Category: Naheim Alleyne

Observations on Last Week’s Games: UConn Continues to Look Like an Elite Team

This time last month, UConn was reeling. Following their home loss to Xavier on January 25th, the team had lost six of eight games and was under .500 in the Big East at 5-6. The defense was playing terribly, and UConn was getting inconsistent production from multiple starters, particularly Andre Jackson, as well as much of its bench. The worst part of this was that the Huskies were playing tentatively, and no one seemed to be having any fun. Never mind reaching the heights of the team’s 14-0 start: UConn needed to turn things around to still get a strong seed in the NCAA Tournament as well as avoid having to play in the first round of the Big East tourney.

Flash forward to today, and the Huskies are the hottest team in the Big East and again seen as one of the most likely squads to go deep into March and reach the Final Four. UConn defeated ranked Providence and St. John’s with ease on Wednesday and Saturday, with the first 18-point triumph on Senior Night one of the program’s signature wins of the season. The Huskies have one six of seven and are now 22-7 and 11-7 in the Big East (good for fifth in the standings), earning them a No. 14 ranking in the AP Poll yesterday. After two mediocre offensive games, they were on fire against the Friars and Red Storm, showing their versatility and depth. On defense, UConn did a much better job of limiting offensive penetration and defending at the rim, especially against Providence, and keeping players off the offensive glass. From better communication and focus as a team to improved coaching to individual players turning things around, everything is looking up for the Huskies going into the last two regular season games against DePaul and at Villanova tomorrow and Saturday.

Below, I discuss my famous observations about the Providence and St. John’s wins and the big-time positives and one negative fans can take from the games. UConn is frequently clicking on all cylinders right now. Let’s hope they don’t lose focus in this last week and hurt their momentum going into the Big East tourney.

Adama Sanogo Reminds Opponents and Fans That he is One of the Best Players in the Nation

As Jordan Hawkins has earned more and more accolades for his shooting and overall improvement in Big East Play, Sanogo has faded to the background a little bit, particularly since he is not a serious NBA prospect like Hawkins is. Sanogo’s reliability is sometimes not appreciated by the Husky fanbase, and the junior hasn’t been helped when asked to carry the load so frequently by the team, as was happening when the offense was being run through Sanogo during UConn’s January swoon. In February however, Dan Hurley made the smart decision to have the big man play significant minutes at the top of the key, allowing Sanogo to focus on setting screens and starting scoring opportunities facing towards the basket. Sanogo’s strength and footwork allows him to be very effective as a scorer from this spot, and it allows him to take better advantage of his surprisingly strong 3-point shot. It also makes it much easier for Sanogo to pass the ball. And of course, Sanogo has been just as strong as ever in the low post since Hurley’s changes, especially now that he is not being double-teamed so much. Sanogo showed off his increased offensive efficiency as well as an improved all-around game against Providence and St. John’s.

Sanogo averaged 17 points against the Friars and Red Storm on 75% shooting and went 10-12 at the free throw line. He also averaged 7 rebounds, grabbing 9 on Saturday. Sanogo did an excellent job of beating his man both down low and off the dribble from the top of the key, and displayed great touch and footwork. Against St. John’s, he did an outstanding job of attacking defenders head on and forcing contact, going 8-10 at the charity stripe. Sanogo also demonstrated his improved passing by dishing out a combined three assists in the wins. On the boards, Sanogo did a strong job of boxing out and reacting quickly to rebound opportunities.

Sanogo’s defense has been much improved in recent games, and that continued to be the case against Providence and St. John’s. He did a good job of staying in front of his man as well as providing help defense when necessary. Sanogo’s rim protection, which has dropped off this year, was much improved, and he recorded a season-high 3 bocks against the Friars. Sanogo did a strong job of avoiding foul trouble in the wins, although he certainly got help from Donovan Clinigan when he was on the bench.

Even if Hawkins is now UConn’s number one, Sanogo is 1B. His ability to score and rebound consistently is remarkable, and when Sanogo is locked in defensively as well, he becomes a great two-way player. Now that Dan Hurley has seemingly figured out how to allow Sanogo succeed without dominating the ball, he has become an even tougher matchup for opponents. Sanogo is UConn’s best big man of the last decade, and he is in position to add postseason success to his legacy if he continues to perform at this high of a level.

