about the Huskies third loss of the season and its first in conference. Why the tone of this story has been pretty negative so far, I promise all my observations are not.

The Offense is Ugly Right Now, especially on the Perimeter

Any loyal fans who read that headline will probably immediately reply, “no shit, Sherlock”. UConn shot 32.1% overall and 27.6% (8-29) from three, while also going just 7-13 at the line for good measure. In arguably six of the last seven games (notwithstanding the 88-59 win against Grambling State), the Huskies have arguably underperformed offensively and from deep, admittingly against quality teams. In the last three games against West Virginia, St. Bonaventure and Providence, UConn has shot 19-77, adding up to 24.7%. That’s an epic slump, and it’s almost impossible to believe things won’t average out to some extent.

Against the Friars, UConn’s struggles on the perimeter had large similarities to those in the previous two games. Providence deserves a lot of credit for their strong defense on the opposing shooters. Ultimately however, the Huskies either rushed or forced a lot of shots, including at the end of the game and consistently missed open shots, wasting good ball movement. Everybody joined in on the struggles, including the teams so called best shooters (Polley and Tyler Hawkins), Cole and a rusty Martin. As the crowd saw, UConn seemingly continues to hoist threes that are forced instead of performing the ball movement necessary to set up the best perimeter opportunities, and then hesitates when having quality open shots from the outside.

I know Dan Hurley is committed to having the Huskies shoot a lot of threes every game, and it made since somewhat to attack the paint less against Providence due to the Friars imposing front line. However, maybe it is time to be so heavily reliant on treys and look to score near the rim more, especially with Sanogo returning against Marquette. Let’s hope the tide starts to change by the end of the month with everyone healthy.

Poor Production from Most Experienced Members of the Lineup

Starting with Tyler Polley, UConn’s starters and main bench players almost all struggled against the Friars for a large percentage of the game. Polley has been catching a ton of flack lately and it is deserved, even if it may go over the top at times. Polley went just 1-7 against Providence, missing his first six attempts. Since the Auburn game, the senior forward seems completely lost, especially against the toughest competition. Part of the issue against Providence may have been that Polley seemed to take almost all his shots off screens and without being set, arguably making them tougher to make. If Polley again takes multiple threes against Marquette as part of the game plan, Hurley and UConn needs to do its best to make sure they are set shots. With Polley not contributing on the boards or supplying efficient defense despite his size, there is no reason he deserves the amount of playing time he gets unless he is on a hot streak and making attempts. Otherwise, give more time to Akok and Samson Johnson in place of Polley to help solidify the defense and provide additional perimeter threats.

It’s easy to gang up on Polley, but none of the most experienced team members have looked great in the last two weeks (besides Martin, obviously). With Martin and Sanogo out and the struggles of Jalen Gaffney, Cole has been asked to do way too much on both ends of the court while getting little rest. Cole has found it more difficult to score at the rim without the spacing Sanogo and Martin provide, and is going through one of his cold streaks shooting outside of the paint, which Cole showed he was susceptible to last season as well. While Cole has averaged just under 16 points per game in the last four contests, it has taken him 65 shots to do so. Against Providence, Cole shot 5-19 overall and 2-10 inside the arc, and many of these shots were forced or came late in the shot clock. When Cole is asked to pick up a huge load of the scoring slack he cannot focus as well on point guard responsibilities, and Gaffney hasn’t shown him consistent support.

Speaking of Gaffney, he may be the player who I have been most disappointed with this season. The junior guard went scoreless in 24 minutes against the Friars while committing three turnovers. In the team’s six games against major competition, Gaffney has scored just 32 points, made no threes, and committed 13 turnovers against 14 assists, but played at least 20 minutes in most of these games. Across the board, a majority of Gaffney’s offensive numbers are worse than last season. While Gaffney’s defensive ratings are mixed, his weaknesses are visible against tough competition, such as his difficulty staying in front of quick guards and tendency to sell out for steals, which can lead to huge baskets by the player he’s supposed to be guarding. For example, Gaffney was out of position and late on Alijami’s Durham’s layup in the final minute against Providence, a basket that more or less sealed the game. Everything about Gaffney’s game-his reluctancy to attack the basket despite his athleticism and free throw shooting, commit inexplicable turnovers and waste way too much time bringing the ball up the court when playing point-is designed to frustrate me to death. At this point, Gaffney should start to lose minutes to Hawkins and Rashoul Diggins should be given the opportunity to play 5-10 minutes per game so Hurley can see his ball-handling and passing abilities. Maybe making such a move will light a fire under Gaffney and motivate him to reach his potential.

While I don’t have much negative to say about how Isiah Whaley has played on either end recently, even he played inconsistent defense against Providence. The return of Sanogo should take some pressure off Whaley and give him more freedom to focus on playing defense and controlling the boards.

Please Come Save us, Adama Sanogo

UConn is a solid team without Sanogo, but they need him back and playing to full or almost full strength as soon as possible to get off to a strong start in the Big East. Sanogo is expected to play limited minutes tonight against Marquette, and the Huskies luckily will have a week off afterwards until playing at Xavier. The sophomore can immediately give UConn the potent scorer they need inside, improved rebounding and more reliable post defense and blocking, while allowing Whaley and Akok to be used more flexibly. With Sanogo, I am certain UConn would have won against Providence. Even if Sanogo can be a bit of a black hole on offense, he will make it better and more consistent. With a healthy Sanogo, the Huskies are one of the top teams in the conference and a Top 25 team.

Bring on Akok Akok and the kids

Despite getting two key blocks and rebounding well early against Providence, Akok was used less as the game went on and ultimately attempted just one shot in 16 minutes (a 3-pointer that he missed). After the loss, Hurley said that Akok had looked tentative on offense and got lost a few times on offense and I certainly don’t dispute those statements, especially in regards to the offensive end. As inconsistent as Akok is as he returns from injury and gets more up to game speed however, he is already showing offensive rebounding and shot blocking abilities that the Huskies are desperately in need of. Factor in his 3-point shooting success (8-14) this year and ability to stretch the floor, which no other big on UConn really has, how well he had just played against St. Bonaventure and the enthusiasm Akok brings to the team, and I think Hurley needs to be willing to give Akok more leeway if his body is up to it. Akok’s speed and size makes him a good fit against Marquette, so hopefully he will get more consistent minutes tonight.

Regarding Samson Johnson and Rashoul Diggins, what more can I say? Johnson has apparently been playing decent in practice and has occasionally shown solid scoring skills and rebounding in the limited minutes he has played. It would have made sense to give Johnson more of a chance to play with Sanogo out, and yet he was DNA against Providence and only played two minutes against St. Bonaventure. Hurley indicated Johnson may play some against Marquette, and there is no reason he shouldn’t get at least 5-10 minutes in the next few games as Sanogo gets back to full strength. I imagine Diggins must look poor (at least on defense) in practice if Hurley is not giving him any playing time against non-cupcakes, but with Gaffney struggling so much and Cole overwhelmed, it makes a world of sense to at least give Diggins five minutes or so to display his ball handling and passing abilities against Marquette. Finally, Hawkins needs to get more consistent minutes in the next few games with Polley in a shooting funk. IF Hawkins playing patterns made more sense, I would hope he would be more confident and able to get into a groove at times.

Kudos to Jackson and Martin on Their Play

For the second straight game, Jackson was probably UConn’s best player. He scored eight points and snatched down 14 rebounds (12 defensive) and knocked down two 3-pointers. Yes, Jackson again missed a few easy shots at the rim (stop trying to tip in the ball with one hand already). But he continues to look like the most energetic player out there and a great facilitator while slowly becoming more disciplined. Meanwhile, Martin got more up to speed as the game went on and finished with 15 points and five rebounds. I am confident he will be close to the same player he was early in the season within two weeks or so.

UConn Looks to Make Big Splash in Front of Home Crows in Conference Opener

In a very real way, UConn’s Big East opener against Providence late this afternoon at the XL Center is the most impactful game the Huskies have played in a few seasons. Obviously, there is the factor of the program just playing a home game with fans for the first time since early March in 2020, but then you those fans being able to be part of a Big East game for the first time in a decade, and it takes on a whole other dimension. With the opponent a long-time rival that is again having a solid season, the environment at the XL should be raucous. Best of all, Tyrese Martin is guaranteed to return for the Huskies and there is a chance Adama Sanogo will make his return for a few minutes. It will almost definitely be a highly competitive game, and a win would be important for the program, especially considering the Friars resume. UConn is favored by KenPom to win 73-65 and is a -7 betting favorite.

Below is a brief look at how Providence is playing this season and how they will match up with the Huskies.

Performance So Far:

Providence has had an excellent showing in its non-conference slate, as its 10-1 record is tied with Xavier for the best in the Big East. It has three wins against top-40 teams in the KenPom rankings (Wisconsin on the road, Northwestern at a neutral site and No. 18 Texas Tech), and has also beaten a strong Rhode Island squad. All of the Friars wins against power conference teams came in regulation by five points or fewer, as they have clearly demonstrated the ability to close games, something UConn is still struggling with. Providence’s lone loss was a 58-50 neutral defeat to Virginia, which is currently ranked 58^th by KenPom. Overall, it’s non-conference schedule was ranked 143^rd by the site, more than 150 slots higher than UConn. While Providence’s rankings on various stats-based websites are not quite as high as you’d expect based on performance (the team is ranked 57^th on KenPom for instance), it received a lot of votes in the AP poll last week and will surely be ranked if it defeats UConn.

Strengths and Weaknesses

While the highly experienced Friars (five graduate students) have not been dominant in any areas, they have been solid on both sides of the ball in a number of categories. On offense, they are ranked 63^rd in the country and shoot well (effective field goal percentage of 51.4, ranking 115^th in the country and a two-point percentage that ranks 74^th). Providence also rebounds well on the offensive end and are above average at avoiding turnovers. Luckily for UConn, which has been inconsistent with defending the 3-point line, Providence shoots just 32.2% on threes, 215^th in the country. While it does not shoot free throws particularly well, the Friars get to the free throw line a lot and heavily rely on it, scoring just under 23% of their points from the stripe. Providence does an excellent job of sharing and distributing the ball, as their assist rate of 61.3 on the Bartovik stat website is 22^nd in the country. Despite their solid offense, the Friars average just under 71 points per game due to the very slow tempo they play at. Their adjusted tempo and average possession length rank 206^th and 266^th in the country, with this style partially due to the team’s reliance on big man Nate Watson, who is discussed just more below.

Providence’s offence revolves around 6-10, 260-pound senior center Nate Watson, one of the best players in the Big East. The senior center is an absolute beast inside, scoring 15.3 points per game on 64.3% shooting, and his same effective field goal percentage ranks 61^st in the country. Watson is a very disciplined offensive player and has committed just 13 turnovers while avoiding huge foul trouble. While Watson’s rebounding numbers are not huge for a player of his size, he still pulls down 5.5 boards per game. Watson’s biggest weakness is his free throw shooting, as he has shot just 54.5% at the line. Watson has a great senior running mate in the backcourt in Noah Horchler, who brings a reliable inside-out game and is the Friars best rebounder. Horchler is averaging 10.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. Horchler, an excellent shooter, has a true shooting percentage of over 60 and is shooting 40.5% from three. He has four double-doubles this season and made multiple threes in five games.

Providence also has two other double-digit scorers in point guard Al Durham (13.5) and small forward AJ Reeves (10.7). Durham, who had scored in double-digits in every game prior to the last two contests, is a somewhat flawed offensive player. His true shooting percentage is just over 40% and Durham has made just 10 threes in 44 attempts (22.7%), a huge drop from last season’s 38%. While Durham averages just under four assists per game, he has also committed three turnovers per game. However, Durham has shot over 80% at the charity stripe. Reeves is a solid overall shooter and has shot 36.4% behind the arc. He has been the team’s hottest player in the last week, scoring a combined 41 points against Vermont and Central Connecticut. Besides the core four for Providence, senior forward Justin Miniya has been a valuable bench piece, averaging 5.6 points and 5.1 rebounds.

The Friars also have a solid defense, ranking 71^st in adjusted efficiency on that end according to KenPom. Opponents have averaged 60.5 points and been held under 60 for three consecutive games. With a strong front line anchored by Watson (averaging a block per game), they limit teams to an effective field goal percentage of 45.4 inside the arc, four percentage points under average and ranking 54^th in the country. They also defend the three reasonably well. While Providence forces turnovers at a low rate, its block percentage of 11.9% is 76^th in the country. UConn will have to return to rebounding at a high level on the offensive end, which could be a challenge against a Friars team that is capable of controlling the boards. The Friars are skilled at defending without fouling, as opponents reach the line more than two percentage points below average (15.3). Providence forces opponents to play at its slow tempo and their average possession length ranks 294^th in the nation.

