Cam Spencer – HUSKY NATION

After a pair of games to open the conference that can be described as Jekyll and Hide for UConn, the wins against DePaul and at Butler this last week were a little more relaxing. There was still plenty to learn from them, however. The wins showed again the core players UConn can rely open and that they are continuing to develop a fuller bench, served as a coming out party for both Stephen Castle and the Huskies version of “small ball”, and that the team can earn a comeback win on the round against a solid Bulldogs team. They also again reinforced that UConn’s defense has a lot of work to do to be efficient in the Big East, and that players must learn how to do their jobs without relying on Donovan Clinigan to bail them out. All in all, it was a more satisfying week with more positives than negatives.

Four players (Castle, Cam Spencer, Alex Karaban, Hassan Diarra) averaged in double figures over the two games, with Newton scoring 17 against Butler. Karaban led the way with 16.5 points. The offense was in mostly fine form across the board against DePaul and Butler, scoring 86 points in Tuesday’s blowout and then 88 to take down the Bulldogs by seven. UConn shot over 58 percent from the field against DePaul and 54.5 percent from the field against Butler. It shot exactly 69 percent inside the arc in both wins and made roughly 42 percent of its 3-pointers after a significant stretch where the team had struggled from deep. In addition, the team continued to do an excellent job of rebounding and shared the ball well, especially in the first win. Besides the aforementioned players, Samson Johnson, Solomon Ball, and freshman forward Jaylin Stewart all had moments to write home about in at least one of the wins. The only offense negative was the Huskies surprising number of turnovers, which I discuss further down in the piece.

The takeaway on the defense against both teams, especially Butler, was much less favorable. With Clinigan missing, Bulldog players were regularly able to beat Husky defenders off the bounce for scoring opportunities and kickouts to open perimeter shooters and had fun taking advantage of the small lineup with Karaban at center. I discuss it more below, but UConn players inability to consistently rotate well and help teammates was a bigger factor in their defensive struggles than any physical disadvantages. While DePaul averaged 0.84 points per possession and shot 35.7%, Butler shot over 47 percent and averaged 1.19 PPP.

Before Wednesday night’s big road matchup against Xavier, I go into detail below about the standout week of UConn’s new Big Three, how exciting Castle’s emergence is, the significance of the Butler win, the bench, and the defensive questions the team must answer with Clinigan injured. As always, this is proving to be another crazy Big East campaign with storylines galore.

There’s a New Trio Driving the Bus for the Huskies

While there may be occasional exceptions, as Tristen Newton, Alex Karaban and Cam Spencer go the remainder of the month, so do the Huskies. The trio can all score points in bunches while facilitating for others, are solid rebounders, compete hard on both ends, and are fundamentally sound leaders for the team on and off the floor. The team feeds off these guys’ energy and demeanor during games and especially in the tensest moments, as seen at Butler. While they certainly make their share of mistakes, most fans and Dan Hurley trust Newton, Karaban, and Spencer explicitly. They rewarded that trust against the Blue Demons and Bulldogs.

Karaban and Stewart each had excellent offensive games against both DePaul and Butler. Karaban averaged 17.5 points and 7 rebounds and shot 73.6% overall and 7-10 on 3-pointers, while recording a combined 3 assists and blocks. Karaban did a much better job of attacking the basket and finishing layups through contact in the two wins, and finally made some open treys after being off from beyond the line for a while. Stewart and his old man game were as successful as ever, as he as he averaged 17 points, 5. rebounds and 3 assists while shooting over 59% and 7-14 beyond the arc. Stewart continued to do an excellent job of finishing shots and faking out defenders around the rim and on midrange shots, and anytime he gets an open look from three I think it’s going in, no matter how well defended Stewart is. The pair are both clutch players, as discussed more below, and Stewart made the most clutch play of the night late against Butler to preserve the lead.

Newton is a different case than his two teammates, as he has been in a funk lately since right before Big East play started. Newton went scoreless against DePaul, taking just three shots, and shot 3-12 from the field against Butler. He was reckless with the ball at times last week as well, committing a combined seven turnovers. However, he still averaged 6 assists and 3.5 rebounds and had 2 steals against the Bulldogs. Even when Newton wasn’t hitting shots Friday night, he willed himself to the free throw line in the second half and made 10 of his 13 attempts to secure the win. More than anyone else on the team, Newton remains the guy you want to go to inside to get a layup or force their way to the line.

The entire trio had signature moments in the Butler win during the second half. In the 15-4 run which gave UConn a 54-50 lead with 12:07 remaining, Karaban hit two 3-pointers that were assisted by Newton. Karaban later scored five straight points after Butler cut the deficit to one to take a 79-74 lead with 2:39 remaining. With less than 90 seconds to go, Spencer grabbed a tough offensive rebound, called timeout before falling out of bounds, and quickly hit a 3-pointer to basically secure the win. And even though his shot continued to be off, Newton hit 8 free throws in the second half.

