Category: St. John's

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 17th 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

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.

Observations on Win Against St. John’s: Huskies take Step Forward and Demonstrate the Ability to Come Back, Rebounding and Defense top Notch, and Martin the Man Yet Again

This UConn season has been topsy-turvy from the moment it started, and the last week it was no different. While I am generally going to focus on observations that can be taken from Saturday’s 63-60 win over St. John’s at Madison Square Garden, there were a lot of storylines that could be taken from Friday night’s 74-68 loss at Xavier, including the Huskies poor paint defense and slow start, lack of rebounding, and controversy over foul trouble. While Saturday’s win wasn’t a great effort by any means, UConn (17-7-8-5) answered a lot of questions, especially its ability to come back in a conference road game.

The first half against St. John’s was fast-paced and ugly on offense with UConn entering halftime up 30-29. It shot just 38% and consistently missed open shots at the rim and beyond the arc, shooting 4-13. It also made some boneheaded turnovers, not a big surprise considering its play in recent games. However, R.J. Cole displayed his shot-making abilities and scored well around the rim, finishing with eight points. Andre Jackson committed two turnovers but displayed his ability to do a little bit of everything, earning five points, eight rebounds and two assists. The Huskies were hurt on both ends and especially on offense as Adama Sanago committed two fouls early after scoring six points and had to sit the remainder of the first half, mirroring his first half at Xavier. Tyrese Martin also had foul issues and did not score in the 20 minutes.

The defense was outstanding in the first half, holding St. John’s to 34% shooting and playing excellent D around the rim while earning some memorable blocks. While the Johnnies similarly struggled from behind the arc, it rebounded well and made some tough shots around the rim. Dylan Addae-Wusu was probably the best player on the court in the opening 20 minutes, scoring 12 points and playing well on defense. Star guard Julian Champagne was shut down by Isiah Whaley in the first half, making just two baskets.

Both teams continued to trade baskets in the opening eight minutes of the second half, with UConn holding a 45-44 lead going into the under-12 timeout. Martin immediately woke up and was the offensive catalyst for the Huskies, draining a trio of 3-pointers as his teammates did a good job setting him up. Meanwhile, Champagnie managed to get open in the middle and scored seven points.

With the way things were going a team was bound to go on a run eventually, and unfortunately it was the Johnnies who did it first. Following a Jordan Hawkins three they scored 11 consecutive points over roughly three minutes to take a 55-48 lead. St. John’s was able to beat UConn defenders off the dribble and score at the rim, benefiting from poor communication and help defense by the Huskies. The athletic Montez Mathis made two layups and scored six points during the run, which ended with a Stef Smith three that bounced off the rim multiple times. On the other end, UConn failed to score despite multiple open shots, with Sanago also struggling with his touch at the rim.

I talk about UConn’s 15-3 run in the final 7:46 to take the lead and secure the win against one of its biggest rivals, but it was very impressive seeing the team go on a 15-5 run to finally come back to win a game by fewer than five points. There were a number of heroics during the run, including the continued brilliance of Martin on offense, Whaley’s 3-point lead to take the lead, and the great defense by the Husky big. It seemed like every player on the floor contributed however, and showed great composure.

Martin again showed his ability to catch fire and carry the team offensively for stretches, scoring 17 points in the second half, and draining 4-6 3-pointers. Cole had 14 points and five assists, and Whaley was brilliant on both ends, scoring 11 on 5-6 shooting and recording five blocks and three steals. Jackson committed five turnovers but had four assists and an insane 16 rebounds. UConn had 14 assists. Sanago played just 23 minutes and was largely denied the ball in the second half. He scored just one basket after his hot start and shot 4-13 with three turnovers. The Huskies got just eight points from their bench, with Polley and Hawkins combining to shoot just 1-9 from three. They also continued their ball security issues, committing 15 turnovers against 14 assists.

On defense, the Huskies recorded 13 blocks and five steals. In addition to Whaley’s five, three other players had two blocks. It outrebounded St. John’s 52-41 and dominated the defensive boards grabbing 39 led by Jackson’s 14. Five UConn players earned at least five rebounds.