Assessing how UConn Matches Up

Offense

While it’s hard to know his stamina level and how effective Martin can be offensively in his first game back from injury, he has the ability to tilt the advantage towards UConn on the offensive (and defensive end). Martin adds another player who should be able to drive to the hoop and create matchup problems against Providence’s guards and front line. Martin is a solid passer and 3-point shooter, a weapon that UConn desperately needs. His presence will help create more driving lines for the UConn guards, particularly R.J. Cole.

Whether or not Sanogo is able to give any minutes, the Huskies will have their hands full scoring against Watson, who averages a block a game. Isiah Whaley, Martin and Akok Akok will need to find a way to get some points matching up with him, whether that comes in the half-court or off the glass, and UConn’s guards must find a way to neutralize Watson as well. The obvious thing to do would be to get him in foul trouble, but the Huskies can also neutralize the Providence bigs by running efficient ball screens and pick-and-rolls and getting out on fastbreaks. It would also be huge if Whaley and especially Akok could knock down a few perimeter shots and open up space for the rest of the offense. If Sanogo does play, I am just looking for him to give 5-10 reliable minutes where he can hopefully use his size to score over Watson and put him in danger of getting into foul trouble.

In the end, I think UConn’s biggest offensive keys to winning will be to press the tempo, shoot well from the perimeter and get a solid number of offensive rebounds. With Bynum possibly out and Providence not having a ton of depth as a team in general, I believe Martin can help the Huskies wear the Friars out by running off of offensive rebounds and turnovers, with Cole and Andre Jackson leading the way in this regard. UConn has shown over the last two games that it can consistently get open shots against good teams, I am confident they can again do so and that Cole, Jordan Hawkins and Tyler Polley can knock down threes and other perimeter shots with the spacing Martin and possibly Sanogo provide. I am hopeful that Hawkins can build on his performance from three in the last game, while not getting down if he struggles. Finally, the return of Martin will hopefully boost the Huskies offensive rebounding performance, which has been disappointing the last couple of games. It is critical that Whaley and Akok block out and anticipate well and make quality opportunities at the rim. Finally, as always, UConn must take care of the ball and maintain composure if the game is close late.

On defense, UConn’s success will start with slowing Watson down to at least some extent. As great of a defender as Whaley is, it will be a big challenge for him bodying up against a player the size of Watson while avoiding foul trouble. Ditto Akok, whose body type is not well-suited to covering a player of Watson’s size and length. If Sanogo plays, he can hopefully at least keep Watson in check for a short time, even if it leads to some fouls. Samson Johnson, who has the same height if not girth of Watson, could be huge for UConn in giving extra frontcourt minutes if Sanogo does not play. The Huskies do benefit from the fact that Watson is a very poor free throw shooter even if he forces them into foul trouble. In the end however, the Huskies will need to at least consistently alter the shots of Watson and the Friars other bigs even if they do not get blocks and keep them off the offensive boards, which requires improved boxing out by UConn and a good showing by Martin.

Besides slowing down Watson and to a lesser extent Horchler, UConn’s biggest key to defensive success will be shutting down Reeves and especially Durham. As discussed before, Durham is especially susceptible to turnovers, and good ball pressure will put the pair in danger of committing turnovers and make it more difficult to get the ball to Watson. It will also limit their ability to kick out passes to an open Horchler on the perimeter. While I have generally been happy with Cole’s defense, Jalen Gaffney, Jackson and Hawkins need to keep the Providence guards from blowing past them or getting easy looks at the rim. If Jackson can stay disciplined, his length and athleticism could make ball-handling a nightmare for the Friars guards.

Final Verdict

This game is going to almost definitely be ugly. Providence will do its best to slow the game down, and we know that UConn can be bogged down by opponents and go into stretches where they cannot hit a shot to save their lives. Add that there will be a lot of fouls, and Dan Hurley is going to have to get creative with his lineups and adjustments, especially if Sanogo is not available. Ultimately however, I believe that the return of Martin and the impact he can have in so many different phases of the game and as a leader, coupled with the home court advantage, will allow the Huskies to pull this game out Sanogo or no Sanogo (if he plays, I’m almost certain they win). As long as UConn can limit the Providence guards, they should win by roughly 8-10 points. Can’t wait for tonight!

Huskies Show the Right and Wrong Ways to Win in Important Pair of Games

A lot of UConn fans have already put the West Virginia and St. Bonaventure games behind them and are looking forward to Saturday’s game against Providence and the returns of Tyrese Martin and Adama Sanogo, with Martin all but guranteed to play and Sanago possibly. However, I think it will be good to take a look back at last week’s games against West Virginia and St. Bonaventure to see the lessons we can take from the Huskies successes and struggles, and how they will affect the matchup with the Flyers. Below, enjoy five observations on the games, with the Mountaineers and Bonnies.

UConn finally proved it could win a tight game on Saturday after failing Wednesday

A major question at the beginning of the season was if UConn could consistently win close games that were decided late, something the program has struggled to do for multiple seasons. In the first 10 games of the season, the answer to that question was no, with the Huskies blowing late leads to lose in regulation to Michigan State and WVU and also doing so in the overtime wins against Auburn and VCU. While UConn could use the excuse of not having Isiah Whaley, Martin and Sanogo in at least one or two losses, part of being a quality team is winning despite injuries. It wasn’t just that UConn lost these games, but how they lost them. The team looked sloppy and nervous in all the aforementioned games and did a poor job of handling the ball and getting high-quality shots. Throughout these late-game stretches, the big theme throughout was poor basketball IQ on both ends of the floor. It didn’t help that any adjustments Danny Hurley made either were not visible or didn’t work, such as in inbounding situations. I have to admit that after the Huskies blew their lead against West Virginia, I was extremely frustrated and worried that they did not have the mental fortitude to beat St. Bonaventure. I was wrong.

Against St. Bonaventure, UConn executed well on offense in the final minutes to deny a comeback opportunity, making just enough plays on defense to ensure the victory. Led by R.J. Cole, the Huskies did an excellent job of handling the ball and showed a lot of smarts in attacking the basket and taking advantage of the Bonnies inability to avoid fouling. The plays in the last two minutes which defined the wins were 3-point plays on by Jalen Gaffney and Cole, which were both scored in traffic, and a dagger three by Tyler Polley with 44 seconds remaining, set up by good ball movement, to put the Huskies up by nine. The Bonnies missed two jumpers in the final two minutes. Dan Hurley appeared to do a good job of communicating with his players from the bench and making clear the offensive plays they should run during the stretch run. In the end, UConn’s finishing kick on Saturday ensured they would earn their second signature out-of-conference win before Big East play begins.

The Huskies x-Factors Come Through One out of Two Games

With Sanogo and Martin out every player besides Cole are x-factors for UConn to some extent, which mostly makes sense when you don’t have many players who can consistently generate their own shots. For the purpose of this exercise however, I am looking at Jordan Hawkins, Akok Akok and Andre Jackson as a trio who can help determine how far the Huskies ultimately can go.

In the 59-56 loss at West Virginia, this trio combined for just 14 points (10 by Jackson) and three assists on 6-17 shooting while committing five turnovers. Hawkins struggled in particular, going 0–7 from the field and committing four turnovers in 28 minutes. While Hawkins got a lot of good looks especially from three, he rushed his shots at times and continued to display his frustration. The freshman’s struggles shooting arguably caused him to lose confidence and affected his ball handling. Hawkins again lost control of his dribble multiple times and did not protect the ball well. While Akok is not normally looked to as a scoring threat, UConn needs more from him on that end with Sanogo and Martin out, and the junior was again MIA. Akok missed multiple shots close to the basket and went 1-5 from the field overall, and generally looked disengaged on offense. While he did an admirable job on the boards and finished with 10 (5 offensive), he failed to box out multiple times late in the game, allowing the Mountaineers to get to key offensive rebounds they converted into points. Akok did not show the strength and agility fans were hoping for and finished with just one block. Finally, while Jackson was actually fairly effective on offense and hit one of the team’s three threes, he was not quite as effective on the boards as usual and still played out of control at times, making a costly turnover late. Jackson was also consistently beat on defense or out of position, an issue that plagued Hawkins as well. If just one of these players had been better (especially if Hawkins had hit a few shots to allow for more spacing), UConn would almost definitely have won.

If the performances of Hawkins, Akok and Jackson were instrumental in the loss on Wednesday, they redeemed themselves on Saturday. The trio combined for 32 points on 11-18 shooting and 16 rebounds, and went 4-7 from three. They also did a much better job of controlling the ball, committing just three turnovers. Jackson had arguably the best all-around game of any Husky, finishing with nine points, 11 rebounds and five assists while adding a steal. Jackson did an excellent job of playing under control and sharing the ball, while still using his explosiveness to get to the rim and deliver crisp passes to open teammates. Jackson showed much better shot selection than normal, using his speed to get easy scores at the basket, and ultimately hit all three of his shots. Jackson’s defense was also strong, as it was clear his pressure and length made it difficult for Bonnie players to get open shots in the paint.

Akok had 12 points, five rebounds and three blocks and went 5-6 from the field, knocking down two 3-pointers. This was the first strong performance Akok has had against a high-quality team this season. The 6-9 forward showed good touch around the rim, but it was the two gorgeous threes he knocked down that were most exciting to see. Akok is now 8-13 from behind the arc this season, and if UConn can consistently make sure to get him shots from deep Akok could be a nightmare for teams to prepare for if he shoots well from there. Akok was outstanding on defense, consistently blocking and altering shots and limiting the impact of Osun Ossuniyi, an elite big man himself. When Whaley and Akok are playing the frontcourt together, they are absolutely one of the best defensive tandems in the Big East.

Finally, Hawkins got the much-needed boost of confidence he has been searching for multiple games and ultimately finished with 11 points in 20 minutes. After having missed 16 consecutive shots, Hawkins finally nailed an upon jumper with just over 11 minutes remaining in the game to give the Huskies a 46-39 lead. He immediately responded with two more threes in the following two minutes which anchored a 13-0 run that gave UConn control of the game. The joy and confidence these shots gave him was very visible. Hawkins showed excellent form on these shots and moved well without the ball to get open, and it is clear Hurley believes in him and gives Hawkins the green light to shoot. If Hawkins can build up his confidence and be more selective in the shots he chooses, there is no reason he cannot became an excellent long-range shooter. Combine that with improved ball handling and defense, then Hawkins should be one of the Huskies very best players by the end of the season.

Jackson, Akok and Hawkins each of the power to elevate UConn at their best. Jackson’s speed and athleticism makes him a nightmare in transition for opponents, and he can be an excellent passer and rebounder and a dangerous defensive presence. Akok is the one traditional big on the Huskies who can stretch the floor and shoot from the perimeter, and is an accomplished shot blocker and rebounder. Finally, Hawkins can be the pure shooter and second quality ballhandler UConn needs at guard. These players have a lot of questions to answer, most prominently Jackson’s skill as a scorer, Akok’s durability and Hawkins ball-handling and confidence issues. But with their inexperience and developing games, the x-factors have nowhere to go but up in Big East play. Their success will largely determine the program’s both this year and the seasons to come.

R.J. Cole Continues to be the Man

It has been a tough challenge for Cole to be both the primary ball-handler and scorer with Martin and Sanogo out, and there were times against both West Virginia and St. Bonaventure where he struggled mightily. In the end however, Cole was there to make the big play for the Huskies when they needed it.

Cole scored 29 combined points against the Mountaineers and Bonnies on 11-26 shooting and had six assists. Cole again demonstrated his strength and ability to score in the points in the games as well as his passing. Against the Bonnies (15 points), Cole worked around his struggles behind the arc by getting to the free throw line, hitting 4-6, and also did a very efficient job of running the offense. In both games, Cole played solid defense and had three steals against West Virginia. His ability to get to the line and score late against the Bonnies demonstrated his ability to take over for the Huskies when needed. As the season as gone on, Cole has asserted himself more and more as a team leader, and his communication skills and ability to give teammates confidence were visible in these games. Cole will likely have to shoulder less of the load as Martin and Sanogo return, but no one questions whom the Huskies alpha dog is.

Some Things Change, but UConn’s 3-point Shooting Woes Stay the Same

Entering the season, UConn’s ability to consistently shoot well behind the arc was a big question, and so far the team has failed that test. The team is shooting 35% from three on the season, but against high-quality teams (major conference and A-10 opponents), that rate drops to 28.2%. Since the team shot the lights out from three against Auburn, it has shot 22.7% against teams in that category. UConn shot 3-21 against the Mountaineers and 8-27 against the Bonnies. These struggles can be chalked up to a few factors, with examples being the Huskies just not making open shots, proven marksmen like Polley and Cole underperforming (as well as Hawkins), and the team either rushing or forcing shots instead of being more discerning in their selection. You have to believe that these numbers will come up at least somewhat due to the law of averages. However, UConn will continue to lose some close games (like they did against the Mountaineers) if they don’t improve from behind the arc from game to game.