Stephon Castle, Welcome to the Big Time

Entering the season, we heard a ton about how Castle’s physicality and athleticism, knowledge of the game and athleticism. While we saw a few flashes of this at the beginning of the season and after he returned from injury, fans also saw a player who was hesitant to shoot and prone to playing out of control and making mistakes when he did take charge. Castle, whose defense had been ahead of his offense after returning, seemed to finally start figuring things out late against St. John’s. Last week, he looked right at home. Against DePaul and Butler, Castle scored 14 points in both games on nearly 70 percent shooting, averaged 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists, and added 3 steals. He also played his already customary intense defense against both guards and forwards and with all-out intensity in general.

Castle was excellent against the Blue Demons, looking for his shot early and often and shutting down multiple players. As the game went along, he began to focus more on facilitating for teammates and rebounding, and shared point-guard duties alongside Newton. Castle made all 6 of his 2-point attempts, earned 7 assists and had both a block and steal. Tuesday’s win was just a prelude to his game against the Bulldogs, in which he was the best player on the floor. Castle was solid offensively in the first half while the team struggled, even demonstrating his shooting range by hitting a 3-pointer. It was when the game sped up and UConn got in a roll that the freshman showed everything he could do, however. Castle was outstanding helping to run the offense and facilitating, especially on fast breaks. He finished layups and earned free throws, found teammates for open shots both in the paint and on the perimeter, and grabbed 9 rebounds, a majority of which were in traffic. Castle was most essential on defense, as he limited point guard Posh Alexander to 3 points and helped cause his 5 turnovers, and ultimately assisted in guarding all the Bulldogs guards and forwards. Castle was stronger and more athletic than arguably anyone Butler had on the floor, and they and his teammates knew it.

Castle’s last two games weren’t against top-tier conference foes, but it was high-opening seeing Castle live up to the height. He is a great defender who can be the “head of the snake” and help carry the Huskies on that end with Clinigan out. Castle is a very skilled finisher at the rim, especially for a freshman, and already looks like he will be able to help run the offense as the season goes on because of his passing and unselfishness. Most importantly, he plays with an energy and unselfishness that is special for a freshman. Castle’s versatility and ability to contribute in all facets of the game using his strength and athleticism is very reminiscent of Andre Jackson at his best. As Castle takes on a larger role as a scorer and gets more comfortable working together with Newton, he can be the program’s best freshman in years and UConn can reach its full potential.

The Supporting Cast is Developing ,

If the magic trio and Castle will be the main ones driving the team while Clinigan’s out, then it’s imperative that their supporting cast show it can contribute in multiple ways and play different styles as the Huskies go with smaller lineups. It mostly succeeded against DePaul and Butler. Samson Johnson has been generally effective as the starting center, and scored 8 points in both wins on 8-10 shooting, averaged 3 blocks, and grabbed 6 rebounds against the Bulldogs. While Johnson is continuing to show good touch in the paint and is generally an effective defender, he needs to stop picking up needless fouls. The junior had four in both games and combined to play just 43 minutes as a result. Every minute Johnson is out, it is going to make it easier for opponents to score and rebound at the rim.

After an off week, Hassan Diarra had another great pair of games, scoring a combined 23 points (14 against DePaul) while going 4-6 from deep, averaged 3 rebounds and had five assists against the Blue Demons, all while playing bulldog defense. Diarra was always valuable because of his defense and energy, but his improved ball handling, shooting and veteran leadership has made him indispensable to the Huskies and put Diarra neck-and-neck with Solomon Ball for the role of first guard off the bench.

Speaking of freshman, he had another solid game against DePaul, hitting two 3-pointers and finishing with 8 points while adding solid defense. It’s nice to see Ball improving his deep shot and continuing to bring energy on both ends. Now his next step is to be more active as a scorer and become more fundamentally sound as a ball-handler and defender. Finally, freshman forward Jaylin Stewart got some run as many fans had hoped for in the small-ball lineup, and generally made the most of it. He looked like he belonged out there on both ends and made the most of it in his 10 minutes against Butler, scoring and ab5 points and grabbing 3 boards. If Stewart can learn the system better in practice and get comfortable with his teammates in game settings, UConn could be eight deep again when Clinigan returns.

All Hail Dan Hurley

For a couple of years now, it’s been a running joke that Hurley can’t win close games in conference play, especially on the road. And for whatever reason, it has mostly been true. After the head coach won two close games against St. John’s and at Butler, both second-half comebacks, he can shut those critics up for now. Hurley did a great job rallying his players at halftime against Butler, emphasizing that they had to pick up their overall intensity and defensive effort and designing different defensive sets. He stayed on them as UConn rallied midway through the second half to take the lead, and wasn’t afraid to mix and match with players depending on foul trouble and putting the ball in Castle’s hands more. The offensive sets were much crisper in the final 20 minutes, and the players did a better job of pressuring the ball and helping on defense. Hurley seems to be consistently improving his in-game coaching and ability to make adjustments, and as a result I think this team will be more capable of bouncing back from deficits in conference play than last year’s.