The Bench Has Come Alive Again

For most of Big East play, UConn has gotten little offensively from its best players even since it got out again, minus Clinigan at some points. Against Providence and especially St. John’s however, the bench awoke from its slumber. The Huskies bench players supplied 19 points against the Friars and 32 against the Red Storm, while also generally playing good defense.

The duo of Naheim Alleyne and Clinigan were a great bench duo in the last two games. Alleyne scored a combined 17 points and drained all three 3-pointers he took against Providence. He especially stepped up offensively in the first half to give the team momentum. Alleyne has been UConn’s most reliable defender off the bench, and again limited player’s ability to penetrate against the Friars and Red Storm. He had steals in both games and a block against St. John’s.

Clinigan, which had seemed to hit a freshman wall in previous weeks, appeared to be returning to his effectiveness he showed earlier in the season in the last two games. The freshman center scored a combined 16 points against Providence and St. John’s in 25 minutes, while shooting 6-12 from the field and 4-6 at the line. He also kept his turnovers under control, committing just one in each win. Clinigan also grabbed 9 rebounds, 7 offensive. Clinigan did a better job of finishing around the rim after struggling to do so for a few games and continued to do an outstanding job of earning putbacks. Clinigan also again showed how gifted he is at reading where shots will come off the rim and outmuscling  offensive defenders for offensive rebounds. It was heartening to see Clinigan finally performing under pressure on foul shots after struggling so much on them recently. After not being as much of a force defensively for much of February, Clinigan was a monster against a small Red Storm squad, blocking 5 shots and also earning a steal. With this increased effectiveness, Clinigan should earn more minutes against DePaul and Villanova squads that he matches up well against.

While seeing Alleyne and Clinigan have two strong games was satisfying, it was particularly fun to see Joey Calcaterra have a great game against St. John’s. The super senior, whose 3-point shot had abandoned him in conference play, drained three of four treys on Saturday and made four free throws in just 17 minutes, finishing with 15 points. It was the first time Calcaterra had more than two 3-pointers in conference play, and tied his season high in points. His teammates did an excellent job of finding Calcaterra against the Red Storm, and he also did an excellent job of moving without the ball. With no surprise, the UConn fans at Madison Square Garden went crazy when Joey California caught fire. While Calcaterra must have more than one good game to prove that he is back on track, the guard can certainly give the Huskies a huge weapon off the bench in tournament play if he has a strong touch in a game.

When UConn is at its best, the aforementioned players as well as Hassan Diarra are capable of stepping up on both ends when needed, especially sense the team has one starter in Andre Jackson whom can be very  inconsistent offensively. The performance of the bench against Providence and St. John’s was very promising and fun to watch. However, the bench players must prove that they can be consistent in more games for the Huskies to reach their potential.

Andre Jackson is Changing the Game on Both Ends

Throughout January and early February, no one had a bigger target on their head than Jackson, sometimes to an excessive extent from fans. The junior was playing undisciplined on both ends, and appeared to have no confidence at times offensively. However, he has been much better defensively in February, and his offense has improved as well now that Hurley and Jackson have placed him in the dunker’s spot to get easier scoring opportunities and not be tempted to regularly shoot from the outside, where Jackson has struggled heavily this season. Against Providence and St. John’s, Jackson was locking down multiple players while making plays for both teammates and himself around the rim.

While Jackson was effective offensively against Providence, especially in setting up teammates (he scored 4 points on 3 attempts and dished out 4 assists to just one turnover), it was against St. John’s where he especially impressed. Jackson scored 15 points on 5-6 shooting, going 4-5 at the line, and added 3 assists. It was the second time in three games Jackson dropped a season-high 15. The forward completed multiple athletic shots around the rim, including a dunk and putback, and drained an open 3-pointer. He did a strong job of getting the ball to teammates for open shots., and as always had multiple moments where he came out of nowhere to grab loose balls on both ends.

Jackson’s defense was strong in both games, particularly in the first when he had to cover Friars star Devin Carter. Jackson limited Carter to just 7 points on 3-10 shooting and was consistently in his face while not fouling. Against the Red Storm, Jackson was again aggressive defensively and had 2 blocks while playing 38 minutes.

After Jackson’s underwhelming play for much of the Big East schedule, fans had a reason to feel that the small forward was having an underwhelming year and would never reach his full potential. In the last two weeks however, the adjustments Hurley made to simplify things for Jackson offensively, and his overall re-commitment on the defensive end, have allowed Jackson to reach his full potential on both ends. Jackson is a playmaker and agent of chaos on both ends, and UConn is more dangerous going into March as result.  