The Huskies are Ultimately on the Right Track

Before the week began, I was expecting UConn to go 1-1, as I thought it would be difficult for UConn to win against a good team on the road, after not playing an away game with fans for roughly a year and a half. As tough as the loss to West Virginia was, it demonstrated where the team needs to improve to beat good opponents, and the Huskies used those lessons to outplay St. Bonaventure. It seems like there is a lot of momentum around the team and it has confidence, and UConn has at times showed the much-ballyhooed depth people said would be one of the team’s greatest strengths. Tomorrow is going to be a crazy environment at home against a big-time rival in Providence, and UConn is better than the Friars on paper and matches up well with them. With Martin and possibly Sanogo back, a win and good performance by the x-factors could be huge and put the team in good position to start Big East Play with a winning streak.

Abscence of Tyrese Martin and Adama Sanogo Could Continue to Hurt Huskies Going Forward

When I first heard that senior forward Tyrese Martin and sophomore center Adama Sanogo would each be out for a few weeks with different injuries, I must admit that my first thought was “fuck! How does this keep happening to the Huskies?”. Let’s admit, the UConn program has experienced a lot of major injuries which have thrown wrenches into its seasons in recent years (see multiple injuries to Alterique Gilbert, Akok Akok and Tyler Polley’s ACL tears, James Bouknight’s elbow injury last season, and Jalen Adam’s MCL sprain in 2019). Luckily, neither injury does not seem to be as bad as fans first imagined, and both Martin and Sanogo are ahead of schedule in their rehab processes. After defeating University of Maryland-Eastern Shore and Grambling State to improve to 8-1, the Huskies lost their second game of the season to West Virginia Wednesday and will have their hands full this week trying to gameplan for a quality St. Bonaventure team on Saturday (likely) without two of their best players. And don’t forget the beginning of Big East play.

While I will examine UConn’s performances against the three teams they played without the duo, let’s first look at how the absence of Martin could affect UConn against Maryland and St. Bonaventure, as there is a possibility he could make an appearance against St. Bonaventure (he is a game-time decision as of Friday night). Before injuring his wrist during the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament that sidelined him for 2-4 weeks prior to the game against UMES beginning on November 30^th, Martin was averaging 12.9 points and 7.7 rebounds (currently ranking third and second on the team) and is second on the team in field goal shooting at 53%. On KenPom, Martin is first in true shooting and effective field goal shooting percentages of 59.2% and 58.3%.

As previously discussed in this space, Martin is by far my favorite player on the Huskies. Since arriving in Storrs from URI, he has been one of the team’s best rebounders and defenders and a reliable scoring option. Martin has been a more versatile offensive player this year, improving his finishing at the rim and his 3-point shooting (43.8% on 16 attempts). While Martin is a natural small forward, he can also play at small forward or shooting guard in certain situations. His most distinguishing traits may be his leadership abilities and toughness. Martin frequently visibly demonstrates to opponents that he, and by extension the entire team, cannot be pushed around. Martin was at his best during the Battle 4 Atlantis, averaging 12 points and over nine rebounds and recording a double-double against Michigan State. When you sum this all up, I think Martin is the team’s best all-around player, just ahead of Sanogo.

Martin’s absence would be deeply felt against St. Bonaventure. Against the Bonnies, Martin would provide a reliable defensive presence against their quality offenses. St. Bonaventure limits turnovers and blocks well as of Thursday night and shoots well inside the arc. He would likely be a primary defender on Jalen Adaway, who is averaging 14.6 points and 7.5 rebounds and could take on an even bigger role if Kyle Lofton doesn’t play for the Bonnies. On offense, Martin could have helped UConn score effectively in the paint and given it a huge lift behind the arc, as teams shoot 33.9& from three against St. Bonaventure. Finally, Martin could have provided a huge lift on the boards, as the Bonnies are not particularly strong in this area.

Martin’s biggest competition for best all-around player on the Huskies is Sanogo, who will be out close to a month due to an abdominal strain after injuring himself against Grambling State. Sanogo, arguably the best big man in the Big East as a sophomore, is averaging 15.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in eight games. Sanogo has a true shooting percentage of 57.9% and a block rate of 6.8%. Sanogo has three 20-point games, and at his best is unstoppable against defenders, constantly bulling him. He scored 30 points and had six rebounds in the tournament win against Auburn, scoring in a variety of ways. Sanogo’s two big weaknesses as a player right now are his reluctance to pass out of the post when covered and a tendency to get into foul trouble, though he has improved in the second area a lot this week.

Against St. Bonaventure, Sanogo could have gone toe-to-toe with the “6-10” Osun Ossuniyi on both ends, who’s averaging 3.3 blocks. Sanogo’s ability to block shots and shooting touch would have allowed him to have a solid game against the Bonnies. Looking ahead one game, Sanogo’s absence could hurt the Huskies on the 21^st against Providence, as Friars center Nate Watson is averaging 15 points and 5.3 rebounds.

With no Martin and a limited Sanogo against UM-ES, UConn’s performances have been inconsistent so far between that game and West Virginia. Against a poor UM-ES squad, the Huskies played their worst game of the season and won by just nine points (72-53). They looked flat throughout, with RJ Cole (25 points and four assists) and Tyler Polley (14 points) basically dragging them to the win. UConn shot just 43.7% and outrebounded UM-ES just 33-30. UM-ES shot 47.1% and was in the game until the very end.

The Huskies rebounded against Grambling State last Saturday, winning 88-59. UConn dominated the boards, outrebounding GSU 48-33, and limited GSU to 39% shooting while forcing 16 turnovers and earning 10 blocks. Cole overcome a poor shooting day to go 10-11 at the line and score 18 points. He added seven assists and four steals. Whaley continued to be a rock inside, going for 12 and 8, and Jordan Hawkins recovered from a tough few game to score 15 points and knock down three treys. Akok Akok, had one of his best games of the season, finishing with 10 points and six rebounds.

If the depth UConn displayed against GSU made any fans think winning at West Virginia could be easy, they had another thing coming. The Huskies were a mess offensively for much of the game against the Mountaineers excellent D, and again lacked composure and efficiency at the end of a close game in the 56-53 loss. While much of the blame for the loss can be put at the feet of the Huskies shooting 3-21 from beyond the arc, there were a ton of other issues. The team’s ball handling was atrocious at times and UConn finished with 16 turnovers. Its rebounding was also lackluster, as the Huskies allowed WVU to earn 12 offensive rebounds and did a poor job boxing out. Finally, there was a huge disparity among the teams in foul shots and UConn went just 6-11 at the line. Their offensive showing negated an excellent defensive performance. The Huskies held the Mountaineers to 39.6% shooting and had eight steals. Their scoring was very unbalanced, as Taz Sherman and Sean McNeal scored 39 of the 56 points. Cole and Whaley were again UConn’s best players, scoring 14 (along with three assists and steals) and 15 points respectively. Cole had consecutive threes midway through the second half to finally put the Huskies in front for the first time.

The Huskies were able to overcome their offensive limitations and the pressure of the Mountaineers defense by dominating the paint and especially executing well on cuts in the first 30 minutes and were eventually able to take a 47-43 lead. From this point on however, West Virginia successfully upped the pressure even more and crawled back to tie the game. In the final five minutes, UConn had three turnovers, all generally unforced, multiple shot clock violations, scored just four points and committed six fouls. Even more concerning, Husky players were unable to adjust at all to a 1-3-1 zone that WVU coach Bob Huggins threw at UConn, and everyone besides Cole and Whaley looked like they didn’t want to take such high-pressure shots.

West Virginia was a loss that made me want to panic, as silly as that sounds. It wasn’t the fact that UConn lost, as this wasn’t a big surprise when the time was playing in a hostile environment down two strong players. It was having to see UConn crumble in the final minutes of a game again, with the team unable to avoid silly mistakes or adjust. I don’t know how much that is on the players just screwing up or not being prepared in general partially due to Danny Hurley. Eventually however, the program must show the ability to hold the lead in close games, particularly if they are on the road. Even as Hurley has gained more talent, he and his players have not demonstrated this is a major step they can take.

UConn should get the chance to prove they can win a close game against St. Bonaventure, particularly if Kyle Lofton (17.4 points and roughly six assists) returns to play and Martin is not available. If he does, it would change the complexion of the game. Even down two players however, the Huskies have faced tougher competition and the Bonnies defense does not measure up too many teams UConn has played). To win, the team will have to cut down on mistakes, adjust if their offensive approach is not working, and continue to rebound and defend well. I will give the Huskies the benefit of the doubt and say they get their second high-quality out of conference win. If they do, the WVU loss will be a blip on the radar. If UConn loses again however, I would be concerned about the team’s state of mind entering Big East play.

Examing Takeaways from the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament

Hello all, and welcome to another year of UConn men’s basketball coverage here at Husky Nation! I have had some technical issues with the website recently that prevented me from publishing content, but these have been ironed out and I now should be bringing you regular coverage of this year’s Huskies squad.

It has certainly been an interesting start to the season. UConn started the season with four impressive wins, but all against extremely weak competition. It was presented with its first real tests at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas Thanksgiving week, and fans were treated to three exciting games. The Huskies won a 115-109 shootout against a ranked Auburn squad in double overtime last Wednesday. On Thanksgiving, it coughed up a late lead to Michigan State and fell 64-60 but recovered the next day to win a rock fight in overtime against VCU, 70-63. The two wins earned UConn a third-place finish in the tournament and moved their AP rating up to No. 17. The team moved to 7-1 on Wednesday despite a poor performance against Maryland-Eastern Shore.

I will publish an article after the Huskies game against Grambling on Saturday focusing on their performance without the injured Tyrese Martin, but I first wanted to focus on UConn’s performance in the Bahamas. The tournament showed the best and worst tendencies of UConn, as well as the mental fortitude this squad has. Below, I have a list of the most essential observations I saw during the tournament. I hope you enjoy!

UConn Showed It Won’t Be Out-Toughed

The Huskies were without Isiah Whaley against Michigan State and Martin had to deal with a wrist injury throughout the tournament. They started each game off slow and trailed at the half to both Michigan State and VCU. UConn was ineffective on offense for long stretches against MSU and VCU, two of the best defenses in the country who successfully made these games ugly. And of course, the Huskies had a ton of trouble holding the lead late and handling pressure defense against all three teams, costing them a win against MSU. And yet, it didn’t really matter in the end. UConn overcame fatigue and various weaknesses to play all out in each game. Their hustle and teamwork were outstanding, especially on the defensive end, and their ability to execute on both ends in the winning overtimes was very promising. Throughout Dan Hurley’s tenure, the program has had trouble winning close games and in overtime against high-quality teams. This tournament gave me the confidence that won’t be the case again.

The Senior Stars Showed They’re the Heart and Soul of This Team

The trio of RJ Cole, Tyrese Martin and Isiah Whaley certainly have their weaknesses as individual players. But they are greater than the sum of their parts as a group, and the Huskies certainly would have lost to these tournament opponents if each senior hadn’t played their best individually and as a trio at the most important moments. Cole was UConn’s best offensive player in the tourney and was great against Auburn and VCU, scoring a combined 50 points in 88 minutes with eight assists and four steals. Cole shot 8-18 from three in the wins while going 16-18 from the line. Cole made clutch shots from both beyond the arc and at the rim, and these shots along with his free throws carried UConn to both wins. Cole also did a solid job of managing the offense and played good defense at times throughout the tournament.

If Cole was the team’s most indispensable offensive player, Whaley was their most indispensable defender. The big man was the one Husky who could consistently stop Auburn players at the rim, recording seven rebounds (three offensive) and five blocks in 43 minutes to go along with four assists. Whaley returned against VCU after being forced to miss the game against MCU doing to fainting at the end of the first game and was every bit of effective on defense while also coming up huge on offense. He had four rebounds and two assists and steals and scored 16 points while going 3-3 from behind the arc, including the trey that sent the game to overtime. Whaley’s energy and hustle was infectious for the while team. His ability to affect shots allowed UConn to shut down VCU at the end of regulation and in overtime. I have no doubt that the Huskies would have beaten MSU if Whaley was available.