This Defense is Not up to UConn Standards

I knew that the Huskies were heavily reliant on Clinigan to fortify their defense, but I don’t think I realized just how reliant they were on the big man to bail them out. Against Seton Hall and then in two of the three games since, UConn has regularly allowed penetration with ease and given up easy layups or earned unnecessary fouls. This roster is less athletic than the typical Huskies squad, and its guards are vulnerable to being attacked and bullied. To make up for that, the defense is going to need to execute as well as possible and be creative. Instead, the rotations and help defense has been lousy, UConn has not been forcing turnovers, and they exacerbate this problem by being way too handsy when guarding when they know Big East officials are unreliable. Castle has been a godsend on defense, but the Huskies are going to have to be creative and play forms of zone or similar defenses when the competition amps up without Clinigan. Hurley’s teams have consistently improved on defense over a season, and I reluctantly believe that will be the case again.

UConn Needs to Adjust to Life Without Donavon Clinigan

After a thrilling opening 11 games to the season, UConn’s final two games before the winter break were a nightmare at times. The defending champions faceplanted in their opening Big East conference game at Seton Hall last Wednesday, looking mostly lost on both ends in a 75-60 loss, the largest the program experienced since 2020. As embarrassing as the showing was on the court, what was worse was the loss of Donovan Clinigan. The sophomore center has dealt with injury and conditioning issues all season, and a fall early in the second half resulted in Clinigan injuring a tendon in his right foot, which will keep him out at least 3-4 weeks. It’s what all fans were dreading, and came just as Clinigan finally seemed to be rounding into form on offense the previous few games.

While the Huskies pulled out a gritty4-point win against St. John’s on Saturday, the offense was again stilted and the outside shooting was mostly nonexistent, especially when the Red Storm played zone and pressured the ball heavily. If Samson Johnson hadn’t stepped up so well in his first game at center, there’s a very good chance UConn would have been upset again at home.

The Huskies have a lot of question marks right now, most of which they have been able to work on during the 9-day holiday break between games. What adjustments can they make on defense to stop getting beat off the dribble and burned for layups, and to protect Johnson and Karaban in general on defense with Clinigan out of commission. How can the offense be more efficient in the halfcourt and play quicker, especially against teams that can switch throughout the lineup and deny good 3-point attempts? Finally, how can the Huskies change their identity where needed in January, including relying more on the bench and improving Stephen Castle? Dan Hurley and his assistants are very smart guys, and I feel like they will be able to get the team to continue playing well without Clinigan and then go on a run when he returns. The Big East is very deep however, and the struggles against Seton Hall and St. John’s were scarily similar to the losses the team had in last year’s January swoon.

Below, I talk a little bit about where I think UConn played well and poorly as a team the last two games, performances of a few players, adjustments the team can make on both ends, and the overall impact of Clinigan being injured and its ramifications.

The Defense Shows a Lot of Deficiencies

Throughout the season, there have been clear signs that UConn is not at the same level defensively as last year. The departure of Andre Jackson and Cam Spencer’s underwhelming defense has made the team weaker at shooting guard/small forward, and Alex Karaban still struggles to defend larger and more athletic forwards. While Castle is an excellent defender for a freshman and Solo Ball is decent on defense if undisciplined, UConn will be starting three players without Clinigan that are less athletic than their counterparts on Big East team. Finally, Johnson is super athletic and can defend the rim, but is a poor rebounder relative to his size and prone to fouling and mental errors.

Without Clinigan at the rim to protect other defenders and clean up their mistakes, UConn looked very vulnerable against Seton Hall’s athletic guards, particularly Kadary Richmond. Too much of the time, he and his backcourt mates beat UConn’s guards off the dribble and glided to the rim for a layup or forced fouls. The Huskies were unable to force turnovers or a lot of poor shots and allowed 14 offensive rebounds to the Pirates. Finally, Johnson had a horrible game, earning just two points and rebounds in 21 minutes. And most frustrating, Hurley seemed unwilling to try any forms of zones or ramp up the trapping and pressure to throw Seton Hall off and hopefully force some turnovers.

While UConn was better defensively against St. John’s, it’s guards were still able to get to the rim too easily for layups or free throw opportunities, especially in the first half. While UConn did a good job of not letting star center Joel Soriano get the ball constantly, he still was outstanding when he was in position to score and pushed around Karban and even Johnson at times. Soriano was 4-5 from the field and 6-7 at the charity stripe for 13 points. The Red Storm got to the line 28 times in all, making 21 of those shots, as those games turned into a slugfest.

Hurley and his team are going to have to make a lot of adjustments on defense while Clinigan is out. They need to come up with ways to neutralize athletic guards and not make it so easy for conference opponents to beat them one-on-one on drives, even if their guards and forwards are naturally more athletic than UConn’s and Karaban. This could mean a lot of things, including emphasizing more help defense, playing zone or similar defensive styles when necessarily, or generally focusing on guarding the perimeter less (for example, the Huskies were defending Seton Hall at the top of the key constantly even when the Pirates aren’t a team that relies on scoring from deep). The team as a whole needs try and be more disciplined and play without fouling in the whistle-heavy Big East, with this being especially true of Karaban and Johnson while UConn is shorthanded. I believe that the coaches are capable of getting the defense to improve through tweaks, but UConn needs to be as pragmatic as possible and willing to try more things on that end of the ball.