Rebounding Continues to be Elite

After a drop-off in UConn’s rebounding during its struggles, the team has improved on the glass on both ends the last few weeks, and that was on display against Providence and St. John’s. Their offensive rebounding has been particularly strong, and the Huskies are now the number one team in both the country and Big East at offensive rebounding percentage (39.1% and 40.3%). After struggling on the boards in the first matchup with the Friars, UConn outrebounded them 40-20 overall and 15-8 on the offensive end in last Wednesday’s 87-69 win. While the Huskies had no players in double-digits, five grabbed at least 5 rebounds, led by Alex Karaban’s 8 (he also scored 16). In contrast, no Friar has more than 5 and Bryce Hopkins, one of the best rebounders in the conference, did not record one against UConn’s front line. While the battle on the boards between the Huskies and St. John’s was more even, they still outrebounded the Red Storm 38-32 and won on the offensive glass. UConn had four players with five or more rebounds, led by Sanogo with 9 and Tristen Newton with 7. While Joel Soriano was great on the boards for St. John’s grabbing 11, no other player had a big rebounding game. As in other recent games, the Huskies did an excellent job boxing out and reading balls off the backboard and got to loose balls very quickly.

UConn’s ability to rebound will be a huge strength in tournament play, and especially in the NCAA Tournament when games will likely be less physical. It’s been proven over time that teams which rebound well can frequently go deep into March Madness, and I can see UConn winning a tournament game because of its rebounding and scoring second-chance points. Now let’s make it a reality.

The Huskies Still Need to Improve Their Ball-Handling and Focus for 40 Minutes

The to issues identified in the title have been a huge problem throughout conference play and cost the team wins. While UConn did a better job with passing and ball-handling against Providence and St. John’s, it still committed a combined 27 turnovers and had more turnovers than their opponent in both. Players still made unnecessarily risky passes that were out of bounds or stolen, or either were stripped or lost the ball out of bounds. Newton, Hawkins, and Jackson were the primary culprits. The Huskies are continuing to make unforced errors that reflect a lack of basketball IQ. While UConn was in control throughout against both Providence and St. John’s, they made a handful of silly fouls that allowed both teams to keep their offense afloat in both games. The team especially grew lackadaisical on defense in the final few minutes against the Red Storm, making the score look much closer than it actually was. The Huskies need to tighten up on defense against DePaul and especially at Villanova this week, which will beat UConn if it isn’t giving 100 percent effort.

Season Grades for Each Bench Player so Far

With the Huskies having seven conference games remaining before the Big East tournament at this time last month, I thought it would be a good time to give grades to each player on the team for how they have played up to this point of the season. I decided to first focus on the bench, before moving on to the starters after the Marquette game tonight. This article focuses both on the player’s strengths as well as their weaknesses, and what they can do better in these final weeks. I will update this article after the Marquette game. Enjoy!   

Donovan Clinigan: A-

Clinigan may have hit a little bit of a freshman wall recently, but there’s no denying that he has been a huge surprise on both ends and helped solidify the UConn frontcourt.

Coming into the season, Clinigan was still viewed as a project by many fans and reporters, even despite reports out of stores in the preseason that he looked much more game-ready than the staff had predicted. A large part of this was Clinigan dominating at Bristol Central instead of at a prep school, where many fans thought he should have gone for a post-grad season. However, the combination of losing weight and practicing against Adama Sanogo in practice every day has helped Clinigan become one of the best freshmen bigs in the country.   

Clinigan is averaging 7.8 points on 72.7% shooting, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks in just 13.6 minutes per game. He has an offensive rating of 119.1 (103.8 in the Big East) with an effective field goal percentage of 69.4. While Clinigan almost never shoots more than five feet from the basket, his strength and improved athleticism allows him to bully almost any defender. Clinigan is already very strong at finishing shots and is a constant threat to score on dunks and lobs as well as put back shots due to his great offensive rebounding (he has rebounded 18.3% of opportunities this season). His one weakness is at the free throw line, where he shoots 52.4%. Clinigan’s rate and per-40 minute stats on offense are insane, and he definitely is more effective on that end than Sanogo as a freshman.