And now, we come to Martin, the man who has been the team’s best two-way player throughout the season. Despite injuring his elbow against Auburn (a fracture that will now keep him out 2-4 weeks), Martin fought threw it to average 12 points and over nine rebounds in the tournament on 44% shooting. Martin recorded 13 points on 5-9 shooting and eight rebounds against Auburn and had eight rebounds against VCU, and was also outstanding against MSU, earning a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Martin was able to bang with all three teams and overpowered their offense at times and was the most visibly aggressive player on the court. The trio seemed to also be the leaders of the time during timeouts and huddles and helped to make sure younger teammates were composed. With Martin out for a few weeks, Cole and Whaley are going to have to improve their games and take on an even greater leadership role. It will be interesting to see if they are up to the challenge. Ultimately, I think UConn will only go as far as Cole, Whaley and Martin can take them.

An Inability to Handle the Press and Close Out Games Continues to Plague the Program

If you asked dedicated fans coming into the season what they hoped to see from UConn, I’m sure a common hope would be that the Huskies would be more prepared when facing the press and finding ways to break it after this being a huge weakness in 2020-21. Similarly, fans would say that UConn needed to do a better job of adding on to leads late, instead of becoming flustered and making mistakes that put opponents in position to come all the way back. `In both areas, the fans, players and coaches did not get the results they were looking for.

First, UConn seemed lost how to handle the press against Auburn and VCU, which both rely on it heavily. It had difficulty passing over and inbounding against the press and not getting trapped, resulting in multiple costly turnovers, ballhandlers (particularly Cole), being trapped along baseline corners and it taking a long time to set up offensive possessions. It didn’t help teammates failed to move towards ballhandlers to help make it easier to pass and subsequently get down the court. The struggles against the press were key to helping Auburn and VCU force overtime. Hopefully, they were a wake up for UConn and the team will work hard in upcoming practices to refine their approach against the press and Hurley will help his players realize the best strategies towards handling it. Opponents who are capable of running the press effectively will certainly run it against the Huskies until they demonstrate facing it is not a weakness.

Meanwhile, UConn let Auburn come back to force overtime in the first game and MSU to win and had to make a last-second shot to even keep the game going against VCU. In the first two games UConn easily became flustered and showed poor communication and basketball IQ on offense, while doing a poor job of limiting penetration on defense. The Huskies seemed to be playing not to lose in the games and Hurley did not appear to be able to get the team refocused during timeouts. UConn was lucky to get on track in overtimes, but it might not be so lucky in similar games going forward. The team needs to work on end-of-game drills in practice to try and mimic these situations, and come together the next time they are in a game coming down to the wire.

Adama Sanogo is a Mixed Bag

Sanogo was brilliant on offense throughout against Auburn and at times against Michigan State. At the same time, he generally played solid defense and did a strong job of defending the rim. At the same time, his extreme reluctance to pass the ball out slowed down the offense and caused turnover issues. Ultimately however, any college basketball fan watching the tournament unfamiliar with UConn would have immediately realized Sanogo is one of the best big men in the country.

Sanogo had the best game of his young career against Auburn and the best a Huskies big has had in a long time. The sophomore was unstoppable, scoring 30 points in 30 minutes on 12-25 shooting while going 6-7 from the line and recording six rebounds and two blocks. Sanogo showcased his soft touch and abilities to score over each shoulder and bully defenders down low. Sanogo was again strong on offense and especially defense against Michigan State, earning a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds and smacking six blocks. Sanogo was slowed down by foul trouble and an abdominal injury against VCU, but still recorded seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Sanogo was frequently the best player in the tournament and showed he could take over the game at times against quality competition.

And now here comes the negatives. Sanogo almost never attempted to pass the ball back out after getting it in the paint, even if he was unable to get in a quality position. This led him to become a black hole on offense when he wasn’t making shots and allowed all three opponents to double and triple-team Sanogo at will, causing him to be susceptible to turnovers. Sanogo turned it over eight times against Auburn and had 13 overall in the tournament. I recognize Sanogo is still a raw player offensively who is likely uncomfortable passing the ball out, and it doesn’t help that his teammates don’t put themselves in better positions to receive passes. But if Sanogo doesn’t develop his passing game as well as his shooting range, defenses can form clear game plans to stop him and the team’s offense will stall out. I am confident Sanogo can become a more versatile offensive player over the next two months and ultimately the best big in the Big East.

Jordan Hawkins Showed He Can Be UConn’s Next Star on a Big Stage

During the preseason, it was said that Hawkins would have the impact on freshman-year James Bouknight and soon became the next great Huskies guard. Hawkins has only shown flashes of that potential so far, but when he’s been at his best like he was against Auburn he’s thrilling to watch.

Hawkins demonstrated his ability to score from all over the floor against the Tigers, scoring 16 points in 16 minutes. He shot 5-7 overall, making all three treys he took, and went 3-4 from the line. Hawkins displayed a beautiful stroke and the ability to get open without the ball and beat defenders. His performance in the next two games was much more inconsistent. Hawkins scored just six points overall on 2-8 shooting in 28 minutes against Michigan State and VCU, missing good looks and seemingly ignored by teammates at times despite being open, possibly due to doubts they had in Hawkins ability to handle the ball cleanly. He still used his athleticism to make a big difference on defense against MSU however, earning three blocks and two steals. While Hawkins performance was mixed overall in the tournament and his ball handling left something to be desired, it was a net positive overall.

Hawkins will have to become a better ball handler and consistent defender to reach his potential as a freshman. He also needs to manage his emotions better and not constantly wear them on his sleeves (which he did after a costly turnover against Auburn and after being frustrated with not getting the ball more). From everything I’ve seen however, Hawkins should earn more minutes and maybe even a starting spot if he improves and UConn’s guard play remains inconsistent. With Martin out, it’s now Hawkins chance to seize the moment.

Where Are Thou, Akok Akok?

Akok went scoreless in 33 tournament minutes, going 0-5. Akok had nine combined rebounds but just one block (against AU) after two games with three blocks to start off the season. Akok did not match up well with any of the teams, which had bigger and faster frontcourt players. In the limited minutes Akok played, he looked somewhat lost and hesitant on both ends, and rarely showed the speed and athleticism that can make him such an effective rebounder and shot blocker. Against tougher competition, it was clear that Akok is still not the same player he was before his ACL injury, even if he and Hurley claim Akok is fully healthy. Akok remained a non-entity against UMES, recording two points and rebounds in just four minutes. Fans probably need to temper their expectations for Akok, but as he gets back up to game speed, his skills in transition, 3-point shooting and defense in the paint should allow him to have a big impact against the right teams. While Martin is it, Akok will be challenged more and forced to take on a bigger role on both ends. With Akok, it’s all about the right matchups. It is on himself to improve.

UConn’s 3-point shooting is again all over the place

Hurley and the Huskies desperately wanted to strengthen their 3-point shooting and become a more balanced offense this season. At Atlantis, UConn demonstrated how making threes can make its offense way more dynamic. The Huskies, who shot 36.4% over the three games, basically won the game from beyond the arc against Auburn, draining 15-26 treys. Tyler Polley, who I briefly discuss more below, made 6-9 threes. In contrast, they probably lost the game from the perimeter against MSU, going 2-16. The Huskies weren’t very good against VCU either, going 7-24, but Whaley stepped up with three treys, a welcome sight as Whaley is trying to develop his 3-point shooting. And of course, Cole was excellent from beyond the arc the entire tournament, going 10-20 and making clutch threes constantly. While UConn can be a much better team if it could be more efficient from beyond the arc against tough competition, it is nice to see how Cole, Martin and Gaffney have all improved significantly on their 3-point shooting this season.

I just want to speak about Polley for a moment. He arguably won the Auburn game for UConn with his 3-point shooting in overtime, but in the seven other games he has been terrible from three, shooting under 22%. On the year, Polley is shooting 31.7% from there, continuing his downward trend from last season. There is no way Polley can perform at that level and get regular minutes, even if he continues to be more aggressive in attacking the basket. Polley’s distinguishing role on this team is as a 3-point specialist, and despite his “6-9” frame he has never shown the rebounding or defensive skills he should be capable of. Polley will have every opportunity to earn more minutes with Martin out, but he must improve his shooting while also becoming a more complete player to keep them.

When Will UConn be Able to Get Off to Hot Starts?

It doesn’t matter the quality of the opponent or the layoff between games: UConn has not played well at the start of the game against all eight opponents. While the team has overcome this against low-major teams and Auburn, it took them until the second half to get the lead against MSU and they barely led in the VCU game until overtime. I am not sure what the Huskies can do to change their fortunes other than maybe beginning with a different starting lineup or playing more up-tempo to start things off. If UConn continues this habit against good teams however, it will lose a few games it shouldn’t.

Grading Each UConn Player’s 2020-21 Season

This past UConn season was very satisfying, even in despite of the issues COVID-19 and injuries caused the program. The Huskies immediately returned to the Big East and established themselves as one of the conference’s preeminent programs. They earned multiple omemorable wins and were able to recapture the hearts and minds of fans whose interest in the program had wained, as well as new fans. While James Bouknight was a star, a number of players took steps forward and or emerged as fan favorites.

From my perspective, most of the UConn players had solid seasons and a number of Huskies were especially strong on the defensive end. While the squad was definitely flawed, their depth was one of UConn’s greatest strengths. I really enjoyed watching the unique contributions of each player and am excited to see the improvements they make to their games next season.

Below, I have provided grades for each player this season based on their performances as well as other factors such as health and consistency. I have given detailed justifications for each of the grades, which I am sure many fans would disagree with. As always, my opinion is right.

R.J. Cole: B

Coming from a low major program (Howard) where he was a huge star and off a redshirt year, it was hard going into the season how successful Cole could be at the Big East level. While he got off to a shaky start and was inconsistent all year, Cole improved tremendously the second half of the season and proved he can be a quality starting point guard for UConn.

Cole averaged 12.2 points, 4.3 assists and 1.2 steals while starting 21 games. In Big East play, he jumped up to 12.9 points per game while shooting 39% and averaged 4.4 assists. Cole developed into the team’s biggest 3-point threat, shooting 38.6% from deep on 4.3 attempts per game. Cole scored in double figures in 12 straight games starting with the win against DePaul on January 11th. After tough losses to Seton Hall and Providence the second week of January, Cole had a season-high 24 points and 7 assists and shot 5-7 from three in the huge win over Xaivier. For the remainder of the season, Cole averaged 12 points and 4.4 assists in nine games while improving his shooting. In addition to the Xavier win, Cole had standout games against Central (17 points, 7 assists and 4 steals), St. John’S (18 points on 4-7 shooting from three and 5 assists), Georgetown (17 points, 7 assists and 6 steals), Marquette (21 points on 9-14 shooting), and DePaul (14 points and 8 assists).

Cole’s most consistent strength was managing the offense. He is a strong ball handler and is able to consistently find teammates with quality passes. While his assist totals don’t stand out a huge amount, they could have been significantly hire if teammates didn’t struggle so much at finishing shots. Cole also does a very good job of avoiding turnovers. He committed just 1.7 per game and had a 2.52 assist-to-turnover ratio. His assist rate of 26.0 ranked seventh during Big East play. Cole was especially good at running an up-tempo offense.

Cole is a very streaky shooter, which is reflected in his season field goal percentage of .387. In the second half of the season, Cole changed his offensive approach to focus more on his midrange game and taking shots from behind the arc, which allowed him to avoid matching up against bigger defenders in the paint, where Cole significantly truggled to score. He became much more effective with this approach, especially from three, and his shooting numbers inproved across the board. Cole ended the season with effective field goal and true shooting percentages of 46.9% and 51.2%.

On defense, Cole is a mixed bag. He defends the passing lanes well and can force steals and poor passes (he had four or more steals in four games). Cole struggles to defend bigger guards in the paint due to his lack of size and speed. Ultimately, he finished the season with a defensive rating of 101.9, which is slightly below average.

By the end of the season, Cole had established himself as a quality guard despite his flaws. If he can take more effective shots next season and continue to improve on defense, he will likely be one of the best point guards in the Big East. The arrival of star recruit Jordan Hawkins will motivate Cole to improve.

Tyrese Martin: B

If I had done this article at midseason, I would have probably graded Martin slightly higher. However, his offensive contribution fell off significantly when Bouknight returned, although he continued to be a force on the boards. Still, Martin had a very impressive season for a player moving from a mid-major to a ower conference while dealing with the complications of COVID-19.

