Category: UConn

My thoughts on UConn Making the NCAA tournament

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dan Hurley helps lead yet anothe program to its goal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Previewing the Semifinals Game Against Creighton: Four Things to Watch For

UConn. Creighton. Big East tournament semifinals. What more could you ask for?

Later tonight, the third-seeded Huskies (15-6) play arguably the program’s biggest game since 2014 against the No. 2 Bluejays (19-7), who just destroyed Butler for the second straight game yesterday in the quarterfinals. Of couse, UConn did the same thing in the late game, defeating No. 11 DePaul 94-60. Both teams are coming in playing great basketball, in a contest that seems more like a conference tournament final than semifinal. Add in the fact that the Huskies are looking to get revenge after two close losses to Creighton in the regular season, and the game adds even more intrigue.

UConn certaintly looked outstanding in all three phases of the game against Butler despite missing James Bouknight for much of the second half due to cramps related to dehydration. Four players scored in double figures, with Tyrese Martin, R.J. Cole and Amanda Sanogo each putting up 14 points. Every player scored, and eight had more than five points. The Huskies did a great job of sharing the ball and pushing the tempo. Cole had eight assists and three other players had at least three, and the team committed just eight turnovers. UConn’s atleticism was on constant display, with multiple highlight-reel dunks.

The Huskies also continued to dominate the boards for the third consecutive game. UConn had 52 rebounds overall and 24 offensive to the Deamon Deacons 32. It grabbed 29 of DePaul’s 36 missed shots and 24 of their own 38, and ultimately finished with an offensive rebounding rate of 53.3%. Martin had 20 rebounds for a double-double and Whaley grabbed eight. Finally, the Huskies defense was very efficient, holding DePaul to 36.8% shooting and turning it over 15 times. UConn shut down star guard Charlie Moore for the third time this season, limiting him to eight points on 3-9 shooting.

To beat Creighton, the Huskies will have to outplay them in all these phases as well. Below, I talk about the importance of UConn’s defense shutting down Creighton’s guards, especially from three, its need to score in the paint and rebound well, and the status of Bouknight.

(1) How well can UConn’s defense guard the peremiter?

Creighton has an elite offensive team, ranking ninth in the country in offensive rating via KenPom and second in conference play in points per game. The Bluejays have a very balanced offense with five players averaging double figures, led by Marcus Zegarowski. Where its most dangerous however, is behind the arc, where they have three players shooting 40 percent or more (Zegarowski, Damien Jefferson, Mitchell Blalock). In its 87-56 win against Butler on Thursday, Creighton shot 13-24 from three.

UConn must limit the amount of open 3-point looks the Bluejays get, and the defenders cannot get caught up in screens or consistently fail to revolve over on shooters. Two ways they can do this is by limiting the playmaking of Zegarowski, which Cole was able to do in the first game between the teams, and by causing turnovers (Creighton averages 11.3 per game in conference). If the game disolves into a shootout, the Huskies will be in trouble.

(2) Will UConn be able to win the battle in the paint and on the boards?

On paper, the Huskies definitely have the advantage down low with Isiah Whaley, Sanogo, and Josh Carlton, with Martin providing them assistance. On offense, they have an efficient scorer in Sanogo, and all of the aforementioned guys can score at the rim and off of missed shots. UConn has been dominating the offensive boards and can continue to do so against Creighton, which is not known for its rebounding. However, the Huskies have to do a better job of scoring at the rim and especially on second opportunities then they did against DePaul, as they regularly failed to score off offensive rebounds on Thursday night. It will be important for UConn to get to the line regularly and finish through contact.

On defense, the Huskies need to stay disciplined in the paint and avoid foul trouble, especially from red-hot Sanogo. They must do a better job of staying on the floor and not biting on faked shots, even if this means the the team gets fewer blocks. The guards need to avoid being beaten on drives and pressure Zegarowski and ball handlers so that the Bluejays have few easy layup opportunities. If Andre Jackson can avoid foul trouble, he can provide much-needed length to slow down Creighton’s players and help clog the passing lanes.

(3) Can UConn make enough 3-pointers to win?

If the Huskies get into a total 3-point shootout, it’s unlikely they will have a chance. If they are able to limit Creighton on the peremiter however, they will still need to make key threes when needed to gurantee a victory. UConn struggled from three against DePaul, especially in the second half, and will need to take smarter shots and not rush opportunities. It would especially be huge if either Bouknight or Martin got going from behind the arc. If UConn is running its offense efficiently there should be good opportunities for Tyler Polley, and if nothing else he can be a key decoy and draw defenders out of the middle.

(4) Will Bouknight be aAt or close to 100 percent?