On defense, Clinigan has also established himself as one of the best shot blockers in the country already. He has blocked multiple shots in 13 games and four or more in five games, and his percentage of shots blocked is 14.9%. He has excellent hands, and his size and quick reaction speed allows Clinigan to constantly block and alter shots. He is also an excellent defensive rebounder, and has gobbled up more than 34% of opportunities in Big East play. Clinigan has a rebound in every game he has played and four games with 10 or more. Clinigan does struggle to guard without fouling due to over-aggressiveness and being fooled by his man, but I am confident he will learn to control it with his basketball intelligence, especially as referees give Clinigan more respect.  

There’s no telling what heights Clinigan can reach as a sophomore and junior at UConn if he stays, and he arguably has the upside of someone like Zach Eddy, who is on his way to winning the Wooden award. Clinigan is struggling right now defensively and playing less due to foul trouble, but I am confident he will figure things out just like Alex Karaban did. Marquette could be a particularly good matchup for him, as he had 20 and 10 with 5 blocks in the first matchup with the Golden Eagles.

Hasan Diarra: C+

Diarra’s biggest selling point when UConn grabbed him from the transfer portal last season was that he had a reputation as a strong on-ball defender and high-energy point guard off the bench at Texas A&M. These traits have been on display throughout the season and during conference play. In just 14.5 MPG, Diarra is averaging nearly a steal a game and a steal percentage of 3.5%, and he’s had five games with multiple steals. Diarra is also plenty capable of blocking a shot despite his 6-2 frame. He generally does an excellent job of using his strength and athleticism to pressure ball handlers and pick off passes. If UConn pressured more on defense like I want them to do against certain opponents, he would be especially adept at doing so.

So why does Diarra have such a mediocre grade? As anyone who has watched UConn a decent amount this season, it’s because of his lack of production on the offensive end. Diarra is averaging just 2.9 PPG on 32.9% shooting., with an effective percentage of 37.1%. While he is putting up 2 assists per game, he also has a career-high turnover percentage of 28.9%. Diarra was never a great shooter at the line with the Aggies, but he has shot just over 53%  at the line, nearly 20% worse than last season. Couple with that Diarra’s lousy perimeter shooting and habit of making costly turnovers, and there is a reason that he has never started this season even when Newton was struggling heavily. Unless there is an injury, I am sure Diarra won’t see the floor for more than 10 minutes at most the remainder of the season. It will be interesting to see how much playing time he gets next season with the arrival of Stephen Castle and possibly another strong transfer point guard to replace Newton.

Naheim Alleyne: C

When Alleyne transferred from Virginia Tech to UConn for his senior season, I said that he should be a better version of Tyler Polley, as the two has a similar game but Alleyne plays much better defense. Alleyne has mostly lived up to the expectations on the defensive end, but his outside shot has pretty much deserted the guard for the entire season, leading to a bad domino effect for the entire team at times.  

First, the good: Alleyne has been a strong perimeter defender for the Huskies, particularly during the first two months of the season. The 6-4 guard does a good job using his length to affect shots and has the athleticism to stay in front of his man. The biggest issue with Alleyne on the defensive end is his propensity to be too handsy and pick up fouls, a bad habit which has gotten worse against the tougher competition in practice. While Alleyne’s defense has still been better than most of his teammates in the last month as UConn struggled, he has not done as good of a job keeping his man in front of him and limiting penetration. Hopefully, Alleyne’s individual defense will pick up along with the team down the stretch.

Alleyne’s struggles from beyond the arc has been inexplicable this season, especially since it’s lasted all season and not just in conference play. After shooting over 38% from three during his ACC career, Alleyne is at 27.9% this year (28.6% in the Big East). He has not made more than one trey in a conference game, and only did it four times in nonconference games. Alleyne’s percentages inside the arc have also plummeted in conference play, and he rarely gets to the charity stripe. It’s no wonder Alleyne has not scored more than five points in a game this year and had his minutes dwindle consistently, and I am not surprised he has not started for Jackson at any point recently despite his struggles. Along with Calcaterra, Alleyne shooting closer to his career average on 3-pointers the rest of the season would make the Huskies a much bigger threat to end the regular season well and go on runs in March.

Update: UConn fans were waiting for Alleyne to have a breakout conference game and he finally came through on Tuesday, draining three 3-pointers on his way to 13 points. Alleyne’s treys constantly came at big moments, including one at the end of the first half that gave the Huskies a 16 point lead going into the break. Alleyne’s form looked great on the 3-pointers, and UConn’s excellent screening and passing gave the senior space on each shot. Alleyne’s defense was also steady as always and he played disciplined on that end, committing zero fouls. He recorded his highest point total of the season, and hit a trio of threes for only the second time. With Alleyne’s big bench performance and his general improvement over the last few games, I am bumping his grade to a C+. Even more than Calcaterra, Alleyne’s stronger overall game and accomplished history as a shooter can make him a microwave scorer for UConn thest last few weeks as long as he maintains confidence.