The Offense Needs to Regain its Identity

UConn’s offense was one of the best in the country by all metrics in nonconference play. They were extremely efficient and found ways to score against every opponent (barring Kansas) even when perimeter shots weren’t falling. This has changed since Clinigan’s injury against Seton Hall. The Huskies, who are already more inconsistent on 3-pointers than expected in the nonconference, shot just 23.1% (9-39) from deep against Seton Hall and St. John’s. In the half-court, both opponents and especially the Pirates were able to switch and get under screens effectively or play zone and make it tough for UConn to get into its sets quickly and consistently get high-quality shots. Considering the athletic limitations UConn’s experienced guards and Karaban have as referred to before, being forced to play in this style puts more pressure on them to carry the team and get to the rim effectively. And when the Huskies are struggling from deep, it means the team cannot space the floor to counterattack zones. Seton Hall and St. John’s also pressured UConn defenders more than a lot of over times and it was very effective for the Pirates, whom forced a season worse 17 turnovers by UConn.

Even with Seton Hall and St. John’s forcing UConn to play a different style of offense, UConn is not helped by neither all of its main players getting off track in the last two or three games. Karaban has gone back to bricking 3-pointers since the Arkansas-Pine Bluff win, presumably the after-effects of injuring his finger, and it seems to be affecting other areas of the sophomore’s game. While Newton scored a combined 31 points the past two games and came up big in the second half against St. John’s, he has been inefficient from the field and committed 6 turnovers against Seton Hall. Spencer has been highly efficient on offense all season, but he was lousy against Seton Hall and will have a lot of pressure on him from both ends with Clinigan out. While freshman Stephen Castle and Solomon Ball both have the athleticism and size that UConn’s other guards lac, Castle seems to still be getting comfortable after losing time and is playing undisciplined, and Ball is too passive and is struggling badly from deep. Finally, while Johnson’s performance against St. John’s was outstanding, it will take more than one game for me to trust that he can be consistently reliable. With Clinigan not playing, it ultimately affects the spacing of the offense and makes it harder to run plays and get guys strong shot opportunities. The Huskies will have to find a way to overcome that.

I believe that after seeing how anemic the offense looked at times the past two games , Dan Hurley and especially his staff (paging Luke Murray) will make the adjustments needed to get the Huskies playing a wider variety of offensive struggles, which would make the team more versatile for when Clinigan returns. For me, this would include UConn being more selective about taking 3-pointers, especially by certain players (discussed more below), relying more on the pick and roll game to get shots, taking a few more midrange shots, especially by certain players, and especially continuing to attack the basket, with Newton, Karaban, and Castle especially trying to get to the basket and either finishing shots or getting more free throw opportunities. If the Huskies can focus on diversifying their game and work on running successful plays against zones and increased ball pressure in practice, it will carry over to games.

Samson Johnson, Big Game Player

Even as he barely played in his first two years at UConn, we heard a ton from Hurley about Johnson’s athleticism and work ethic, and his potential to be one of the premier big men in program history. Early this season, he seemed to be an excellent complement to Clinigan as a backup center, offering a more dynamic (if also more limited) offensive game and solid rim protection at times. However, he began struggling after the win against New Hampshire with foul trouble and a lack of rebounding, and got less playing time as Clinigan began getting closer to full strength. After maybe his worst game of the season at Seton Hall, Johnson got his chance to prove himself as a starter against St. John’s and passed with flying colors.

Johnson was outstanding against the Red Storm as he went toe-to-toe with Soriano and outplayed him at times. Johnson had a few of his trademark dunks, including a memorable fastbreak one on which an obvious travel wasn’t called, and even took two quality floaters from roughly 10 feet out, making one. While Johnson needs to become a better rebounder, he grabbed three big offensive boards. As tough as it is to stop Soriano, Johnson still made a quality effort and had a block and steal. In a highly physical game with an imposing front court, Johnson looked right at home.

If Clinigan does not return until near the end of January when UConn’s schedule ramps up (which would be the January 17^th game against Creighton at the earliest), Johnson will have to show more diversity on offense and discipline on defense. Offensively, Johnson needs to not rely on just scoring on alley-oops and dunks, and instead develop better post movies. If Hurley is hopefully OK with it, Johnson can also can attempt more floaters and short jumpers. The junior showed decent form when he took those shots against the Red Storm, and Hurley has talked up Johnson’s shooting and ability to make 3-pointers in the past. If Johnson can demonstrate shooting ability, than it will open up more much-needed spacing as well. On defense, Johnson needs to get better at keeping his hands up against his man and not biting on fakes, only attempting to block shots when appropriate, and especially boxing out on missed shots. With how physical games are in Big East play and UConn’s lack of experienced frontcourt players, Johnson needs to be careful and not reach for the ball, resulting in touch fouls. I think that Hurley and the staff will be able to work a lot on defense with Johnson during the break and between games, and continue to make it tough for opponents to outscore the Huskies in the paint.

The Freshmen Ned to Make a Bigger Impact

As briefly discussed earlier, the Husky freshmen did not contribute enough the last few games and have arguably made a lesser impact to this point than one would have expected coming into the season. Solomon Ball hit one key three against St. John’s but otherwise took just one shot in 14 minutes (although he had 2 steals), and missed all four shots he took against Seton Hall, with his 6 points coming on free throws. Overall, Ball seems to have lost a lot of the momentum he had coming out of his 12-point performance against North Carolina. After forward Jaylin Stewart scored a season high 7 points against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, he played just four combined minutes in the past two games despite Karaban’s struggles defensively. Jayden Ross and Apostolos Romoglou have been MIA both the last three games and pretty much all season. Only center Yousouff Singare has made a big impression lately of this trio, as he played 6 minutes and made his first career basket against St. John’s after subbing in for Johnson. And of course, there’s Stephen Castle.