Martin averaged 10.3 points and 7.5 rebounds (3 offensive) while shooting .440. In conference play, he averaged 11.3 and 7.5 while shooting .474. Martin started every game but one. He had a very strong January, scoring in double-digits in every game but one while averaging 13 points and just under five rebounds. Martin ultimately had 13 double-digit scoring games and had 10 or more rebounds in six games. Standout games for Martin included 11 points and 7 rebounds against USC, 14 points, 6 rebounds and 6 steals against St. John’s, 15 and 9 against Xavier, and 9 and 11 against Villanova. Martin owned the trilogy of DePaul, Butler and Providence. He averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds against the Blue Deamons in three games, 17.5 and 6.5 against the Bulldogs, and 15.5 and 8 against the Friards, helping UConn go 6-1 in these games.

Martin’s biggest consistent strength was his rebounding. He had five or more rebounds in every game but one, and was especially strong on the offensive boards, grabbing four or more in eight games. Martin’s offensive rebounding percentage of 10.3% ranked fourth in the Big East, and his defensive rebounding percentage of 16.2% was 17th. Martin was especially skilled at beating players to loose rebounds and jumping over defenders to snag boards.

Martin had a solid season offensively. He was able to score from anywhere on the floor and especially inside and frequently scored points in bunches. Martin is also a solid ball handler and passer. His effective field goal and true shooting percentages were .482 and .51.1, and Martin ranked 14th and 18th in Big East play in these categories. He was 15th offensive rating at 110.7. However, Martin was the biggest offender on the team in missing quality scoring opportunities at the rim. He consistently left layups short or banked them too hard off the backboard, and had similar issues on putback attempts. He will have to work on his shooting technique in the offseason to get these percentages up to an acceptable level. Following Bouknight’s return, he regularly got lost on offense and struggled shooting, scoring in double figures just twice in the last eight games. This culminated with him going 1-10 and scoring just 2 points against Maryland in the season-ending loss.

Martin was also solid on defense throughout the season. While he had some difficulty with hedging and could occaisonally lose players, he was ultimately a strong one-one one defender and a threat to steal the ball (he had five games with multiple steals). Martin finished with a defensive rating of 97.2.

I immediately fell in love with Martin and his high-energy, hard-nosed style of play. He is a joy to watch on the boards, and I believe he could be even better there next year. Although Maritn may not have as many scoring opportunities as a senior with the arrival of a talented group of freshman, I am confident he will work this offseason to become a more efficient offensive player. There is a good chance that Martin can be the Huskies best all-around player next season.

Isiah Whaley: B

After his emergence in the second half of the 2019-20 season, Whaley continued to be a force for the Huskies, especially on the defensive end. He was recognized for his performance by being named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

Whaley averaged eight points and 6.2 rebounds per game (2.5 offensive), adding 2.6 blocks for good measure. Whaley was 20th in the country in block percentage (10.5) and second in the conference at 10.6. He started all 23 games. Whaley scored in double-dights nine times and reached double-dights in rebounds four times, earning four double-doubles. He had multiple blocks in 15 games and blocked five or more shots four times. Standout performances for Whaley included 10 points and rebounds, four assists and five blocks against Hartford, 15 points and 13 rebounds against Marqueete, 12 pwoints, 10 rebounds, four assists and five blocks against Xavier, and a season-high 17 points and 10 rebounds against Seton Hall. In the three games against Creighton, Whaley averaged 10 points and 6.3 rebounds.

UConn should be very happy that Whaley is returning, as he can continue to be the anchor of their defense. He was elite on that end this past season. Whaley can shot down bigs inside by altering and blocking shots and forcing poor passes and steals, while also effectively guarding players out on the peremiter. While I have pretty mixed feelings about the defense’s heavily reliance on hedging, there’s no doubt that Whaley is the key when it does work. In addition to the aforementioned blocking statistics, he also stole the ball on 2.2% of possesions, ranking 19th in the Big East in this category according to KenPom. On the boards, Whaley grabbed 8.5% of offensive rebounding opportunities and 16% of defensive rebounding opportunities in conference play, ranking 10th and 18th. He is very skilled at blocking out defenders and getting to the team’s missed shots on rebound opportunities.

Whaley’s offensive performance was more mixed. At his best, Whaley can overpower defenders inside and get a ton of putbacks. He also showed a promising ability to hit midrange jumpers and threes this year, even making treys at a .348 click in 23 attempts. However, there’s no excuse for Whaley’s inconsistency with making shots at the rim. Like many of his teammates, He consistently missed easy scoring opportunities and putbacks, dragging down his offensive numbers. Whaley made only shot .479, nearly down .06 from his junior season, and his true shooting and effective field goal percentages dropped at similar rates. Whaley also struggled heavily at the free throw line, shooting just .479. Whaley’s numbers were also hurt regularly by foul trouble, as he averaged 2.9 fouls per game and fouled out of five games.

Having Whaley back for a fifth year will be huge for the Huskies. He will provide leadership, excellent defense and rebounding, and another offensive threat in the post alongside Sanogo. If Whaley can be more consistent on offense next year and continue to make more shots on the peremiter, along with doing a better job of avoiding foul trouble, he could see his numbers increase significantly and put himself in position for a pro career.

Adama Sanogo-B+

Sanogo would be my pick for the best UConn freshman big man since Andre Drummond. His stats s do not illustrate how impactful he was for the Huskies, particularly on the offensive end. Sanogo quickly developed on offense, and as he got more playing time he displayed a variety of movesand the ability to bully defenders. At the same time, he also demonstrated he can be a vert effectuve defender and shot blocker.

Sanogo averaged 7.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in just 17 minutes of play. The center shot 55.4% from the field. In conference play, he grabed 5.2 rebounds and recorded 1.1 blocks per game. Sanogo began to emerge as a force starting with the loss to St. John’s on January 18th, when he scored in double figures for the first time with 12 points and recorded four rebounds and two assists in just 17 minutes of play. Over the remainder of the regular season, Sanogo averaged 9.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and more than a block per game in 15 contests. They scored in double-digits in seven games.

Besides the game against St. John’s, other standout efforts for Sanogo included 13 points and 5 rebounds in the second loss to Creighton, 12 in the first loss to Seton Hall, nine points, eight rebounds and five blocksin thewas first loss against Providence, 16 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in the win against Seton Hall, 14 points against DePaul, and 13 blocks and five rebounds in the Big East tourney game against Creighton. In the two wins against Georgetown, Sanogo averaged nine points,eight rebounds and 1.5 blocks. In the second win, he had his only double-double of the season.

While Sanogo’s range may have been limited, he became highly efficient as a shooter as the season progressed. He made a majority of shots in nearly every Big East game, and had effective field goal and true shooting percentages of 55.4 and 56.8 for the season. Sanogo’s field 55% field goal percentage ranked 14th in Big East play according to KenPom. Sanogo became adapt at backing down defenders and shooting over them, and also developed an excellent drop step move. While he rarely showed it, Sanogo was also able to step out and make short jumpers by the end of the season. He was probably the best finisher on the Huskies.

Sanogo is also an adept rebounder and his rate rebounding rates were outstanding. His defensive rebounding percentage of 25.5% ranked first in the Big East according to KenPom, and his offensive rebounding rate of 8.9% was seventh. Sanogo grabbed 1.4 offensive boards per game on the season. He did an excellent job of reading rebounds off the rim and outmusclingplayers to the ball as well as finishing off rebounds. Per 40 minutes of play, he grabbed 11.2 rebounds. Samogo is already a skilled shot blocker and his block percentage of 6.8 was third in the conference. He had multiple blocks in five contests.

In addition to his shot blocking, Sanogo developed into a solid overall defender over the course of the season, and finished with a defensive rating of 93.9. However, his biggest flaw as a player was his struggles with foul trouble. Sanogo averaged 2.8 fouls per game in less than 20 minutes, and finished with at least four fouls in seven games. These struggles consistently forced him to the bench during key minutes and was a huge factor in a couple of losses. Sanogo had a tendency to get called for touch fouls and be overly physical when unnecessary, leading to fouls. He will need to learn to be a more disciplined defender to step forward next season. Sanogo will also need to expand his shooting range to take a step forward on offense.

Sanogo is very exciting to watch. He is an extremely skilled offensive player and a huge force on defense. UConn reached its full potential as a team when it began to use Sanogo more, and he was hugely responsible for the team’s run at the end of the regular season. If he can work this offseason to evolve on both sides of the ball, Sanogo can be one of the elite big men in the Big East next season.

Tyler Polley: B-

This rating may seem too low for the now fifth-year senior, who was named the Big East Sixth Player of the Year. However, it is a reflection of Polley’s limitations as a player and his inconsistency from behind the arc. Polley averaged 7.5 points per game and shot 35.2% from behind the arc. In conference play, he shot 36.9% from three. None of Polley’s other stats stood out, and he grabbed just two rebound per game despite his” 6-9″ frame. He averaged two fewer points than in his injury-shortened junior season, when he shot just over 40% from behind the arc. Thanks to his 3-point shooting, Polley’s offensive rating in conference play was 118.5, sixth in the Big East according to KenPom.

Polley’s signature moment of the season was his three-game stretch from January 5th-11th following the injury of Bouknight. Against Marquette, Butler and DePaul, Polley averaged 18 points and shot 13-24 from three, with a high of 23 points against Marqueete on 5-8 shooting from behind the arc. That week’s performance earned Polley the Big East Player of the Week award. Besides these three games, Polley had double-digit scoring games against Xavier and Georgetown (10 and 11 points) as well as in the season opener against Central, where he scored 14. Polley also had strong games against Marquette, Providence and DePaul, scoring nine points in each.

Polley was extremely important for UConn during the season as their biggest 3-point threat. He provided reliable 3-point shooting to a team that was starved for it, and his ability to stretch the floor attracted attention and made it easier for teammates to score in the midrange and especially inside. And Polley’s great stretch of games right after Bouknight’sinjury helped keep the Huskies on track and confident. Despite this, I think Polley’s in consistency from three hindered the team at times. He had a tendency to go cold for long stretches, making things much more difficult on the offense. After the aforementioned stretch of games, Polley did not hit more that three tries in a game the remainder of the season, and only reached this mark twice. He fell into a habit of taking a lot of off-balance threes instead of pump-faking or passing the ball, and his teammates did a poor job at times of getting him opportunities off the catch. Ultimately, Polley’s 3-point shooting percntage dropped nearly five points from his junior year mark. Polley rarely attempted shots inside the arc and either did not make or attempt a 2-pointer in 10 games. Polley was the best free throw shooter on the team at 90.5% but rately put himself in position to get to the line, earning less than two opportunities per game.

While you can find faults in Polley’s offense, the big issue I have with him is his lack of versatility. I don’t expect Polley to do a huge amount of rebounding considering he is almost always playing on the peremiter, but there is still no excuse for a “6-9” guy to only be grabbing two rebounds per game. The coaches need to work with Polley in the offseason to improve his ability to read rebounding opportunities. Polley rarely attemps to create scorig opportunities for teammates. He is also going to have to work hard to improve on defense and in guarding the peremiter in the offseason, as he had the worst defensive rating of any player in the regular rotation (105.1). Polley is always going to get significant minutes next year because of his prowess from the peremiter, but he has to find a way to contribute when his shots aren’t falling.

Polley’s struggles last year needs to be viewed in context, as he missed a large portion of his junior season to an Achilles injury and then could not follow a normal recovery schedule due to COVID-19. Polley frequently appeared less mobile last season than he was before the injury, and this would have limited his ability to get open and play defense. If he is at full strength next year, I expect his statistics to be at or surpas what they were in the past, especially from three.

Polley’s decision to come back for a fifth year at UConn was a pleasant surprise. I am glad he will get a full season to show what he can do when healthy. If he can work to make his game more well-rounded this offseason, he can have a great final year at Storrs and put himself in position to have good opportunities to play professionally. Along with Whaley, he will be able to be a great leader for the freshman and other underclassmen to follow.

Jalen Gaffney B-

If I were doing this grades at midseason, Gaffney’s would definitely be lower. All credit to the sophomore guard, however. Gaffney took a step forward in February and January to become a more efficient offensive player and shooter, particularly from the peremiter. In a disappointing NCAA tournament loss, Gaffney was arguably UConn’s best player.

Gaffney finished the season averaging 6.1 points per game on 41% shooting and 36.2% from three, and 1.5 assists. In the final 12 games of the season, Gaffney scored 6.6 points per game on 44.8% shooting, and had three of his four double-digit scoring games. Gaffney’s best performances came against Hartford (15 points, two steals and two blocks), the first game against Seton Hall (a season-high 2o points on 5-11 shooting and two steals), the second game against Georgetown (15 points on 6-6 shooting) and the season-ending loss to Maryland (12 points on 4-6 shooting and three steals).