The Huskies are currently third in the Big East and ranked No. 20 on KenPom, and have a huge rematch against Seton Hall (15-8, 6-7) on Wednesday night at Gampel. They will be looking for revenge against the Pirates, who beat UConn 90-87 in overtime on January 8th after the team’s long layoff due to Covid-19. Before that game is played, there are important observations to take from Saturday’s win below, including the importance of pulling off a comeback win, the play of Martin, UConn’s strong internal defense and rebounding, and continued issues with finishing and bench contributions.

UConn Shows its Toughness and Composure in Final Minutes

When the Huskies came out of a TV timeout and almost immediately allowed a 3-pointer to Smith with 7:46 remaining, they were trailing 55-48 and reeling. St. John’s was in the midst of an 11-0 run and UConn looked fatigued. Its defense had suffered multiple breakdowns that allowed the Johnnies to easily get in the paint and they were hitting tough shots while the Huskies continuously missed open shots. Like multiple rock fights that turned into close losses this season, it looked like poor shooting and shaky defense at the worst time was going to doom UConn.

After Friday’s loss however, UConn wasn’t ready to again live this experience however, especially in front of a loyal audience of fans at MSG. The players, especially the seniors, executed enough in all phases of the game to pull out the win. On offense, Whaley and Martin carried the Huskies on an 11-0 run with their shooting, finishing and offensive rebounding abilities. Whaley demonstrated excellent touch around the rim and his strength, making a nifty layup and earning a 3-point play on his putback to give the team a 56-55 lead with 3:46 remaining. Whaley earned five points off of putbacks during the run. Meanwhile, Martin had four points, draining a three in his defender’s face, and multiple rebounds. As a duo, Martin and Whaley not only got the offense going doing the run, but gave the team a healthy dose of energy that the other players fed off of. Soon, every player was not only having fun but playing with a lot of composure and focus.

In the final two minutes, Sanago and Cole gave the others some offensive help. Sanago, who had been playing strong defense despite not making shots, scored in transition on a layup, with Cole feeding him a nice pass. Cole then closed out the game with two free throws to give the Huskies a 3-point lead with 12 seconds remaining, making the clutch free throws late that he didn’t in some losses.

It was on the defensive end and the boards where UConn really won the game, however. I will go more into the exquisite play of the defense and the team’s rebounding in the final 7:46, but all fans really have to know is that St. John’s went 2-12 to end the game while committing two turnovers and having two shots blocked. The Huskies were challenging almost every shot while causing the Johnnies to rush them, pressuring the ball and gobbling up rebounds. They seized momentum after a few key stops and displayed more energy and athleticism, and St. John’s looked just overwhelmed, especially since they were getting almost no second-chance opportunities and unable to get out in transition. It was wonderful to see the vintage UConn defense again on display after going missing for the majority of the few previous games.

The Huskies have a lot more talent than St. John’s, and on paper they shouldn’t have had that much trouble with them, especially with Posh Alexander out with injury. All the players and Dan Hurley are aware of how hard it can be to win road games in the Big East and the program’s issue with coming out on top in close games. Being able to see them stay calm and collected down seven and continue to execute their offensive game plan while tightening up the defense was extremely rewarding however. From the energy they showed on the floor and bench it was clear that UConn was resolved to win the game and play all out but smart on both ends of the floor, and that was the formula to success. Bravo. C opponent. I

Tyrese Martin, Swiss Army Knife

For the second time recently, Martin was silent in the first half and then a monster in the second half. After going scoreless in the opening 20 minutes, he had 17 points on 8-13 shooting, including four 3-pointers, eight rebounds and two blocks. The senior’s trio of threes kept the offense afloat and the team in front despite its slow second-half start. As already discussed, he made some big offensive plays during the team’s comeback, including the final field goal of the game and rebounded very well down the stretch, including his own misses. Martin also played his usual energetic defense while avoiding foul trouble in the second half and earned two blocks in the process.

Just as important as his actual statistical impact in the game was Martin’s emotional one. With his technical in the first half after some jawing with a St. John’s player, Martin signaled that both he and the team could not be pushed around. In the second half especially, it was easy to see how Martin’s intensity and words of encouragement were inspiring his teammates to up their energy level and execution. And even when Martin didn’t execute well himself (i.e., missing shots at the rim), he did his best to make up for it. Martin and Whaley are clearly UConn’s emotional leaders, and the more complementary players need to match their intensity and effort if the Huskies are to reach their full potential.