Joey Calcaterra: B

It’s been a roller-coaster season for Joey California. The fifth-year transfer from San Diego was the least heralded of Dan Hurley’s transfers but was a star for the first two months of Big East play. He averaged 9.1 points through 13 games while shooting over 50% from three and had a habit for coming up in the clutch moments. Combine this with Calcaterra’s energy and nifty passing, and it’s no surprise that he became a folk hero quickly for the whole fan base. Calcaterra was one of the biggest reasons for why the Huskies started 14-0.

After the high-water of a 14-point performance against Georgetown on December 20th in which he led the team to a 14-point performance, Calcaterra has crash-landed in the last 11 games. He has not scored more than 6 points in a game since and is now shooting 27.3% on three’s in the Big East. Calcaterra is similarly struggling inside the arc and has gotten to the line just once! Overall, his offensive ranking in conference games is 91.7 and true shooting percentage 36%.  

Calcaterra has never been a particularly good defender due to his lack of athleticism. He was able to hold his own to some extent in the nonconference season, but he has predictability struggled against the stronger and more athletic guards in the Big East and been unable to keep his man from penetrating. With Calcaterra’s shooting struggles and lack of defense, his playing team has decreased significantly. Even if his shooting pics up again, Calcaterra will get fewer minutes than the first half of the season as Hurley shortens his roster.

This rating is probably a little too generous. However, I cannot imagine that Calcaterra’s shooting improves somewhat down the stretch, and it already has slightly over the last six games. Before the end of the year, I believe Calcaterra will give us a few more unforgettable moments and clutch shots. Long live Joey California.

Update: Calcaterra played within the flow of the offense in his 10 minutes. He moved the ball and screened effectively, and picked up a layup as well as earning an assist and rebound. Calcaterra surprisingly did not take a three. It was nice to see Joey California contribute without scoring, but he desperately needs to have a game where his shooting touch returns and Joey gains some confidence. Just like Alleyne, UConn is not going to reach his full potential if Calcaterra isn’t making big threes against good teams.

but on Johnson: Incomplete

Johnson has had a tough two years in Storrs, and so far appeared in just four games due to an ankle injury. After sustaining the injury in the opening game and missing two months, Samson finally returned on the 22nd against Butler. Johnson hasn’t looked bad in the limited minutes he has played, scoring a combined 11 points on 4-8 shooting, and grabbing six rebounds. However, he hasn’t played more than 7 minutes since returning and is getting back into game shape. I expect Hurley to give Johnson spot minutes here and there the remainder of the regular season, but don’t think he will play against any big-time opponents like Marquette barring significant foul trouble. While Johnson may not have the experience and stamina to fill the rim protection role UConn desperately needs yet, I hope decent minutes the remainder of the season and an offseason of working on his game will allow Johnson to unlock his potential next year.

Update: Nothing has changed. Johnson did not play at all against Marquette, and I would be shocked if he did against Creighton. There have also been no updates about how many minutes Johnson is capable of playing in a game. It looks more and more like this will sadly be a lost season for him.

Richie Springs: N/A

The 2023 season was obviously not destined to be we unleashed Springs. His only apparence in Big East play came for less than a minute against Butler, despite actually playing fairly well in the few minutes he got during the nonconference schedule. If Hurley isn’t willing to use Springs for even two or three minutes as a big body and rebounding threat as a junior, then I don’t think Storrs is theplace for Springs. Let’s hope for his sake that Springs transfers in the offseason and finds a low-major program where he can get valuable minutes and prove himself.  

Observations on Last Week’s Win: A Dominant Sanogo, Strong Defense and Sensational Freshmen

It was a fun but tense first week of the season for UConn. The transfer-heavy Huskies, who were already missing Andre Jackson for the first few games due to a finger injury, had to endure Jordan Hawkins suffering a concussion early in its opener against Stonehill (Hawkins is progressing well and should make his return against UNC-Wilmington Friday). Despite the big loss and 3-point shooting struggles, UConn defeated Stonehill handedly 85-54, as freshman Alex Karaban and Donavon Clinigan immediately impressed.