Gaffney definitely looked like a different player at times towards the end of the season. While he did not attack the basket as much as he should have, he showed the ability to consistently score inside when he did. With his size and athleticism, Gaffney is more effective at attacking the basket than Cole. Gaffney also improved his midrange shooting over the course of the season, and emerged as the third best 3-point shooter on the term behind Cole and Polley (he actually shot at a slightly higher percentage than Polley). Ultimately, Gaffney significantly improved his effective field goal and true shooting percentages from freshman year to 55.4% and 49%, respectively. Gaffney also improved his ball-handling and lowered his turnover percentage on possessions to 17.6%. His free throw percentage of 82.2% was the best on the term among players with more than 40 attempts.

While Gaffney made significant strides on the offensive end, his defense still leaves a lot to be desired. While he can rack up steals, Gaffney can struggle with staying in front of his man and playing help defense, and is pretty susceptible to reach-in fouls and foul trouble. Gaffney’s defensive rating was below average at 101.2, which was actually slightly lower than his freshman year rating. If he wants to establish himself as a starter next year, Gaffney will need to significantly improve on the defensive end. On offense, he needs to become a more consistent shooter. More than anything else, however, Gaffney will need to play more aggressively on offense next season and attack the basket more frequently, as well as improve at creating scoring opportunities for teammates. Too much of the time, Gaffney just gives the ball up to a teammate immediately and shys away from making something happen. He needs to realize that his offensive strengths are different from Cole’s and that the two will be a much more effective duo when Gaffney upps his aggresiveness.

I am probably looking forward to watching Gaffney next season more than any other play. I am eager to see what improvements he made during the offseason, and if a lightbulb as gone off and he plays with a more aggressive mentality. I think Gaffney has more too lose next season than anyone. If his defense has improved and he is scoring more and more effectively, than he can be a huge part of the Huskies success. If Gaffney continues to play hesitant and his defense is shaky, however, than he will likely not start and UConn will proably struggle.

Aandre Jackson: B

I struggled with the decision to give Jackson a grade due to missing seven games to injury and playing five minutes or less in three of his first four career games, but I ultimately decided that Jackson played enough games (16 with an average of 16.1 minutes) to qualify. The freshman shooting guard rebounded from breaking a bone in his left wrist in practice following the Creighton game on December 20th and missing seven games to became a central member of the UConn rotation. Jackson averaged 2.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists, and had a steal in seven games, and played very strong defense at times.

While Jackson never scored in double digits, he had five games of five points or more, and had multiple assists in eight games. Standout performances for Jackson included his return in the first game against Seton Hall (seven points and four rebounds), the second win against Marquette (eight points,eight rebounds and two assists) and the Big East Tourney win against DePaul (6, three rebounds and three assists in 15 minutes).

While Jackson’s total resume for the season may be less than the sum of its parts, those parts were very impressive at times. In particular, Jackson’s passing and defense stood out in many games. He consistently showed great court vision when finding open teammates and unselfishness when handling the ball and regularly made spectacular passes in the backcourt. Jackson’s assist numbers would have been significantly higher if his teammates had done a better job finishing at the rim. On defense, Jackson used his “6-9” wingspan to pressure opposing guards and make it difficult for them to get the ball to teammates on the perimeter and in the paint, and was able to force turnovers. He has the potential to be UConn’s best backcourt defender next year if he can become more disciplined. While Jackson is highly limited on offense (see more below), he can score effectively at the rim and is a great dunker.

Like almost all freshman to some extent, Jackson is still a pretty flawed player despite his tremendous athleticism, especially on offense. Jackson rarely showed the ability to hit a shot outside of 10 feet and was horrendous from three, going 2-17 and failing to hit one in the last nine games. While the freshman may have shot over 63% inside the arc, most of the 2-pointers he made were right at the rim. Both Jackson’s shot selection and mechanics were poor. As great of a passer Jackson could be, he was not a disciplined ball handler and had multiple turnovers in five games. On defense, he struggled heavily with foul trouble and was especially susceptible to silly touch and reach-in fouls that kept him off the court at crucual times. Jackson committed three or more fouls in 10 games.

With his passing, defense and memorable dunks, Jackson is already one of the most enjoyable players to watch on the Huskies. He showed so much potential as a freshman, and I give him a lot of credit for overcoming the difficulties of COVID-19 and injuries to become a valuable member of the backcourt. Jackson definitely has a long way to go to becoming a servicible offensive player, but I am confident he will be able to tighten up his jumpshot this offseason so that he can become an effective shooter next year. If Jackson does that and can be a more disciplined defender as a sophomore, he can join Cole as a lead guard for the Huskies.

With the emergence of Adama Sanogo, Carlton settled into a firm backup role in his final season at UConn. Cartlon started just one game and averaged only 11.3 minutes per game a year after starting every game and averaging over 20 minutes per game. Carlton largely responded well to his new role, averaging 3.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game and providing valuable veteran leadership. The senior center scored five points or more five times and had six games with five rebounds or more, including two in double-digits. Signature games for Carlton included the Huskies huge win against USC (nine points and 11 rebounds), his lone double-double against DePaul (11 points and 10 rebounds), the win over Providence (seven points, seven rebounds and two blocks), and in the regular season finale against Georgetown (seven points and rebounds).

Carlton was most valuable to UConn as a rebounder and defender. He was consistently strong on the boards and especially as an offensive rebounder, averaging 1.6 per game. Carlton, who is excellent at boxing out, grabbed at least one rebound in every game that he played more than three minutes except for one. He grabbed rebounds on 18.4% of the possessions he played, a career high. On defense, Carlton overcome occasional foul trouble to regularly provide rim protection and shot blocking. He earned blocks on 4.2% of the possessions he played.

On offense, Carlton was inconsistent but largely more effective than as a junior despite his limited opportunities. He underperformed at scoring around the rim and finishing shots and shot only 48.2%. However, Carlton improved his assist rate and ball handling, and went scoreless in just four games. His offensive rating on KenPom went up seven points from his junior year to 99.6.

Carlton definitely ended his four years at UConn on a high note. After a disappointing junior year, he bounced back on both ends and provided a steady presence as a backup. Carlton came up big in the most important games, particularly against USC and at Providence, but he made a big impact whenever he played significant minutes. He also did a great job mentoring Sanogo. In the bigger picture, Carlton had an impressive career at UConn. Along with Whaley and Polley, he was a key figure in the program’s turnaround during Hurley’s tenure, and always represented the program well. I am sure Carlton will continue to play well as a fifth-year senior at Houston, and I wish him the best of luck.

Brendan Adams :C+

It was up-and down season for the junior guard in his final year at UConn. On one hand, Adams stepped in to provide much-needed experience and stability on offense as a starter when Bouknight was injured, and had a few strong games. On the other hand, Adams struggled heavily on offense at times against the tougher competition the Big East offered. It was not surprising that he decided to move on to George Washington as a grad transfer, as it was basically guranteed he would lose minutes next season.

Adams played 16 games, starting 6, and averaged just over 20 minutes. He scored 4.5 points per game, nearly three points lower than the previous season, and 1.5 assists. He had strong games against Central Connecticut in the season opener (15 points, his only double-digit scoring game of the season, and three assists), the first wins against DePaul (eight points( and Butler (nine points, three assists and two steals), St. John’s (seven points, three rebounds, and three assists)) and the second game against Creighton (six points and season-high nine rebounds). Adams had eight games with multiple assists while committing multiple turnovers in just five contests. He had assists on 12.7% of the possessions he played, a career high.

Adams was thrust into a big role when Bouknight went down with his injury against Marqueete on January 5th. Over the next three weeks, Adams played over 25 minutes in the next five games, starting all of them While he struggled heavily with shooting the ball over this stretch, Adams was a reliable third ball handler alongside Cole and Gaffney and was strong in the role. He had 12 assists to just six turnovers during these games, and added six steals. Adams also provided solid defense at times. Even after his role diminished greatly with the return of Bouknight, Adams continued to handle the ball well.

The biggest knock against Adams throughout the season was his shooting. While Adams was never a particularly good shooter in his first two seasons, his numbers plummeted as a junior. Adams shot just under 30% from the field and 31% inside the arc. In coference play, he shot 26.7%. Adams clearly struggled to make shots against the stronger and quicker guards in conference, and his shot selection wasn’t great. In addition, his defense continued to be inconsistent and he finished with a defensive rating of 102.1.

Adams had a mediocre season, but he was still huge for the Huskies as a role player and stepped up in a big way when he was asked to play more. In addition, he continued to be an important team leader, especially for the less experienced guards. As the first player to commit to Hurley when he came to UConn, Adams helped attract others to Storrs, and it was clear how much Hurley appreciated him as a player and person. I’m also really impressed that he managed to get his degree in three years. I am sure he can thrive in a bigger role and at a lower level at GW. Thanks for everything you did for UConn, Brendan.

Akok Akok: Incomplete

In the end, it seems like our expectations for Akok coming into the season were too high. He did not return until January 9th from his Achilles injury, and only played seven games before being shut down after the Marquette win on February 27th. Akok played just 29 minutes and had only nine points and three rebounds, with seven of the points coming against Xavier. He injured his shin soon after coming back, and Akok did not show the same athleticism, mobility and energy he played with last year. The sophomore was especially limited on defense and the boards, as he blocked just one shot. Hurley was pretty upfront about Akok not being able to contribute consistently due to these factors and Covid-19 interfering with his recovery schedule.

After a lost season, I am really curious to see how effective Akok can be next season. If he is fully recovered, Akok should provide UConn more quality defense in the paint and a second shot blocker to go with Whaley. On offense, Akok could help the Huskies stretch the floor with his shooting, while still scoring realibiliy inside. Akok will definitely be UConn’s biggest “addition” for next season.

Richie Springs: Incomplete

The redshirt freshman barely got on the floor this season, appearing in just five games and for a total of 13 minutes. Springs scored three points against DePaul in two games and against Georgetown. The coverage of Springs in the preseason most significantly focused upon his reebounding ability and that was apparent, as he grabbed five rebounds.

I hoped that Spring would get an opportunity to play a handful of minutes here and there with bigs either injured or in foul trouble, but it is clear that Dan Hurley did not think Springs was ready to play meaningful minutes. It was also hard to get him in games when the Huskies were rarely involved in any blowouts. I just hope that Springs works hard this offseason to improve his defense and shooting so that he will be in position to play next season.

Thanking James Bouknight: A look back at one of the most impactful players in UConn history

James Bouknight’s UConn career got off to a rocky start. While the guard was a huge recruit for the program and Dan Hurley, he still was not ranked as high as his talent level (four stars and 53rd-ranked player in the class of 2019 according to MaxPreps) due to injury issues in high school. Bouknight then was suspended for the first three games of his freshman season due to alledgelly fleeing a car crash. These incidents and issues caused fans to have significant questions about Bouknight’s abilities and character. Personally, I was worried Bouknight would be another freshman with great athletic abilities who played very inconsistently, despite Hurley’s statements that he expected Bouknight to be good enough to only play two years in Storrs before being drafted by the NBA.

From the first moment he stepped on the court as a freshman, Bouknight showed he belonged. He scored a combined 40 points in his first three games at the Charleston Classic, including 19 against a strong Xavier squad, and also had 14 in a nonconference win against New Hampshire. As American Athletic Conference play went along, Bouknight really came into his own. He scored in double figures in 12 straight games starting on January 16th, and led the Huskies to a five-game winning streak to end the season. Bouknight was able to use his athleticism and speed to become an effective scorer, and became a more efficient shooter and rebounder and began to take over games the deeper he got into his freshman year. Signature performances for Bouknight came in big wins against Tulsa (22 points on 4-5 shooting from three), Cincinatti (23 points) and Houston (17 points and 7 rebounds). He ultimately averaged 13 points and 4.1 rebounds with an effective field goal percentage of 50.7%, and averaged 15.3 points in conference. Bouknight’s 109.5 offensive rating in conference play was 10th in the entire AAC.

After ending the 2020 regular season on such a high note, expectations were sky-high for Bouknight as a sophomore and he was preseason second-team All Big East. He immediately set about exceeeding them. Bouknight averaged over 23 points in the first five games, including scoring 40 against Creighton, while also rebounding well , creating quality scoring opportunities for teammates, and playing solid defense. He shot well and scored effortlessly both at the rim and on the perimeter.

Entering the first game against Marquette, Bouknight was one of the hottest players in the country and looked like he had the chance to be the best player in the Big East. This was why it was so heartbreaking to see him injure his elbow against the Golden Eagles and miss the next eight games, during which the team went 4-4. UConn’s offense was extremely inconsistent without Bouknight, and none of his teammates could create their own shot at anywhere near the same level. At the same time, it was also heartbreaking that Bouknight never played at the same level when he returned.