Defense and Rebounding Operating on Full Cylinders

UConn’s biggest strengths are supposed to be its defense, particularly in the paint, and rebounding, as well as its depth to a lesser extent. And yet that hasn’t been a consistent feature, even in wins. Entering the St. John’s game, UConn’s defense had played poorly against Xavier and especially Villanova, and even in the win against Marquette it wasn’t quite up to the Huskies usual standards. The Huskies did not communicate well or provide necessary help at times, and the team was being beaten 1-on-1 inside more than myself and other fans expected. Even Whaley, the team’s best defender and one of the best in the Big East, was not playing defense at the level expected of him and admitted as much. Combine all this with Hurley’s reluctance to rely heavily on non-man-to-man defenses or double-team, and the defense was in a tough place when not executing well. Hurley certainly noticed the inconsistency, saying defensive improvement was the biggest need for UConn.

From the opening tip, UConn’s defense was overwhelming. It consistently altered shots at the rim and did a good job of pressuring the ball while mostly keeping St. John’s off the offensive glass. The Huskies were rarely beat off the dribble or allowed open shots at the rim, and challenged a large percentage of the Johnnies perimeter shots (to their credit, they made enough tough shots to stay right with UConn in the first half). Even with the absence of Sanago for most of the first half, Whaley, who was particularly suffocating on defense, and multiple teammates picked up the slack.

After continuing to play strong on defense early in the second half, it had its lull midway through the second half that allowed St. John’s to take a 7-point lead. The defense eventually found its bearing however, and played its best stretch to end the game. It seemed like they come close to blocking every inside shot, made it difficult for players to handle the ball and closed out well on the perimeter. With the Johnnies unable to knock down shots and open up the offense, they were stuck and Whaley, Martin and a rejuvenated Sanago were there to reap the benefits. With UConn playing a mid-tier Seton Hall offense on Wednesday night without Bryce Aiken, there is no reason it cannot play close to the same level.

While UConn had still usually been outrebounding opponents most games, it did not against either Xavier or Villanova and hadn’t been winning the rebounding battles at the same margins as it did earlier in the season. The Huskies needed to return to not only controlling the offensive but especially the defensive glass, and it did against the Johnnies. They were almost always limited to one shot, rarely of high quality, and the Huskies did an excellent job of boxing them out and outmuscling players for rebounds. UConn players appeared to do a strong job of reading bounces off missed shots well and getting in position for rebounds, and it was clear that St. John’s players were frustrated by their second opportunity. Considering one of St. John’s biggest strengths is their skill on the offensive glass, UConn players need to bring the same concentration and execution Wednesday night.

Sanago Limited Yet Again

Adama had his worst offensive game since November against St. John’s by shooting just 4-13 for 8 points in 23 minutes while committing three turnovers. Sanogo’s foul trouble in the first half killed his solid start, and the sophomore struggled with his touch all night. He also again committed multiple travels when double-teamed due to waiting too line to pass the ball back out. Sanago was still a net positive with his defense, but his willingness to pass out of the post has seemingly diminished after he had started doing it more a few weeks ago. As far as the fouls, Sanago needs to be smart with how physical he is playing defenders far from the hoop and learn to moderate his physicality. Early foul trouble limited Sanago’s contributions last year, and if it continues to be a problem every opponent will be gunning to take him out early. Seton Hall will be a good opportunity for Sanago to get back on track and demonstrate he can shot down a strong big man in Alexis Yetna.

Observations on the Win Over St. John’s: A Dynamic Duo and Strong Defense Allow UConn to Capture Another Overtime Win

I already wrote a more traditional game article instead of my regular game recap that I write to these pieces for my game coverage of the 86-78 victory over St. John’s on Wednesday. However, I still wanted to write my normal game observations article on the positives and negatives of UConn’s overtime triumph. It was certainly a stressful and frustrating game, but at its best UConn was excellent on both sides of the ball. And

Adama Sanago is a Bad MOF

A year ago, when Sanago played St. Johns in mid-January, he was an inconsistent freshman who looked brilliant at times and overwhelmed at others. A year later, the sophomore center is one of the best big men in the Big East and probably the nation.