Castle had a strong start at UConn in the team’s first two games, but after missing six games due to injury he’s been an enigma, even as Castle’s playing time has slowly ramped up. Castle is disciplined defensively for a freshman and can use his size and strength to pressure ball-handlers and drivers closely. However, Castle has overall shot under 40% the last three games and has demonstrated a tendency to rush or force shots, which resulted in multiple blocks for the Red Storm. Castle also has not shown a good outside shot throughout the season, mostly scoring off drives and layups. Castle’s defense, passing and rebounding already make him a valuable combo guard even without scoring a ton of points, and versatile for a freshman. But he still hasn’t put together a full game yet against a good team or played under control offensively since returning.

With Clinigan not available, Hurley must quickly figure out what roles his freshman can be most successful in. From my observations, this would mean challenging Castle to use his size and athleticism to go to the rim more and beat defenders for baskets or create plays for teammates. Hurley needs to also emphasize to Castle that he needs to play more under control and not challenge certain bigs one-on-one, where he can just get blocked. For Ball, Hurley needs to try and get him to be more aggressive and not rely on taking 3-pointers so much, as he has the tendency to force them. Finally, Hurley needs to get Jaylin Stewart and possibly Jayden Ross more involved. The ‘6-7’ Stewart has shown flashes of good play on both ends when he’s gotten on the court, and will more importantly be able to spell Karaban, who arguably plays too many minutes and experiences foul trouble against certain teams. While Ross has barely played this season, he may be able to be a 3-point threat off the bench based on his AAU/high school experience and what Hurley said in the postseason. While I can’t imagine Hurley expects Singare to contribute on offense considering he was a project and almost redshirted, he will hopefully be decent on the boards and on defense when Johnson is resting. Hopefully, the long break between games and a relatively easy upcoming schedule will allow the freshman to play more and prove themselves on the

UConn Punctuates Nonconference Schedule With Road Win at Gonzaga

Another UConn basketball nonconference season is done, and it was again a dominate start for the Huskies. A year after going 11-0 in nonconference play, the program is 10-1 after a 76-63 win over Gonzaga in Seattle Friday night. UConn, which is ranked No. 5 in the AP poll that came out Monday, relied on its balanced and intricate offense and intense defense in the paint to get out to a decisive lead in the first half and hold the Bulldogs at bay throughout, even as the game turned into a slog in the second half. While the win wasn’t the most visually pleasant experience, it showed the Huskies could win a grind-it-out game in (basically) a road environment.

The offense was outstanding to start the game. They easily got the ball to Donavon Clinigan to start the game, and he bullied the Gonzaga big men to score 8 easy points in the first four minutes. UConn was also outstanding from the perimeter in the first half, shooting 7-9 from the 3-point line. Cam spencer got frequent open looks off the Huskies ball movement and made three treys, and Tristen Newton added a pair of threes. However, UConn could not open a large lead against the Bulldogs for most of the half. Old friend Ryan Nembhard, who transferred from Creighton, and Anton Watson gave UConn fits, and it was a five-point game with under three minutes remaining. Nembhard was especially able to beat the Husky guards off the dribble for layups and open jumpers, scoring 13 points in the half.

UConn ended the first half on an 8-2 run to go into the locker room up 8-2 , setting up a similarly strong start after the break. Spencer and Solomon ball each hit a 3-pointer in the run, with Newton and Stephen Castle picking up assists.

The Huskies began the second half on a 7-2 run thanks to five quick points from Clinigan, and eventually pushed their lead to 18. They led 61-44 with 11 minutes to go. UConn’s defense was excellent in this opening portion of the half, with Clinigan and Samson Johnson shutting down Gonzaga in the paint and Castle and his fellow guards hounding Nembhard and not allowing him to get open or facilitate.

The Bulldogs finally got going from this point, showing the game down and ending dreams of a blowout. Their increased ball pressure led to a handful of layups and free throws, and the Huskies perimeter attack dried up (they were 0-8 from deep in the second half). With just over four minutes left, Gonzaga cut the deficit to 10 on two Nolan Hickman free throws. UConn responded with an alley-oop to Clinigan and a fastbreak layup by Hassan Diarra to cement the 13-point victory.

Clinigan was the star of the night, finishing with 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. Spencer scored 15 and had 3 steals. Karaban added 11 points and Diarra was outstanding in 19 minutes, finishing with 9 points and 4 rebounds. UConn shot 63% in the first half, and was still comfortably over 50% for the game, and had 16 assists. Gonzaga shot 39% and committed 11 turnovers. While Nembhard and Watson scored 35 points, no other Bulldog had more than 8.

UConn is absolutely one of the top two or three teams in America right now. While the Big East schedule is a different animal, they have all the skills and mental toughness to continue to be dominant going forward. Below, I discuss a few of the most satisfying takeaways from the Gonzaga win, as well as a few nitpicks.