Although it initially looked bad when Bouknight had to come out in the second half, it seems like it was just a bad case of the cramps and it was reported that he recovered fine. It’s likely Bouknight will start the game, but Hurley and UConn have to closely watch Bouknight’s stamina and make sure he is hydrated properly. If the sophomore’s athleticism and mobility is limited, the path to winning becomes much tougher.

Previewing the DePaul Game: Four Things to Watch For

Hello Husky fans, it’s Big East tournament time! It’s great to have the program back in the Big East tournament for the first time since 2013, and it feels even better when UConn is considered one of the favorites for the championship. I am not going to be doing game observations on each game (unless the team sadly loses in the quarterfinals) and instead cover the two or three games as a whole if the Huskies advance past Thursday. I will write similar game previews to this however, and also provide observations on the tournament as a whole on Twitter/Facebook. I am so excited for the chance to write about the tournament, and be on the edge of my seat in each game.

First up, the Huskies get to play DePaul at 9:00 for the third time this season after the No. 11 Deamon Deacons upset Providence 70-62 late Wednesday night. Javon Freeman-Liberty and Charlie Moore each scored 21 points, and DePaul held Providence to 35.1% shooting and outrebounded the Friars 46-35. The Deamon Deacons, who entered the tournament having lost nine of 10 games, improved to 5-13. UConn defeated DePaul 82-61 with Bouknight and 60-53 on January 11th just after he was injured. The winner will play either No. 2 CrnOeighton or No. 10 Butler in the second game on Friday.

Below, I have five things to watch for in the game relating to how the teams match up, what UConn is looking for from certain players, and the ramifications for each team based on the outcome.

(1) Will UConn’s “other guards” play at a high level?

In the two wins against DePaul, Cole did an excellent job of shutting down their top scorer Charlie Moore, holding him to just 17 total points on 24 attempts. Moore has been playing his best basketball as of late, scoring 20 points in three of the last five games and, and had 21 and seven rebounds against Providence. Javon Freeman-Liberty is a strong second bannana for the Deamon Deacons and also had 21 against the Friars. Cole needs to again play strong defense on Moore while also making it hard for him to make plays for Freeman-Liberty and others. At the same time, Jackson and Gaffney need to avoid foul trouble to give Bouknight adequate help in guarding Freeman-Liberty. I believe Cole as well as Gaffney and especially Jackson (with his great length) can slow down the two, but if Moore and Freeeman-Liberty can go off and get some help, DePaul will make life difficult for the UConn defense.

Cole will have to continue to play at a high level to keep the offense humming against a strong Deamon Deacons defense. It would be nice to see his shooting touch return after going just 1-7 against Georgetown, but Cole doesn’t have to have 20 points for UConn to win as long as he’s handling the ball well and creating good scoring opportunities for teammates. I’m actually more interested to see how Gaffney plays after one of the best games of his career on Saturday (15 points on 6-6 shooting and three 3-pointers). The sophomore has shown more aggressiveness and great athleticism recently, and if he continues to play well the Huskies should win comfortably. Jackson has taken no shots and has just three total points in the last two games, and I think it is imperative that Hurley sets up some scoring opportunities for him early so he gets engaged on offense and does more than just pass.

Suffice to say, I am not worried about Bouknight on either end.

(2) Can UConn make threes?

DePaul is holding teams to 31.9% shooting from three in the Big East, good for second in the conference. UConn is fifth in the conference at 34.4%, but we all know how inconsistent they have been from behind the arc throughout the season. The Huskies were great from three against a team that defends them well in Georgetown (12-28 for 42.9%). If they can shoot near that rate on Thursday, then it will open op scoring opportunities in the paint and for Bouknight and Cole and the team will easily win. It will especially be important for UConn to find ways for Tyler Polley to get open and make some open looks, as he will no doubt be closely guarded. However, if the team struggles from three, then a lot of pressure will be put on Bouknight and the big men to bail them out and the game could be a nail-biter.

(3) Can Tyrese Martin and the bigs perform well on both ends?

Amada Sanogo, Isiah Whaley and Josh Carlton each had strong performances agaist Georgetown, and Sanogo and Carlton did a solid job of avoiding foul trouble. It will be important for the experienced Whaley to have a strong all-around game and avoid foul trouble so pressure can be taken off Sanogo in his first tournament go-around. Similarly,it would be great for UConn if Carlton could provide 10-15 effective minutes, especially if either Sanogo or Whaley is struggling. In a perfect world, Akok Akok could also give the Huskies 5-10 good minutes and another excellent defensive presence. The bigs and Martin will need to shut down DePaul’s secondary scoring threats and give the Deamon Deacons nowhere to go on offense if either Moore or Freeman-Liberty are not scoring. DePaul is a strong rebounding team like UConn, and if UConn wins the battle of boards it will be in great position to win, even if it struggles to make shots. Finally, I would like to see Martin pick it up on offense a little bit and start giving the Huskies a reliable third scoring threat. Since the return of Bouknight, Martin has fallen off on offense, especially from deep.