While it seemed possible that Sanago would be limited for a few games after returning from his abdominal injury, the time off due to UConn’s first COVID-19 layoff was a blessing in disguise. Sanogo’s first game back was outstanding (18 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks), and he topped it with his effort against thue Red Storm, which was definitely the best all-around performance of his career. Sanago had 26 points on 10-17 shooting, 18 rebounds and 6 blocks in 40 minutes of play, never once showing fatigue. As usual, Sanago was unstoppable close to the rim and on the boards and seemed to get a big basket whenever UConn needed it, as well as the tying free throw to send the game to overtime. It’s the areas where he has shown the most improvement in that is most exciting, however.

Sanago is improving tremendously from nearly game to game on both sides of the ball. On offense, he is slowly increasing his shooting range and drained multiple jumpers against St. John’s. Since returning, Sanago has slowly shown a newfound tendency to pass out of the post and it worked well on Wednesday, with Sanago earning two assists. Sanogo’s defensive footwork and ability to recover without fouling is making him an even more effective shot blocker. I doubt Sanago will have another two-game stretch as good as this one, but he is certainty capable of it.

It’s hard to measure Sanogo’s stats up to other Big East players this season when he has only competed in three games. Still, Sanago rates first in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentages according to KenPom and third in block percentage at 11.3%. Hard to believe this man wasn’t nominated to either preseason All Big East team in November.

R.J. Cole Remains the Heart and Soul of This Team

Sanago may be an unstoppable force at times, but its Cole who makes the team go on offense and is its primary creator, while also being a force on defense in his own right. Cole was at his best against St. John’s on both ends, scoring 19 points on 6-15 shooting and dishing eight assists and shutting down Posh Alexander. The sophomore, one of the best guards in the Big East, was held to 11 points on 4-13 shooting and committed four turnovers. Cole drew three charges on plays by Alexander and others.

Cole had the offense humming for a significant portion of the game and made some tough shots both inside and from behind the arc where he went 3-8, tying the second-highest number of threes he has made this season. Cole was especially great in overtime, as he got pretty assists on baskets at the rim by Sanago and Martin and iced the game at the free throw line.

While his shooting hasn’t been the most consistent, Cole has gotten off to an excellent start in conference play, improving substantially on last season. He is averaging 16.5 points and just under seven assists, and is shooting 90% at the charity stripe and 34.3% from three. Cole ‘s assist rate of 40% is first in the Big East and his free throw percentage is third. The senior’s turnover rate, 3-point percentage and true shooting percentage are in the top 25 of all conference players.

While Cole’s stats are impressive, they can’t completely measure his impact on the Huskies. Simply put, they are a different team without him. Cole can manage the offense smoothly and is comfortable creating plays for himself and others at the end of games, something the other guards and forwards cannot do efficiently. The team is much more composed and effective when Cole is on the court and can enter an offensive funk and struggle on defense without him. The last two games are a perfect example, as UConn let the Seton Hall game slip away when Cole fouled out and St. John’s began to gain momentum only when he experienced foul trouble. More than any other player, UConn’s success in the Big East and NCAA tournament is dependent on Cole’s play and health.

The UConn Defense Gets Back on Track and Holds a Block Party

In the previous two games against Marquette and Seton Hall the Huskies defense was underwhelming, especially in their struggles against the Pirates and lack of adjustments to stop Kadary Richmond. It was a different story against St. John’s, especially when defending the interior. UConn had an amazing 14 blocks, many of them spectacular, and almost always managed to earn them without fouling. Their defense around the rim was consistently strong led by the two-headed monster of Sanago and Whaley, Cole shut down Posh, and the Huskies did a decent job of slowing the Red Storm in the midrange game. It was especially rewarding to see Whaley play so strong for all 36 minutes and block five shots while showing a lot of athleticism after the criticism he received after struggling against Richmond.

UConn’s defense wasn’t perfect. It allowed too many open looks on the perimeter and slipped in the final minutes of regulation when St. John’s got out, allowing the game to go overtime. And the Huskies struggled with defensive rebounding all night. When it counted the most however, they held the Red Storm to 3-11 shooting and seven points in overtime while improving their rebounding. That ability to shake off a bad stretch and clamp down when necessary is the hallmark of a quality defense, and UConn’s is just that most of the time.  