Donavon Clinigan Silences the Haters

During Clinigan’s inconsistent start to the season, a lot of people have been jumping on him. How long will it take for his foot to recover and get back in full shape after injury issues stretching back to the preseason? How limited is Clinigan’s offensive game, and can he play 25-30 minutes every game? Is he that much better than Samson Johnson? The chatter was becoming deafening, and it wasn’t really far to Clinigan.

The Bristol native answered every question against Gonzaga. After a week’s break between games, he was moving quicker and getting more lift off the floor, and it was reflected in Clinigan’s stats. He established great post position against their offense and was highly efficient, shooting 8-11 and making a few tough baskets. Clinigan was great at the free throw line for the first time all season-making 5-7 to reach 21 points. He did a great job of rebounding, grabbing four offensive boards and finishing with eight, and continued to do an excellent job of finding open teammates for baskets. Clinigan’s defense has been strong all season, and it was no different against the Bulldogs. He shut down their leading scorer Graham Ike, limiting him to just 5 points, and altered many shots. Finally, Clinigan seemed to have no issues with his stamina and played 27 minutes.

It was just one game, but it was important to see Clinigan have a strong offseason season against a premier team before Big East play. He will benefit from the rest provided by the lighter December schedule due to the holidays. If Clinigan can avoid further injury and continue to play himself into shape, he has the ability to be both one of the best players in the Big East and big men in the country, especially offensively. I am rooting hard for him.

Come on Down, Hassan Diarra

Diarra has been a pleasant surprise throughout this season, showing much more offensive efficiency than his first year at UConn to go along with the same defensive intensity. The win on Friday was arguably his best performance of the season, and the best of any player not named Clinigan. Diarra’s 9 points were his second highest of the season, and he was 3-4 from both the field and line. He was strong on both the boards and in handling the ball. Finally, Diarra’s in-your-face defense helped UConn shut down Nembhard and slow down Watson in the second half.

Diarra’s game, however, was defined by the number of big plays he made in the second half on both ends. First, he helped end Gonzaga’s first run of the half by blocking a shot and then stealing the ball with just under eight minutes remaining. This was followed by consecutive baskets by Karaban that extinguished their momentum. Diarra had another block roughly a minute later, and quickly followed with a putback basket. Finally, Diarra had the aforementioned fastbreak layup after the Bulldogs cut it to 10 to help seal the win.

Diarra is clearly one of UConn’s leaders and the heart and soul of the team. I expect him to be more up-and-down during the rigors of Big East play, but his defense and outstanding defense makes Diara a perfect backup guard for the Huskies.

UConn Takes Control of Games and Doesn’t Let Them Go

In all the wins UConn had had against strong teams so far, they have generally been given a lot of competition in first halves and had to endure runs in second halves. And yet, the team has been able to grab solid leads going into halftime and then maintain them the rest of the game. Even as teams like North Carolina and Gonzaga went on runs late in the game to try and rattle the Huskies, they have made a couple of clutch plays to ice things. Dan Hurley and his team will not continue winning every game by double digits, but that toughness and confidence should sustain thaste team going forward.

Stephen Castle Continues to Make an Impact in Limited Minutes

The heralded freshman, who is still on a minute’s restriction, again contributed against the Bulldogs in 19 minutes despite not shooting very effectively. Castle shot 3-9 to finish with 6 points, but his excellent passing led to 3 assists. Meanwhile, his defense flustered the Gonzaga guards and made it extremely hard for them to get easy shots. At the same time, he has looked completely confident on the floor and shown leadership when running the offense. As Castle’s restrictions get loosened and he can play freely, I believe he will have a breakout game in the next week or two. He should be a star.

UConn Will Need to Defend Opponents Better off the Dribble in the Big East

Clinigan is an elite interior defender, and Johnson frequently is as well when he can avoid foul trouble. However, Spencer has been a poor defender so far, Newton is good but not great, and Karaban can be bullied by bigger and more athletic opponents. While Solomon Ball has shown promise, he is inconsistent on defense like most freshman. The Huskies were burned by RJ Davis and Nembhard at different points this month, and they will face similarly skilled guards in most conference games. It cannot become a pattern, as it was for much of January and February last season. The guards need to be able to help teammates without giving up open shots to their own man. Dan Hurley will have to find a way to get his team more effective on defense going forward, or the team will not reach its ceiling.

UConn Shows Full Recovery in Week With Signature Win

In my last article for this site, I expressed frustration after UConn’s loss at Kansas and said the team would have to address essential issues to defeat North Carolina and ultimately end its nonconference schedule with momentum. Immediately the Husky players shut me up and then some. They were impressive in a double-digit win against UNC and for a majority of Saturday’s blowout of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. UConn is now 9-1 and remains in the top five of the national polls, and can earn a final signature win in Seattle against Gonzaga on Friday night.