On Tuesday, the team learned that Samson Johnson suffered a foot injury in the win and would be out indefinitely, leaving the Huskies down three starters for Friday’s matchup against Boston University. The players remained resultant however, with Adama Sanogo putting them on his back. After a strong first game, Sanogo was a monster against the Terriers, scoring 27 points on 12-15 shooting and grabbing 15 rebounds while also playing excellent defense. The offense improved and shot 10-21 from deep, and the Huskies again mostly played disciplined defense to win 86-57.

 Overall, UConn navigated the challenges of injury and a roster that lacked experience playing together in games with aplomb. Sanogo showed why he is a star, and each transfer and freshman who played demonstrated that they could bring unique skills to the table that make the team tougher to contain on both ends. The Huskies were sloppy on offense and lost focus on defense occasionally, but were largely in control throughout both games.

Below, I have a few observations on the positives and negatives I saw in the games as well as on the injury issues UConn’s experiencing:

  1. Adama Sanogo flashes new skills and shows why he was named pre-season Big East Player of the Year

After a breakout sophomore campaign, fans were excited to see what new skills Sanago showed and if he could step up when new players were struggling. Well, mission accomplished. Sanago averaged 23 points and 10.5 rebounds in the two wins while shooting 77%, and had a block and steal in each game. These numbers earned Sanago the Big East Player of the Week award. The junior center took advantage of the opponent’s small frontcourts to bully his way into the paint and get easy shots and rebounds. Sanago did an excellent job of finishing around the basket and displayed his remarkable footwork. Most importantly, he stepped out and hit jumpers outside of the paint in both wins, including two threes against BU. Sanogo’s form on these shots was impressive and bodes well for his ability to expand his range this season. Finally, Sanogo did a strong job of passing the ball out of the post and finding teammates, making impressive passes in both games.   

Sanogo also played strong defense against the overmatched Skyhawks and Terriers. His footwork was strong and he consistently altered shots. Sanogo was especially strong on the defensive boards and had 11 defensive rebounds against BU. If Sanogo can avoid foul trouble and stay healthy, he can be the lynchpin of an imposing defensive frontcourt.  

  • Transfers Show Strengths and Add Depth

It was a lot of fun to see the quartet of Tristen Newton, Naheim Alleyne, Hasson Diarra and Joey Calcaterra finally on the big stage for the Huskies, as I had no knowledge of them before they came to Storrs.

Diarra, a junior combo guard formerly of Texas A&M, probably had the best week of the quartet. He ran the point at times and averaged 8.5 points, 6.5 points and 4.5 rebounds. He was especially good against Stonehill, scoring 11 to go along with 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals. The speedy Diarra did an excellent job of attacking the basket in both games and made some excellent passes for assists. He was particularly effective in the fastbreak. Diarra, who was known as a strong defender coming in, used his strength to body up players and force challenging shots. His active hands forced deflections and turnovers and eventually led to fastbreak points.

Alleyne, a guard whom played at Virginia Tech for three seasons, easily slipped into the role of a strong perimeter shooter and defender. Alleyne averaged 9.5 shots on 40% shooting. He had 11 points and drained three threes against BU, and was able to score on floaters and layups against Stonehill when his 3-pointers were not falling. Alleyne played lockdown defense in both games, and his constant pressure led to 4 steals against Stonehill. The maturity and smoothness that Alleyne was said to play with was consistently on display in both wins.

Newton, a senior combo guard, was up-and-down in his opening games at UConn. The former ECU star averaged 10 points but surprisingly struggled with his shots, making just 27% of them. However, he did go 10-14 at the free throw line. While Newton certainly did not have trouble getting open shots and attacking the basket, he just was not able to finish at times or took ill-advised shots. Newton did grab an impressive 11 defensive rebounds on the week. While Newton mostly looked comfortable running the offense, his ball-handling was inconsistent. He had three assists in the opener but committed four turnovers against the Terriers. While Newton wasn’t known for his defense at ECU, he was solid on that end in both games and able to mostly stay on players. While fans may have had higher expectations for Newton entering the week, his inconsistency was understandable considering Newton was filling a different role than he did at ECU and playing in a different offensive system. As he gets more accustomed to the role Hurley wants him to play and his new teammates, I am confident Newton will be a strong guard at UConn and have some big games this season.