UConn Nearly Loses the Game due to Turnovers

There’s not really much to say about the 16 turnovers, most unforced, other than them being absolutely embarassing. A strong squad which has an even higher ceiling should not be losing balls out of bounds without being pressured, dropping passes and throwing balls out of bounds to no one at such a high rate. St. John’s did not play high-caliber defense and were not heavily pressured on many of the turnovers. They were just unresponsible with the ball.

Andre Jackson was the biggest culprit with four turnovers as well as others that could have easily turned into ones. The sophomore has seemed to revert to taking unnecesary risks with the ball and delivering passes players aren’t ready for or capable of catching. Hopefully Jackson goes back to slowing down and being more careful, but with how dynamic he is the Huskies can live with the turnovers. It’s when guys like Sanago (3) and Jalen Gaffney and Jordhan Hawkins (both two turnovers in very little time) are having the same issues that UConn really gets into trouble. The Huskies can do a lot of things to cut down on their turnovers, such as working on ball-handling and passing drills in practice, communicating better during timeouts and playing at a slower pace when appropriate. But ultimately, it is on the players to minimize mistakes and maximize efficiency. You can get away with heavy turnover trouble against St. John’s, but not most Big East teams.

The Killer Instinct is Still Mostly Missing

It was awesome seeing UConn beat down on the Red Storm in overtime. But any decent team can have awesome 5-minute spurts like that. The fact remains that the Huskies have not shown the ability to decisively defeat a power conference team . They have blown leads twice in games they lost in regulation and gone to overtime three times due to surrrending late leads, losing the Seton Hall game in the process. It is easy to make the case that UConn should have three more wins than it does. Right now, the Huskies seem to slow down and get sloppy and hesitate any time a team makes a run on them in the second half, and they should not fold that easily or play into inferior opponent’s hands. There is no excuse for such a veteran-laden and balanced team to have these issues game after game, especially when your head coach is preaching the importance of a killer instinct. Hopefully, these experiences will allow the Huskies to eventually develop one. In the meantime, they can take advantage of this week’s two games against mediocre Butler to playing their best and being unmerciful against an opponent that does not match well with UConn.

Game Recap: Adama and RJ Carry UConn to Another Overtime win Against St. Johns

UConn doesn’t want to make it easy for fans, do they?

Through the first 25 minutes of the Huskies home win against St. John’s Wednesday, I was confident they would win by double-digits, likely around 15. They were playing great on defense and generally looked very flued on offense, with Adama Sanogo dominating the Red Storm on both ends. But a combination of foul trouble, stilted offensive possessions, missed free throws and Julian Champagnie and his fellow shooters going off from the permitter put UConn down in the final seconds and sent the game to overtime. In the timeout before overtime, I definitely wondered if UConn would come out flat and scared at the beginning of overtime, and how devastating it would be for the team to again blow a game to a team it should be significantly better than. I needn’t have worried.

The Huskies were outstanding in overtime, outscoring St. John’s 15-7 while going on an 11-0 run, ultimately winning 86-78 and improving to 11-4 and 2-2 in the Big East. UConn attacked the lane for layups and free throw opportunities, eventually forcing three Red Storm players to foul out and finally hitting consistently from the charity stripe. St. John’s continued to struggle to score inside and Champagnie finally went cold. It hit just 34.6% from the field overall.

Now that UConn has survived its scare, it can look back on the win and see a ton of positives from it. While it was extremely sloppy with the ball (16 turnovers) as discussed more later, the offense was often very efficient, as the Huskies shot over 47% and 40.9% from three and averaged 1.09 points per possession. Adama Sanago continued his reign of terror in the frontcourt, going for 26 points and 18 rebounds and blocking six shots, while R.J. Cole scored 19 and had eight assists against just two turnovers. The defense was dominant at times, as exhibited by their 14 blocks. And UConn shook off the tough end to regulation and came out with a ton of energy and focus. It stinks that the team wasn’t able to build on the win quickly because of the Providence game scheduled for Saturday being cancelled due to Covid—19, but they will be able to take a lot of lessons into the two games against Butler this week.  

The fast-paced first half was a bit of a mess, with UConn committing a number of unforced turnovers that kept them from getting a large lead. St. John’s also did a good job of responding to runs by the Huskies. They went into halftime up 36-31.

The game started off especially sloppy, as the Huskies committed four turnovers in the first three minutes and both teams struggled with their shooting. UConn was especially careless with the ball, with their turnovers the result of either carelessness or poor ball-handling. It did a good job of moving the ball quickly and getting open looks however, and threes by Polley and Hawkins gave the team a 15-10 lead eight minutes into the game.