UConn was impressive in their 87-76 win against North Carolina, particularly offensively, and led nearly the entire game. After struggling at times against Kansas’s switch-heavy defense a few days before, the Huskies burned the Tar Heels defense consistently on switches for layups and open perimeter shots. They averaged 1.23 points per possession and made nearly 69% of their 2-pointers. Cam Spencer and Alex Karaban, who were hobbled against Kansas and had poor performances, bounced back and scored a combined 41 points while shooting 16-31 (I discuss the importance of the pair’s performances last week more below). Tristen Newton had a typically well-rounded performance, recording 14 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, and freshman Solomon Ball had a breakout performance, scoring 13 and draining three 3-pointers. Ultimately, UConn had 25 assists against just 8 turnovers.

North Carolina scored effectively against the defense, with R.J. Davis (26 points) and Harrison Ingram (20) burning Husky defenders consistently in the first half and early in the second. The defense struggled to help and close out on the perimeter at times, but the Huskies upped their pressure and intensity as the game wore on. After the Tar Heels cut the deficit to 65-60 with 11 minutes remaining, UConn went on a 18-6 run. During this stretch, the defense consistently forced UNC into tough shots and forced multiple turnovers and blocks. Newton, Diarra, and Clinigan and Johnson played strong defense up top and in the paint to shut UNC down, and Stephen Castle played excellent D in his first game back from energy.

While UConn slept walk through the first few minutes of Saturday’s game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, the offense woke up in a big way. With 3:54 left in the first half, the Huskies led the Golden Eagles just 31-29. After that point, they outscored Arkansas-Pine Bluff 70-34. After his 3-point shot had deserted him for a few games, Karaban had much better touch, draining six threes and finishing with a career-high 26 points and 7 assists. Newton had 16 points and 6 assists, and Spencer hit five treys and earned 4 assists. Clinigan was very effective on both ends, putting up 11 and 7 and blocking three shots in just 21 minutes. Finally, Castle looked very good in his second game back, scoring 7 points and recording 4 blocks and rebounds. UConn shot 56% and went 13-28 from deep, and got to the free throw line 31 times, making 22. It had 21 assists and outrebounded the Golden Eagles 42-28. On defense, the Huskies blocked nine shots and stole the ball five times. They held Arkansas-Pine Bluff to 35.6% shooting overall and 31% inside the arc.

UConn is now 9-1, and these two wins solidified its place as one of the best teams in the country and at the top of the Big East pecking order, along with Creighton and Marquette. Defeating Gonzaga in Seattle Friday will further demonstrate to observers that UConn can win against elite nonconference opponents in hostile environments. Below, I further discuss my thoughts on the UNC and Arkansas-Pine Bluff wins and the positives and negatives I drew from them.

Karaban and Spencer Come Back to Life

Against Kansas, it looked like injuries were heavily limiting Karaban and Spencer on both ends. Karaban’s shot was ineffective against the Jayhawks due to a finger injury, as he was just 2-7 from behind the arc. Meanwhile, Spencer had hurt toes on both of his feet, making it difficult for him to get good lift on his shots and move effectively on both ends. Spencer scored just 6 points while shooting 2-12, and both he and Karaban struggled to keep up on the defensive end. Prior to the North Carolina game, both men were a game time decision, and it was thought they would have minutes restriction. Because of this, it was easy to understand the skepticism myself and others shared about UConn being able to beat UNC at less than full strength.

Among the pair, Spencer was the first one to break out offensively against the Tar Heels. The senior scored 16 of his 23 points in the first half of the win, getting on the board via a series of layups, free throws, and 3-pointers. Spencer did not look stiff or slow in any shape or form. Rather, he showed off his ability to find open shots from anywhere on the floor, while still creating scoring opportunities for others. Against Kansas, Spencer had looked frustrated and angry at himself throughout. Against North Carolina, he played with that same intensity but instead fed off of it and showed their players he wouldn’t back down, even earning a technical after a little too much trash talking. While a lot of players had solid games against UNC, Spencer, who also earned 7 rebounds and 6 assists, was their MVP. After again playing well against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, my worries about Spencer have subsided.

Karaban found ways to contribute against UNC around the basket and by moving the ball. He ultimately shot 6-8 inside the arc (mostly on cuts to the basket and on putbacks) to finish with 18 points, and had 9 rebounds and 5 assists. As discussed somewhat earlier however, the win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff was the first time Karaban’s shot has looked 100 percent for a while. Karaban was 6-9 from deep and did an excellent job of moving without the ball and off screens to get open 3-point attempts in the corner. He was also successful again at getting to the rim for baskets and rebounded and passed the ball well, finishing with 3 assists. Finally, while the competition wasn’t high level, Karaban was strong on the defensive end against the Golden Eagles. It will be important to see if Karaban can keep his offense going against another strong defense in Gonzaga. What Karaban needs to remember is to not fall into a pattern of just taking3-pointers against the Bulldogs if his outside shots aren’t falling, and to be aggressive going to the basket when appropriate to create plays for himself and others.

Freshman Continue to Contribute the More They Play

After difficulty acclimating to the speed of the college game or just finding minutes at all in such a talented rotation, Ball and fellow frosh Jaylin Stewart made a big case for themselves against UNC and Arkansas-Pine Bluff. With Castle making valuable contributions in both wins in limited movements, it seems like UConn and Dan Hurley is getting closer to deciding that Castle, Ball and Stewart will get the large majority of minutes played among the freshman, barring more injury.