With Bouknight’s return on February 16th against Providence, the Huskies turned a corner and played much better through the remainder of the regular season and the conference tournament quarterfinal win against DePaul, going 6-1 during the stretch. The offense was much more efficient and played at a faster pace, and Bouknight’s presence and playmaking ability helped R.J. Cole become a much bigger offensive threat. While Bouknight was just as dangerous of an offensive player as ever and scored 20 or more points against Villanova, Marquette and Georgetown twice, his efficiency and stamina never returned to the same level it was at pre-injury. Bouknight was especially inconsistent from behind the arc and in handling the ball and struggled with turnovers. In addition, the cramping that forced him out of the quarterfinal win against DePaul foreshadowed the ugly ending to Bouknight’s career.

As great and important as Bouknight’s career at UConn was, his play in the team’s losses to Creighton and Maryland to end the season caused a small number of fans to cast Bouknight as not living up to his full potential and or not “tough enough”, which I feel is extremely false. Yes, his offensive stats in the losses (29 combined points on 10-30 shooting and seven turnovers) were not good enough for the Huskies to win, and Bouknight fell into a trap of playing “hero ball”in both games. Your best player has to show up in the most important games, and he didn’t rise to the occasion. However, Bouknight got very little help from his teammates, and it was hard for Bouknight to be effective when he was constantly double and triple-teamed by the Bluejays and Terrapins and the offense became bogged down. Combine these factors with the issues Bouknight had with stamina after returning and the after effects of the cramping against the Bluejays, and his struggles can largely be foregiven. UConn’s biggest weaknesses were exposed in the contests, and there was only so much Bouknight could do to try and get the team on track. From what I saw, his effort level was always impressive in tournament play. If anything, Bouknight was trying so hard that he did not play within himself against DePaul and Creighton.

For the season, Bouknight scored 18.7 points per game and averaged 5.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals while playing 15 of the Huskies 23 games. The sophomore averaged 20.7 points in conference play. Bouknight had an effective field goal % of 49.8% and a true shooting percentage of 54.6%, and was ninth in the conference in free throw percentage (8o.4%) and fifteenth in 2-point shooting percentage (54.9%). His body of work added up to a spot on the All- Big East first team. After Bouknight had such a great season despite a serious elbow injury, he should have been recognized as one of the best sophomores in recent UConn history. However, a surprising number of fans did not appreciate how important Bouknight’s season and career could be for the Husky program going forward.

UConn had other standout players in recent seasons before Bouknight’s arrival, with the most prominent examples being Jalen Adams, Daniel Hamilton and Christian Vital. However, Bouknight was the program’s best player since Shabazz Napier. He is a dynamic offensive player and a stronger all-around player than he is given credit for. Bouknight’s game could translate very well to the NBA, where he will be able to play in offenses that are much more wide open and not be forced to carry so much of his teams’ scoring load. At the same time, he will heavily benefit from being part of an organization’s strength and conditioning program, as Bouknight needs to improve in this area to reach his full potential. Bouknight certainly will need to improve in other areas as well, with his perimeter shooting, defense and ability to play for contact coming immediately to mind. But NBA coaches and general managers certaintly feel like he can quickly become an impact player, as mock drafts currently have him as a lottery pick or being drafted just outside the lottery. Bouknight would be the first lottery pick from UConn since Andre Drummond in 2012.

Bouknight left fans with so many memorable moments in less than two full years of play (his performances at the Charleston Classic and against Cincinatti, Tulsa and Houston as a freshman, his games against USC and Creighton early this past season, his first few games back from injury in February) and deserves to be appreciated more by UConn fans. No, he did not lead the Huskies to tournament success, and did not take on a clear leadership role as a sophomore. However, he helped the program get back on the right track and emerged as a star, something the program desperately needed. Having Bouknight drafted high and hopefully find success in the NBA will make it easier for UConn to attract talented recruits who want to not only match his accomplishments in Storrs, but exceed them. This, in turn would allow the Huskies to have more regular season and tournament success in the future. Bouknight represented the program well, and his full impact on it will not be known for a few more years. It was an honor to watch you, James.

Loss to Maryland Illustrates Huskies weaknesses in stark detail

Coming into the 2020-21 season, Dan Hurley said two of the team’s main goals for the season were to finish in the top three of the Big East standings and qualify for the NCAA tournament. Despite taking a bumpy ride to get there, UConn reached those goals and returned to national prominence. James Bouknight proved himself to be one of the best players in the country when healthy, Adama Sanogo emerged as the best Huskies freshman big man since Andre Drummond, and transfers R.J. Cole and Tyrese Martin made huge impacts on both sides of the ball. UConn became an extremely strong defensive team and on the boards, and could be very fun to watch on offense, especially when it ran and shared the ball well. The Huskies earned signature wins against USC, Xavier without Bouknight, Seton Hall and Marquette.

As strong as the Huskies were in some areas, however, they were pretty weak in others. Their offense was extremely inconsistent and they did not shoot very well, especially for a team of their caliber. UConn played at a slow tempo, often seemingly to their detriment, and did not share the ball well at times. While Cole emerged as a solid second option to Bouknight late in the season, for much of the season te team’s best or second-best player was different from game to game. On defense, the team struggled to avoid foul trouble, especially from its bigs, and sometimes did a poor job of playing help defense. Most glaringly, the Huskies defense was burned by teams who played five-out offense in losses (Villanova, Creighton, Maryland). All of these weaknesses came to a head in Saturday’s first-round loss to Maryland.

In the 63-54 loss, UConn shot just 23.1% in the first half and 32% in the game. It had more offensive rebounds (22) than field goals (21), and went completely cold in the final minutes of the first half after tying the game at 19 with 7:54 left, getting outscored 14-3 for the remeainder of the half. The Huskies continued to struggle to execute on both sides of the ball in the opening minutes of the second half, and their comeback attempt was thwarted by poor shot selection and an inability to convert at the free throw line, where the team went 5-12. Ultimately, UConn scored just 0.93 points per possession despite taking 22 more shots than Maryland, while the Terrapins scored 1.09.

Maryland and its pack-line defense were all over James Bouknight, who shot 6-16 and just 1-6 from three to finish with 15 points. Bouknight seemed to always have at least two defenders on him when he tried to shoot, and the sophomore did a poor job of handling the ball (three turnovers) and finding open teammates in what was almost definitely his final game in a Husky uniform. The Terrapins were able to clog the paint because of UConn’s inability to make midrange and 3-point shots consistently (where it went 7-23). Bouknight got very little help from Cole and Martin, with the trio combining to shoot 10-37. The only Husky who had a strong offensive game was Jaylen Gaffney, who scored 12 on 4-6 shooting in 20 minutes.

The UConn defense had a mostly disappointing performance as well. It really struggled to cover Maryland on the perimeter and defenders were regularly late to to the ball. The Terrapins went 9-18 from behind the arc, with Aaron Wiggins shooting 4-6 from three, and they shot over 50 percent overall and recorded 13 assists. The Huskies also struggled to defend Maryland’s guards off the dribble as well, and were helpless to stop David Ayala, who finished with 23 points on 8-14 shooting. Maryland’s players took advantage of their ability to draw defenders out to force UConn into foul trouble. Andre Jackson played just eight minutes due to four fouls, and Sanogo committed two fouls and played just 16 minutes overall while struggling to keep up on defense.

Below, I examine further how weaknesses on offense and defense as well as a lack of tournament experience helped doom the Huskies.

UConn’s poor shooting and inability to finish at the rim consistently was at its most glaring, leading to its ugliest offensive performance of the season

Anyone who consistently watched the Huskies this year knows that they were an inefficient offensive team, even when Bouknight was playing. While the offense was ranked 27th in KenPom as of Monday, this ranking is hugely bolstered by UConn’s skills on the offensive glass. Dig a little deeper, and the team is ranked poorly in all types of shooting and offensive rankings. This includes an effective field goal percentage of 49.0% (215th in the country) and 2-point and 3-point shooting percentages of 48.3% (233) and 33.5% (176) according to KenPom, a 3-point rate of 33.4 (271st) and assist rate (which measures assists to field goals made) of 49.3 (230th) according to barttorvik.com, and 78th in offensive ratings according to masseyratings.com.

At the guard and forward spots, UConn does did not have a high-quality shooter. After returning from his injury, Bouknight’s shooting was never at the level that it was early in the season and he struggled with turnovers, and obviously his offensive performance and shot selection was very poor in the last two games. Cole’s 3-point shooting improved tremendously over the course of the season and he finished at 38.6% for the year, but he struggled tremendously with scoring at the rim the entire season and can fall into the habit of hogging the ball and taking poor shots instead of looking to pass. Even with his improved offensive performance at the end of the season, especially behind the arc, Gaffney still only shot 41% on the season and has demonstrated he is better at shooting guard then the point, and Jackson is currently extremely limited offensively. At forward, Martin absolutely fell off a cliff offensively after Bouknight returned and Polley did not evolve at all while shooting the lowest percentage from three of his career. While Whaley showed a decent midrange game and shot well from beyond the arc at times, he is also limited offensively and Sanogo has little range at this point. As discussed more below, UConn’s lack of shooting and inability to stretch the floor against some times can make players outside of Bouknight easy to guard.

The Huskies inability to score on open shots and putbacks at the rim at times is even more confuding than their struggles from the perimeter. While the loss to Maryland was the most blatent example of this, the team was plagued by the issue both in other losses as well as some wins.MAs a team, UConn made 56.4% of their shots at the rim and 58.2% of putbacks, lowever than many teams of their caliber. Many players seem to have a habit of either not going up strong at the rim or putting the ball up too hard when attempting layups, and have a tendancy of forcing shots at the rim instead of looking for open teammates. Cole and Martin, who were first and third on the team in shots at the rim, are the biggtest offenders in this regard, making just 37% and 54.4% of their shots from there. Martin and Whaley also struggled to make putbacks compared to the average player, making just half and 56.7% of their putbacks, respectively. I am not sure what Hurley and his players can do in drills and practice to improve at shooting around the rim and on putbacks next season, but it is imperative that they do to make the next step, especially for a program where offensive rebounding is a huge part of their team’s DNA.

The way the game played out again showed the danger of being too dependent on one player

For many college basketball fans, especially those who didn’t pay heavy attention to UConn, this year’s team was defined by the greatness of James Bouknight. Fans who regularly followed the team know that this isn’t the case, and that the Huskies are at their best when multiple players are contributing. Too much of the time this did not happen however, and against Creighton and Marquette Bouknight was out on an island with almost no help. I already discussed the struggles of he as well as Cole and Martin, but Sanogo and Jackson also had poor games and Polley did nothing outside of his two threes. Besides Gaffney, everyone else appeared ratteled and overwhelmed as the game went on and were trying to do to much, whether that meant forcing shots or trying to make unnecessary passes when teammates were not ready. It was deflating to see, especially when you knew this was the chance for UConn to show its depth and athleticism to the biggest possible audience.

The final two games of the season captured a snapshot of Bouknight at his worst and most overwhelmed. As I said before, the star’s shooting was diminished when he returned, but its almost impossible for anyone to be efficient offensively when two or three defenders are draped over them at all times. What Bouknight can be called out for is trying to do to much and score no matter what, leaving him to take poor shots and putting his defense in poor position. I would have liked to see Bouknight show more trust in his teammates and create plays for them, even if it had not paid off. I just hope Bouknight’s recent struggles has fans forget just how fantastic he can be, and how much he did to help the program turn around.

With the departure of Bouknight and the arrival of highly-touted freshman as well as possibly multiple transfer players, next year’s team will almost definitely be more balanced on both ends of the floor. Even if there isn’t a number one option at Bouknight’s level however, multiple players will still need to emerge as UConn’s offensive leaders for the team to be consistently successful.

The team’s final two losses clearly showed it was better when it played at a faster tempo

One of the Huskies defining features as a team was the slow tempo they played at. According to KenPom, their adjusted tempo is currently 65.6, which is 308th in the country, and their average possession length 18.8 seconds, 318th in the country. It was understandable that Hurley wanted the team to play at a slower pace when Bouknight was out to keep games lower-scoring. Starting with the win against Xavier however, UConn made a clear effort to play at a faster pace, and kep this up for the remainder of the regular season and its win over DePaul in the Big East quarterfinals. It scored over one point per possession in each of its final seven wins and at least 70 points in six of them. The offense looked much more efficient when it played at a faster tempo, with players sharing the ball better and the team being able to take advantage of its depth. In particular, Cole, Gaffney and Jackson appeared to be much more comfortable playing at a faster pace. In addition, it allowed the Huskies to take advantage of its athleticism.