St. John’s immediately responded, with two open 3-pointers of their own, a forbidding illustration of what would come in the second. A tough layup by Dylan Addae-Wusu gave the Red Storm the lead at the 9:30 mark, but the Huskies erased that deficit by the next TV timeout with a 7-0 run. It featured two silky shots by Sanago (a layup and jumper), an Andre Jackson off a bullet pass from Cole and Martin flying in for a layup.

The remainder of the half saw St. John’s tie the game one last time before UConn finally ended halftime up five and both sides slow down on offense. The Red Storm quickly tied the game at 27 on a Champagnie 3-point play and another unforced turnover, this time by Isiah Whaley, that set up a dunk by Joel Soriano. Cole answered with an open 3-pointer on the next possession and he would go on to make the Huskies final two field goals as well, with the other points coming on free throws by Jackson. The teams combined for just eight points in the final five minutes of the half as they both went cold from the outside. UConn forced multiple turnovers and blocked shots in the final minutes of the half.

With the play of Sanago and Cole and excellent defense in the paint, it should have had a double-digit lead halftime and not just 36-31, but the nine turnovers (mostly unforced), brilliance of Champagnie and poor defensive rebounding kept it closer. Those issues would return again in the second half with a vengeance.

UConn played an outstanding opening five minutes of the second half, ending the stretch with an 8-3 run to go up 50-39 with 14:55 remaining in regulation. The stretch featured threes from Jackson and Cole as well six points by Sanago and an assist on a dunk by Whaley. The offense was doing an excellent job of spacing the floor and Sanago continuously found ways to get open in the paint. On defense, he was all over the backboard and altered multiple shots alongside Whaley. The Huskies forced multiple turnovers and allowed just two field goals, both off of offensive rebounds. Their efficient and entertaining play on both ends quickly disappeared however.

As soon as Cole and then Martin had to briefly leave the game due to foul trouble, everything changed on offense. In the minute between when Cole earned his third foul at 14:08 and checked back in less than two minutes later, UConn committed multiple unforced turnovers and missed a wide-open 3-pointer and generally ran less smoothly. It also allowed gave up a layup and the Red Storm made four free throws to cut the lead to 50-45, with the second foul forcing Martin to the bench. While the Huskies got decent shots after the under-12 timeout, they came late in the shot clock. And as St. John’s became more physical the pace of play slowed down, hurting UConn’s flow. It ultimately went more than four minutes until a Whaley jumper at the 10-minute mark. Thankfully, the defense held the Red Storm at bay thanks to the block party Sanago and Whaley were having and improved perimeter defense. A 3-pointer by Polley off a kick-out from Sanago put the Huskies up 57-50 with 7:44 to go in regulation.

Despite the continued turnover issues and Sanogo’s struggles at the free throw line, his block led to a fastbreak three by Polley to put the team up 60-50 with 6:19 to go, and every UConn fan began to imagine it could win comfortably. This was premature to say the least. In under three minutes, St. John’s went on a 12-4 run, leaving the Huskies up just 64-62 at the 3:58 mark. They did a poor job of defensive rebounding, leading to five second-chance points for the Red Storm, including a three by Aaron Wheeler. The three by Champagnie that made it a 2-point game was partly the product of a turnover by Sanago. To their credit, the Red Storm did a good job of attacking the basket quickly and beating UConn to rebounds and loose balls and got open beyond the arc before defenders could effectively challenge shots. On offense, the Huskies continued to play slowly and did not look for any 3-point opportunities, instead just attacking the basket and drawing fouls. That would have been helpful if they could of converted on any of these shots or consistently hit free throws. UConn instead infuriately kept making one of two.

The Huskies briefly responded nicely, as a Sanago putback dunk and tough offensive rebound and layup by Cole gave them a 68-62 lead with 2:41 to go. From then on, the offense continuously shot itself in the foot to leave the door open for St. John’s. Cole and his teammates seemed to decide everything should be put on the senior’s back and St. John’s was having none of it. Cole missed three questionable shots in the final 2:27 while using a ton of clock, and Whaley and Sanago each went one of two at the line. The Red Storm happily took advantage of the door UConn left open. Champagnie hit a tough 3-pointer following a three deflected by Wheeler and then found his teammate open in the corner to cut the deficit to 69-68 with a minute to go. Cole and Wheeler missed twin 3-pointers following a timeout and Sanago missed a second free throw. St. John’s was able to get the ball quickly down the floor and Cole was forced to switch onto the much taller Champagnie. He gave a valiant defensive effort, but the much bigger junior drained the trey with four seconds to go to give his team a 72-71 lead, their first since midway through the first half.