(4) Can Bouknight building a mark for himself in tournament play?

Everybody whose been watching knows that Bouknight has already proved himself to be one of the best players the program has ever seen in just two years. Tonight is the start of a chance for him to to start leading UConn to a huge program accomplishment (first Big East confence tournament championship since 2011) and make people realize he is one of the best players in the country. I certaintly think Bouknight will answer this call.

Observations on win against Georgetown: UConn has unforgettable offensive performance, everyone chips in, and defense shows up in first half

Going into Saturday’s contest against Georgetown, UConn was determined to avoid a letdown of any kind. It needed a win to ensure a berth in the NCAA tournament, and wanted one last regular season opportunity to show just how good the Huskies could be in front of a national television audience. Danny Hurley certaintly emphasized this to players, reminding them again and again leading up to the game to not relax and let up in any way.

Well, guess what? Hurley and the fans had nothing to worry about. On Senior Day, UConn came out and absolutely blasted the Hoyas off the floor in the first few minutes and never let off on the offensive end, and their defense in the first half was outstanding as well. The Huskies grabbed an astounding 51-24 lead at halftime, the largest deficit the program has led at halftime in more than a decade. They then cruised in the second half even as the defense slipped, ultimately winning 98-82. UConn improved to 14-6 and 11-6 in the Big East, its fourth consecutive win and six in seventh games This locked up third place in the Big East for it. Georgetown ended the regular season 9-12 and 7-9 in conference, which ended up being eighth.

Six players ultimately scored in double figures for the Huskies, led by James Bouknight with 21 and Jalen Gaffney with 15. Tyrese Martin, Isiah Whaley, Tyler Polley and Adama Sanogo each were in double figures as well, and Sanogo had a double-double with 10 rebounds R.J. Cole struggled to score but dished out eight assists. UConn shot 59.3% and 12-28 from three, good for 42.9%. The 12 threes were a season high, as were the 51 first-half points. The 98 points were the most the program has scored in a conference game since the 104 the 2016 squad put up against Cincinatti in the AAC tournament quarterfinals. The Huskies also won the rebounding battle and had more assists and blocks than Georgetown.

UConn established its dominance from the opening tip. They sprinted out to a 15-2 lead and made six of its first seven shots while holding the Hoyas scoreless for the first 3:30. Bouknight scored eight out of these points, knocking down two gorgeous 3-pointers and making a dunk. Whaley was also strong early, making a wide-open 3-pointer and scoring five points. The defense immediately made its presence felt. It consistently challenged shots in the paint and guarded the passing lanes well, forcing turnovers and generally making it difficult for Georgetown to move the ball and find open shots.

As the half went on, the Huskies began to get help from others besides just Bouknight and Whaley. Gaffney went off, making four consecutive baskets for 1o points to give them a 33-16 lead with 7:21 left in the half. Both of Gaffney’s threes as well as a dunk were assisted on by Cole. Gaffney used his athleticism to beat defenders going to the basket and moved well without the ball on the perimeter to hit his open threes. Martin and Josh Carlton would each end the first half strong. Martin hit multiple jumpers and did a great job finishing around the rim, ultimately making five of his six 2-pointers on the day. Carlton finished around the rim and at the line and scored seven points in the half. Throughout the first half, the Huskies did an outstanding job of pushing the tempo, sharing and handling the ball and taking intelligent shots.

UConn struggled with foul trouble at times in the first half at times but was still extremely effective, limiting Georgetown to 30% shooting and not allowing any 3-pointers. Half of the Hoyas points came at the free throw line. Throughout the half, Sanogo (who finished with two blocks), Carlton and Whaley defended the paint well and altered shots, while the Huskies guards and Martin played tight defense on Georgetown’s guards and forwards and forced costly turnovers that continuisly led to fastbreak baskets, while also denying these players on the perimeter.

In the second half, both offenses were on fire and played fast and loose, while the defenses appeared disengaged for much of the final 20 minutes. UConn scored 47 but the Hoyas outscored it by 11. The Huskies continued to get scoring from a number of players and moved and rebounded the ball well, while Georgetown attacked the basket effectively and finally began to get going on the peremiter. The Hoyas hit eight of 13 threes after not making one in the first half, with Jhavon Blair going 4-5 and Chudier Bile 3-3 from behind the arc. I am sure Hurley will harp on UConn’s defensive performance in the second half leading up to the Big East tournament.