Against Creigton and Maryland, they were forced to bring the ball up slowly and play a more plodding style, and the results were not pretty. I’ve already talked about how inefficient the team looked in the losses. UConn looked uncomfortable playing at that tempo, and once Bouknight’s shots weren’t falling the team appeared overmatched. Their shot selection declined in both games, and it was more difficult for them to score in transition. As a fan, it was also more difficult to enjoy the game with the tempo they were playing.

Next season, it is my hope that the team consistently plays at a faster tempo, especially if the guard play has improved. I believe it takes advantage of both the team’s and individual players biggest strengths, and it will make it more difficult for opponents to contain the offense. I believe Hurley wants to play this way at all, and I hope the aforementioned losses serve as a wake-up call.

The season-ending loss underlined that opponents focused on perimeter shooting and five-out offenses were the Huskies Acchilles heel

For the entire season, UConn defended the three very well and generally played strong peremiter defense. However, many of their losses came against teams which were especially strong from the peremiter, such as Creigthon, Villanova and now Maryland. The Huskies are arguably overly reliant on the hard hedge, and these offenses are able to take advantage of players like Sanogo and Carlton who do not have the speed to defend well on the peremiter. In addition, these teams were able to take advantage of Cole’s lack of size to shoot over him and beat defenders off the dribble at times. Next year, UConn has to find a way to adjust its defense so that it can defend these types of offenses more easily. This could mean occasionally playing a zone or pressing, being less relient on the hard edge, or attracking larger guards through the transfer portal. Basketball teams are playing these types of offenses more and more in the modern age, and the Huskies have to get with the times.

Previewing the First-Round NCAA Tournament Game Against Maryland: Five things to watch for

Five long years after UConn was in the NCAA tournament, the program is finally back where it belongs. In year three of Dan Hurley’s rebuild, he has the 15-8 Huskies competing in March Madness. This is despite a crazy regular season that featured significant injury issues and multiple COVID-19 pauses and cancelled games. Led by James Bouknight, UConn is No. 7 in the East region and will play No. 10 Maryland (16-13) out of the Big 10. Even after losing to Creighton in the semifinals of the Big East tournament, the Huskeies are a trendy Final Four pick largely because of going 11-3 this season with Bouknight. As we now however, they are defined by much more than just one player.

UConn and Maryland is definitely a fascinating matchup and will likely be a close game throughout. While both teams play at a very slow pace, on offense they are otherwise very different. The Terrapins are extremely guard-oriented (four of their five leading scorers are guards and they regularly play five-out), while the Huskies are led by a singular scorer and frequently score many of their points in the paint. In addition, Maryland rarely puts any effort into offensive rebounding and is one of the worst offensive rebounding teams in the country, while UConn is one of the best. Both teams are high-quality defensive squads, with the Huskies defense ranked 24th in KenPom and the Terrapins 27th. Both teams have players who won Defensive Player of the Year in their conferences (Isiah Whaley and Darryl Morsell, who will primarily guard Bouknight). All signs point to the contest being a slow paced and bare-knuckle affair. Y

Can Bouknight score effectively against Morsell?

Did I just say the Huskies were more than one player? Is this the most juicy matchup of the game? Yes. Morsell, a “6-5” senior guard, had a defensive ratting of 99.2 and 1.3 defensive win shares this seazon. He fits the mold of the long, physical guards whfo have given Bouknight trouble this season, with examples being Marquette’s Koby McEwan and Damian Jefferson of Creighton. Bouknight must concentrate on not forcing shots and scoring within the flow of the offense, likely on jump shots. At the same time, he needs to be able to share the ball with his teammates when he is pressured, which he did a poor job of doing last game (granted, no one else was making shots for much of the game).

In UConn’s rcent losses with Bouknight, he has shown a tendancy og getting easily frustrated and losing concentration when defenders are heavily physical with him. This has led to a pattern of costly misses and turnovers. Bouknight cannot do this against Morsell. If he is struggling and or the Huskies are losing, their best player still needs to keep his cool and be a leader on the floor.

How well can UConn rebound on the offensive end, and can they take advantage of their opportunities?

This game is tailor-made for the Huskies to have a huge advantage on the boards. They are sixth in the country in offensive rebounding percentage at 36.8%, while Maryland is solid but unspectacular on the defensive boards. In contrast its percentage is 20.9%, 327th in the country. The Terrapins make a conscious effort to get back on defense after taking shots to allow them to shut down transition opportunities for opponents, a strategy that has worked more often than not.

UConn has a golden opportunity to bounce back from its poor performance on the boards against Creighton. If it can limit to Maryland to one shot per possession and regularly get second-chance opportunities on the other end, then the Huskies will be in very good shape to win. The one catch is that they regularly struggle to score at the rim, even on bunnies and putback opportunities. If that happens, this will be a very frustrating night.

Can UConn outperform Maryland from behind the arc?

The Terrapins are not a great 3-point shooting team, but they are a strong one and consistently emphasize scoring from beyond arc and on the peremiter in general. In Big-10 play, they took the highest percentage of threes for any team at 37.4%, and shot 34.6%, good for fifth in the league. Donta Scott, a forward, shoots 43.7% from three on the season, and leading scorer Eric Ayala (14.9 points per game) shoots 33.5%. Meanwhile, UConn was an average 3-point shooting team this season but is extremely inconsistent. Bouknight has shot just 30.3% from three since returning, and Tyrese Martin has made only one in the last six games. In addition, Tyler Polley has gone just 6-19 from behind the arc in the last three games.

The Huskies defend the three very well, limiting opponents to 31.6% from behind the arc. Maryland can make it difficult for them though, as their guards are bigger than UConn’s. If the Huskies regularly use the hard hedge on defense, will Adama Sanogo and Whaley be forced to defend the Terrapins guards from deep? Will R.J. Cole be able to effectively defend on thepereimeter if needed despite a height difference? On the other end, Maryland does not defend the three particularly well. Can Polley, Cole and others hit a few threes to get momentum and open up the offense, especially early? It will be fascinating to see how things play out.

How effective can Cole be?

Cole was cleared two days ago to play after being in concusion protocol for a few days. When he came out against Creighton with less than five minutes ago due to falling onto the floor and getting cut, a five-point quickly slipped away and UConn ultimately lost 11-3. Cole has been great in the last eight games, averaging 15 points, 5.1 assists and 1.3 steals, and the team will need him to be at full strength and run the offense efficiently. At the same time, the junior will need to overcome his lack of size to have a strong defensive game. If Cole is rusty and ineffective, the Huskies have little chance of winning.

Can multiple players have good games?

I’ve already discussed the need for Bouknight and Cole to play well, but they will need others to step up. In particular, Sanogo, Martin and Polley need to provide support on both ends. Sanogo has to find a way to avoid foul trouble so he can provide help on the boards and in guarding the rim, while continuing to play well on offense. This would be the perfect game for Martin to snap out of his offensive funk and hopefully be a third reliable scoring option. Finally, Polley making a few threes, ideally early, would open up the offense in a huge way. Jalen Gaffney could also be valuable on offense if he stays agressive. If UConn could share the ball effectively and at least two of these players perform well, I am very confident it will win.

My thoughts on UConn Making the NCAA tournament

Three days, folks. In three days, the Huskies basketball program will be back in the NCAA tournament where it belongs. It’s a wonderful thing to say.

UConn (15-7), which is competing in March Madness for the first time since 2016, is seeded seventh in the East region and will be facing No. 10 Maryland (16-13) on Saturday. If it wins, it would almost definitely face No. 2 Alabama (24-6), which is playing No. 15 Iona in the first round. on Monday. As with most 7-10 tournament games, it appears to be a toss-up, though most metrics have UConn slightly favored (Ken Pomery gives it a 57% chance of winning, with the predicted score 66-64).

I will certaintly have more analysis of the game and the keys to the Huskies winning later in the week. First, however, I wanted to briefly reflect on the program’s accomplishment and its significance both in the moment and for the future. No matter what happens against Maryland and other opponents if UConn wins, earning an at-large bid in 2021 can be the first step in UConn eventually becoming an elite program again.

Here is a list and description of my immediate thoughts below. Please enjoy.

Getting to the NCAA tournament is a wonderful reward for all the seniors have given to the program

Isiah Whaley, Tyler Polley and Josh Carlton have each faced a ton of challenges during their UConn careers. As freshman, the trio had to experience the ugly final season of the Kevin Ollie regime. Whaley was buried on the bench as a sophomore and at the start of his junior season until he broke out during conference play. Polley was having a solid junior season before tearing his ACL, and had his recovery process interfered with due to COVID-19. After being named the American Athletic Conference Most Improved Player as a sophomore, Carlton had a disappointing junior year and lost his starting spot at center this season. And of course, they were unable to compete in tournament play last season when it was shut down due to the virus. Through all of this and their wild, truncated senior season, Whaley, Polley and Carlton have been model players for the program.

Any of the seniors could have understandably transfered to play at another school when Ollie was fired, and yet they stuck it out and showed tremendous loyalty to the program, Dan Hurley and their teammates. Whaley, Polley and Carlton have each had impressive careers in different ways and acted as team leaders this season. They did well in the classroom and earned their degrees in four years, and none of the three got in any trouble, at least that I am aware of. Whether any of the seniors stays at UConn to play a fifth year or not, they deserve the honor of playing in the tournament for the Huskies. The team wouldn’t be where it is without them, and the seniors legacies are secured.

Dan Hurley helps lead yet anothe program to its goal

Hurley is nicknamed “The Carpenter” for a reason-he builds programs, and quickly. Despite being just 48 and having only coached for 11 seasons, Hurley has turned around each of the three program’s he’s coached (Wagner, Rhode Island, and now UConn). At URI, he led the Rams to their first NCAA tournament appearance and win of the century in 2017, and did the same the next year. Now in just three short years, he’s completely turned around UConn basketball as it returned to its rightful home in the Big East, and reached one of the team’s major goals this season by leading it to a tournament berth.

Hurley has helped this year’s squad build an identity based around excellent defense and rebounding as well as depth. His abilities as a teacher and leader can be seen through the improvement of the team as well as the development of individual players like James Bouknight, Adama Sanogo and Isiah Whaley. Hurley has helped build a buzz around UConn, and his strengths as a recruiter already have and will continue to pay off. Hurley is far from perfect as a coach, and he would be the first to admit it. At this point though, it is clear Hurley is the right man to lead UConn going forward.

Qualifying for the tournament is the next huge step for UConn to get back in the national spotlight

The program began to receive national attention again last year when it was announced it would return to the Big East starting in 2020-21, and James Bouknight’s emergence as one of the country’s top freshman at the end of last season also drew some eyes. However, the attention really started to come in the preseason when the Huskies were picked to finish fourth in the Big East. Their win over USC and strong start amped up the excitement surrounding UConn even more. While the team’s struggles during the middle of the season caused awareness of it to ebb somewhat, the Huskies great play down the stretch with Bouknight back led them to be the favorite to win the Big East tournament among both pundits/writers and college basketball fans. Even after the loss to Creighton, UConn is a trendy Final Four pick. Having most of the Huskies Big East games broadcast on national television again (mainly through FS1 and Fox) has also been a huge boom, as it makes it much easier for causual college basketball fans to check out the team.

Making the tournament is already a huge step, especially in this crazy season. Now if UConn can win multiple games in March Madness and make a deep run, I think it will solidify the program as the second most prominent in the Big East going forward. Although the Huskies “brand” has diminished somewhat in the last half decade, Hurley , Bouknight, and to a lesser extent Sanogo and Whaley are bringing it back, and recruits and national writers/pundits are taking notice. The program has a great chance to get causual fans to notice too.

James Bouknight has the perfect chance to establish himself as one of the UConn greats to all fans

Bouknight has played less than two full seasons at UConn, and yet its utterly agreed amongst the program’s fans that he is one of the most talented players to ever put on a Huskies uniform. The shooting guard is an extremely skilled offensive player who seemingly can get a basket whenever he wants. Bouknight is also an underrated rebounder and defender, and many would argue the best player in the Big East. As talented as Bouknight is however, his injury issues and poor performance against Creighton in the Big East semifinals caused his reputation to take a bit of a hit.

Bouknight has still not shown that he can take over a game and lead the Huskies to victory on the biggest stages. March Madness will give him a chance to remedy that though. First, he will get to face off against Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year Darryl Morsell, who will be Maryland’s the primary defender on Bouknight Saturday. If he wins that battle and leads the Huskies to the win, Bouknight will likely have the opportunity to lead the team to a victory against No. 2 Alabama and then beyond the Sweet Sixteen. While Bouknight will need help from his teammates, I believe he can easily take over any game and earn signature tournament moments. Bouknight can put himself on a stage with Kemba, Shabazz, and other UConn legends over the next two weeks. Let’s hope he does.