It briefly looked like Champagnie would be a hero and UConn was going to suffer another ugly loss, a worry that the players later admitted they had after the game. The Huskies took a timeout before inbounding and it briefly looked like Jackson could end the game with a turnover, as he threw a full-court pass to the right baseline after he could not find an open teammate in the backcourt. A Red Storm player tipped it out of bounds when trying to intercept the pass, giving UConn a second chance and the opportunity to draw up a play after St. John’s took a timeout. To his credit, Dan Hurley drew up a good play for Martin to cut to the basket on the inbound pass and try to get a layup or at least a foul called or putback. Martin did not get the call when he was fouled on his attempt, but Sanago was right there to get the offensive rebound and draw free throws. He did his job, making one of two to send the game to overtime tied at 71.

After gaining a second life, UConn proved to the audience that there was a clear gulf between itself and the Red Storm in overtime once the offense got going. Following a Champagne jumper, Sanago tied the game with a layup and Martin gave them the lead for good on a fastbreak layup with 2:51 remaining off a bullet pass from Jackson. After a pair of free throws from both Cole and Sanago, Whaley stole the ball from Alexander and Jackson pretty much sealed the win with 1:21 remaining on a 3-point play to make it 82-73 and cap the Huskies 11-0 run. They made all six free throws in overtime, causing players to foul out in the process, and did not commit a turnover. Sanago, Martin and Cole each had four points in five minutes. UConn’s defense was also outstanding, hounding ballhandlers and doing a better job of challenging jumpers. It helped force three turnovers and held the Red Storm to 3-11 shooting. From the overtime tip to the buzzer, the Huskies were on a mission to win.

Outside its play in the final six minutes of regulation, UConn’s defense was mostly excellent. While they couldn’t slow down Champagnie, who finished with 27 points on 10-22 shooting and hit four threes, there was no shame in this, especially with the number of contested shots the “6-8” forward hit. Wheeler, who finished with 14 points and nailed three treys, was the only other truly effective scorer for St. John’s. Cole played excellent defense on Alexander, who scored just 11 on 4-13 shooting and committed four turnovers after burning Cole in the Red Storm’s win over UConn last season. While Sanago was praised earlier for his six blocks Whaley was an even more effective defender, blocking five shots and altering countless others and snatching three steals in 36 minutes. Martin also had two blocks. As mentioned before, St. John’s shot just 34.6% overall and 32% inside the arc. The only area it had a clear offensive advantage was in rebounds, grabbing 21 to the Huskies 13.

In addition to Sanago and Cole, who were outstanding on both ends the entire game, two other players finished in double figures and one with nine points. Martin was inconsistent shooting the ball but still finished with 11 points and two assists and played solid defense. Jackson had 11 points and five rebounds, although he returned to the risky passes he showcased earlier in the season and was burnt by it with four turnovers. Polley carried over his excellent shooting from behind the arc for the second consecutive game, knocking down three of four. As stated earlier, the Huskies shot over 47% overall and 40% from three, although it made just 65.4% of its free throws (17-26).   

Akok Akok surprisingly played only seven minutes, going scoreless. Hawkins and Gaffney continued their ballhandling and shooting issues, playing just a combined 19 minutes and both committing two turnovers. Hawkins went 1-4 from three. UConn is struggling significantly with ball security and unforced turnovers right now. It finished with 16 and five players had multiple turnovers.     

While it would have been great to see UConn get a second chance against Providence after the loss to them earlier in the season instead of it (likely) getting postponed to later in the season, it can hopefully build on the overtime win in its home-and-home games against Butler tomorrow and Thursday. The Bulldogs are 9-7 overall and 2-3 in the Big East, but just got smoked at Villanova Saturday by almost 40 points. The Huskies match up very well with Butler, and these same like the perfect games for them to get double-digit wins and build momentum heading into the last week of conference play.