Ball averaged 11 points between the two wins, shooting 7-15 overall and 4-11 from deep. The shooting guard is showing a strong ability to finish around the rim using his athleticism and has demonstrated a nice touch on floaters. While Ball’s shooting from deep is inconsistent and he has a tendency to rush 3-pointers, I’ll give him praise for not being afraid of the big shot and forcing defenders to challenge him beyond the arc. Ball certainly came up big against North Carolina from there, making a trio of 3-pointers that gave UConn momentum at essential times. He also has done a good job of handling the ball well and playing with high energy on both ends during his starting stint with Castle injured and then on minute restrictions. Hopefully, Ball’s improvement during this stretch increased his confidence and will allow him to make an immediate impact off the bench when Castle moves back to the starting guard spot in the next game or two.

Prior to the game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Jaylin Stewart had played intermittently this season. Against the Golden Eagles however, the forward was aggressive on the offensive end and rewarded with a season-high 15 minutes. Stewart scored 7 points, making all three of his 2-pointers, and had 2 rebounds and an assist. Stewart also got to the line for three shots, though he only made one. He demonstrated the ability to beat defenders off the dribble and shoot over them, as well as strong athleticism. Stewart will have to keep his defensive effort up and shoot better at the charity stripe to consistently get more playing time, but I believe that he can be a solid member of the rotation by the second half of the season.

While I can’t imagine being worried about Castle’s ability to contribute either way, he demonstrated that he could make an impact in multiple ways in limited minutes against the Tar Heels and Golden Eagles. The acclaimed freshman had 3 points, 4 rebounds, and both an assist and steal in just 11 minutes against UNC, and then put up 7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals in 18 minutes in the second win. It’s clear that Castle can beat defenders in the paint and create offense even when not fully healthy. His strength and reflexes allowed him to rebound well in the wins, and his passing was solid. What was most impressive against the two teams was Castle’s defense. His ability and length can allow him to hassle defenders and create turnovers. As long as he gets fully healthy, I expect Castle to start having a few breakout games in the next few weeks and show why he is one of the best freshmen in the country.

UConn’s Ball Movement and Rebounding is Elite

The Huskies ability to share the ball and get assists, which helps create the team’s depth, and it’s rebounding were big areas of strength last year, and have remained so throughout this nonconference schedule. UConn is running an intricate offense that is great at confusing defenses and finding players for high-percentage shots. Through 10 games, the Huskies percentage of assists on made field goals is 60.8%, which ranks 29^th in the country. They recorded 24 assists on 35 field goals against North Carolina, and 33 assists on 69 field goals against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. UConn’s passing is a thing of beauty, and it has helped lead to the balance the team has throughout its lineup. Four players (Newton, Spencer, Karaban and Clinigan) are averaging double figures, led by Newton’s 17 points per game. Castle is just under that at 9.8 points in less than 20 minutes of play.

Rebounding, especially on the offensive end, has been a huge emphasis of all of Hurley’s teams, and it unsurprisingly a huge strength again this season. UConn has consistently outrebounded its opponents, usually significantly so, and is grabbing roughly 42 per game. It is grabbing 38.9% of its offensive rebounds, which ranks seventh in the country. The biggest difference this season is that the Huskies guards are some of its best rebounders, with Newton grabbing 7.2 per game.

UConn Needs to Improve Significantly at Guarding Teams From Deep

The Huskies still have a very strong defense despite losing important talent and athleticism from last year’s roster. Opponents are making just 47% of their 2-point shots, which ranks sixth in the country, and the team is blocking a bunch of shots again. However, their opponents have been getting hot on 3-pointers, making 37% .4% of them, which is one of the highest percentages allowed by any team. While that mark may be a little inflated due to a few opponents shooting significantly better than their normal rates beyond the arc, the UConn players have consistently allowed guys to get free for wide-open 3-pointers, and been burned as a result. There could be a few reasons for this, including miscommunication by defenders, poor decision making, and the Huskies deliberately leaving a lesser perimeter shooter open to guard the paint. I know Hurley puts an emphasis on guarding the rim, but if opponents can stay in games by getting hot from three UConn will be susceptible to upsets, especially in March. Hurley has been emphasizing the need for the team to stop allowing so many 3-pointers, and hopefully they will have made changes to defending from there in practice during this long break that will pay off in games.

Donavon Clinigan Still a Question Mark

Even with the injury issues to his foot and having to play his way back into shape because of a lack of live practice in the preseason, Clinigan has still been an excellent defender. He is constantly altering or blocking shots and limiting opposing big men’s freedom of movement. The sophomore slowed down Bacot against North Carolina and shut down the Arkansas-Pine Bluff bigs, and no opposing center has been completely successful against Clinigan so far this season. On offense however, it is clear Clinigan is more limited than expected. His ability to finish around the rim is inconsistent, partially due to a lack of lift caused by the foot injury. This is also holding Clinigan back from showing the same explosiveness he had as a rookie. In addition, Clinigan’s foul shooting has still not improved, as he is making just over half of his shots there. I am holding out hope that the Bristol native will start living up to preseason expectations in a month or so. The current version of Clinigan, however, is holding back UConn from reaching its full potential as a team.