Finally, senior Joey Calcaterra, aka Joey California, offered some much needed 3-point shooting in his limited minutes. Calcaterra, who previously played for the University of San Diego, shot a combined 3-6 from deep in the two games and averaged 5.5 points. While his defense was shaky, he came up with 2 steals against BU and grabbed 4 boards. While Calcaterra will likely play limited minutes when Jackson and Hawkins return and must improve his defense, his 3point shooting can offer the Huskies some key scoring off the bench this season when necessary.

  • Freshman are fun!

While expectations were certainly high for Alex Karaban and to a lesser extent Donavan Clinigan entering the season, it is safe to say that fans didn’t expect the pair to have such good performances in their first two games for UConn. With injuries allowing the pair more playing time against Stonehill and BU, they took advantage and then some.

Karaban was touted as a big with a lot of offensive versatility and basketball IQ since arriving on campus, and he showed these skills off consistently last week. The freshman forward from New Hampshire averaged 11.5 points, 3.5 assists and 2 rebounds, and had a steal in each game. His performance earned him Big East Freshman of the Week honors. He showed the ability to both score in paint and hit the occasional jumper. Karaban, who scored 13 points against the Skyhawks and 10 against the Terriers, made up for his troubles from deep by attacking the basket for buckets and free throe opportunities. Karaban’s passing stood out more than his shooting, however. He had a combined 7 assists against just one turnover, displaying great court vision and ball handling. Karaban made excellent passes, especially in the paint. His basketball IQ was on display both with his passing as well as ability to move without the ball and execute pick-and-rolls.

On defense, Karaban occasionally lost players but played good team defense and guarded the basket occasionally when needed. Overall, Karaban displayed a ton of confidence and smarts on the court and the ability to make contributions wherever they were needed. His versatility should allow him to consistently make contributions even against tough competition.

As great as it was to watch all the Huskies last week, the most fun player to see was by far Donavon Clinigan, and I believe most fans would agree. In just 31 minutes, the gigantic Bristol native averaged 9.5 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks. Clinigan mostly subbed for Sanago, but occasionally played alongside him to create a highly imposing frontcourt. Clinigan did an excellent job of finishing shots and getting putbacks. He had four offensive rebounds against BU and reached the free throw line six times, making four shots. On defense, Clinigan did a strong job of anticipating shots and avoiding fouls. He had 4 blocks in the opener. Clinigan looked much quicker than expected while still displaying lots of muscle, showing the weight loss and strength training he put in during the preseason has been paying off. Clinigan will have a lot of ups and downs like any freshman big, especially against high-quality opponents, but he already looks like much less of a project than anticipated. And it is so much fan to have a Connecticut native to root for again.   

  • Defense and Rebounding Again Key to Team Identity

 For the last two seasons, UConn’s biggest strengths were their defense, especially in the paint, and rebounding, particularly on the offensive end. Stonehill and BU were not exactly Creighton and Villanova, but the Huskies looked pretty much the same last week. On defense, Alleyne, and Diarra pressured guards relentlessly and forced turnovers, and Sanogo, Clinigan and Karaban took terms altering shots and protecting the rim. UConn got a ton of put-backs and limited the opposition to very few second-chance opportunities. If it can consistently be strong in these areas when Jackson and Hawkins return like last year, the Huskies will have a chance to win pretty much every game.

  • Team Needs to be More Disciplined on Offense and Consistent from Deep

The largest areas of concern against Stonehill and Boston University was UConn’s sloppiness and lousy 3-point shooting against the Skyhawks and in the first half against the Terriers. The Huskies committed 29 turnovers against 33 assists in the wins. Newton’s ball-handling was surprisingly, as he had 6 turnovers and only 4 assists. Calcaterra was also loose with the ball, committing 5 turnovers, and Sanago had 5. Only Diarra and Karaban had strong assists-to-turnover ratios. The turnovers were less the result of strong defense by Stonehill and BU than UConn not protecting the ball well, leading to steals, and playing out of control at times. I am confident that Hurley will work with the players in practice to improve their ball-handling. When Jackson and Hawkins return and Newton hopefully gets more acclimated to his role, I believe the Huskies will be smarter with the ball against a large majority of teams.

UConn’s iffy 3-point shooting is a little stranger. Considering Alleyne came in as a proven sharpshooter, Diarra and Newton have been decent from three in their careers, and Karaban entered the program with a reputation as a strong perimeter shooter, and the level of competition the Huskies were facing, there is no reason they should be struggling this much. The team largely took high-quality threes in both games, with many shots rimming out. For now, I will chalk up this hiccup to the law of averages. Once Johnson and Hawkins return, UConn’s 3-point shooting should be better. It will need to be solid throughout the season to consistently stretch the floor and give Sanago more room to operate down low.

  • Richie Springs, Take a Bow

It has been a tough couple of years for Springs, who had to redshirt and then barely play the last two seasons. The junior has continued to work hard and stay upbeat however, and it paid off in the first half against BU when other bigs were in foul trouble. Springs had five points and two assists in 10 minutes while also grabbing a rebound. He looked composed on both ends and played solid defense in the paint. Springs has always looked solid in the very few minutes he’s played, and hopefully Hurley will reward him by giving him occasional minutes while Samson is out and UConn is playing an easy schedule.  

Naheim Alleyne Brings Experience and Shooting to Storrs

Naheim Alleyne had three strong years at Virginia Tech, averaging 9.9 points. But after a tough first-round NCAA tourney loss for the Hokies, Alleyne was looking for a fresh start in the transfer portal. That’s when Luke Murray and UConn came calling.

While the “6-4” shooting guard was heavily pursued by programs looking for shooting, Murray was the only assistant coach who directly messaged Alleyne on Instagram. Alleyne then forged a close connection with the rest of the assistant coaching staff, and once he met Dan Hurley in person and saw the school up close, Alleyne realized the Huskies were the perfect fit for him.

UConn met the three criteria he was looking for in a program: skill development, a strong relationship with the coaches, and an appealing campus environment. Meanwhile, Alleyne was fulfilling the Huskies desire for a veteran guard who could reliably put the ball in the basket and bring a winning mentality.

As a player, Alleyne profiles as a sharpshooter, reliable ballhandler and skilled defender. He is a career 38.7% 3-point shooter and has been very consistent from deep throughout his career. Last season, he shot 37.3% from three and was twenty-third in ACC play at 37.9%. He made three or more treys in 10 games. With Virginia Tech, Alleyne especially provided himself adept moving without the ball and shooting off of screens.

Overall on offense, Alleyne averaged 9.6 points per game last season with an effect field goal percentage of 48.2% and a true shooting percentage of 51.8%. Alleyne’s shooting inside the arc was again underwhelming (38.8%), but he did shoot over 85% at the line. Alleyne scored in double-digits 17 times and was strong in February during ACCC play, averaging 10 points. However he struggled in the ACC tourney even as the Hokies won, averaging just 6.5 points, and scored four on 1-3 shooting in their first round NCAA tourney loss to Texas.

While Alleyne is known for the three, he has the ability to be a solid midrange shooter as well as take the ball to the rim and score. Alleyne is not going to be a guy who regularly creates his own offense, but he can make a shot from anywhere on the floor with enough spacing. At the same time, Alleyne has the passing ability to find open teammates anywhere on the floor.

Alleyne is a very reliable ballhandler, as he committed just over one turnover per game last season. In ACC play, his turnover percentage of 13% was 19th in the conference. While Alleyne averaged just 1.5 assists, he is universally regarded as a good passer and that percentage should go up if UConn is able to knock down outside shots and spread the floor. Alleyne should especially be able to find teammates like Adama Sanogo and Andre Jackson open inside for easy looks. Because of Alleyne’s size and length, the Huskies can also rely on him to break the press in certain situations.

With his size and agility, Alleyne should be a handful against any guard or small forward he defends. He is known for his aggressiveness and active hands as well as his ability to avoid fouls. The senior transfer averaged a steal a game and had six games with double digit steals last season. With how well Alleyne seems to fit Dan Hurley’s defensive system and the coach’s ability to teach it, I could easily see these numbers going up.

Alleyne certainly has lofty goals now that he has arrived in Storrs. He told the Courant that his goal is to win both the Big East title and national championship as well as improve as a player. He also wants to show more emotion on the court at UConn, emulating Dan Hurley as much as he can.

I believe Alleyne was another great portal pickup for UConn. He’s the ideal 3-and-D player, and we know he want be intimidated playing in the Big East after facing so much talent in the ACC. All the feedback about Alleyne so far this offseason has been positive. Alleyne will definitely push Jordan Hawkins for the third guard spot in the starting lineup, although it’s more likely that he would be the first guard of the bench. Alleyne found a great landing spot, and I look forward to seeing him drain threes in my dreams.