The Huskies offense was great in every area. They scored 32 points in the paint and 17 fastbreak points and outrebounded Georgetown 35-26. 11 players ended up scoring for UConn. All the seniors had solid days, as Whaley finished 11 points and went a perfect 5-5 from the field, Polley had 11 and hit three 3-pointers, and Carlton had seven points and rebounds in 13 minutes. Seven players had multiple assists, with Cole having the aforementioned eight and Andre Jackson three.

Georgetown ultimately shot 46.6% for the game and went 20-25 from the line. Blair led it with 22 points, and Qudus Whab had 16 points and seven rebounds on 7-11 shooting and Bile 15. Dante Harris earned six assists and Bile three steals. The Hoyas finished with 13 turnovers to 11 assists. They entered the game having won four of five contests.

As of Monday night, UConn was ranked 23rd on KenPom and considered a lock for the NCAA tournament by nearly all prognasticators. The team is a trendy pick to win the Big East tournament after injuries to Villanova, and after Saturday’s decisive win it is clear the Huskies are playing their best basketball of the season. They will face the winner of the first round contest between No. 6. Providence and No. 11 DePaul in the Big East quarterfinals on Thursday. If the players can continue to stay focused and execute at a high level, there is no telling what the ceiling is for this team.

Below are my game observations on the win against Georgetown:

The team functions as a complete unit

There’s no doubt that UConn is defined by James Bouknight, and to a lesser extent Cole. However, myself and other observers have harped on how important the team’s depth is to its success, and this win was a perfect illustration of that. While Bouknight helped get the offense going at the start of the game, his teammates immediately got involved themselves in either scoring or setting up opportunities (as in the case of Cole and Jackson). Martin was more efficient and aggressive on the offensive end after going scoreless in the previous game, and Gaffney built upon some recent promising play. He did not hesitate at all when open and made a variety of shots, going 6-6 from the field. This was tied for Gaffney’s second-highest scoring game of the year. The only player who went scoreless was Andrew Hurley, who played less than a minute.

As discussed above, UConn kept its foot on the pedal on offense even after getting its large early lead and refrained from playing one-on-one basketball, with players instead constantly getting their teammates involved. Combine that with outstanding shooting from a number of players and good ball handling, and the Huskies had a recipe for running up the score.

That gang mentality and depth was seen on the bards and defense as well. While Sanogo and Carlton took on the rebounding load, 10 different players grabbed a board and six had multiple rebounds. The defensive performances were great in the first half, with the guards setting the tone by the turnovers they helped cause and the big men through the shots they either blocked or altered. Some of the Husky defenders are raw or inconsistent, but neither all of them have become better over the course of the season and showed their skills in that half.

The ability of multiple players besides Bouknight to step up on either end of the floor will be very valuable in the Big East tournament. While I expect Bouknight to play very well in the tournament, all the teams will be keying in on him and do their best to limit the sophomore’s scoring opportunities. There will be opportunities for others, and if they can pick up the scoring load then UConn will be able to win the championship as long as the defense plays at a high level. I look forward to seeing if the Husky players can come through in this manner on that stage.

UConn finally got off to an excellent start

Throughout the season, the Huskies have more often than not fallen behind early in games, a habit that has continued even during the team’s strong recent performances. That was why it was so rewarding to see UConn blow Georgetown out of the water early and establish that they had control of the game early in the first half. While the Hoyas don’t exactly have a great defense, the Huskies executed well enough that there was no chance at a Georgetown comeback when combined with UConn’s strong defense. It needs to start its conference tournament games with that same killer intensity to maintain momentum.

The seniors all have the Senior Day they deserve

Isiah Whaley, Tyler Polley and Josh Carlton certainly haven’t had a regular senior year. After having had their junior seasons cut short by the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, the trio have had to deal with the game and practice schedules being affected heavily by the pandemic, injuries to teammates as well as themselves, and various struggles on the court. Each of them had memorable performances on Senior Day in front of their families and friends while leading UConn to the win. Whaley had 11 points and shot 5-5, Polley scored 11 and hit three 3-pointers, and Carlton had an excellent first half and put up seven points and rebounds. Whether any of them return for a fifth year or not, they have given a ton to the program and shown a lot of loyalty and development. I am so happy they will have the opportunity to compete in the NCAA tournament.

Jalen Gaffney shows his offensive abilities

Over the last few games, Gaffney has shown brief flashes of his athleticism and offensive skills. That all came together against Georgetown. The sophomore showed a great stroke from deep and was smart when taking the ball to the basket, and again demonstrated that he can beat any guard defending him using his strength and speed. While Gaffney has dhown over the course of the season that he is better when playing off ball, he also did an efficient job of running the offense when filling in for Cole at point, and had multiple assists for the second time in three games. Gaffney still has a long way to go to become a quality defender, but he should be able to be a valuable offensive piece in the conference and NCAA tournaments in the right situations. He just needs to continue to take those opportunities and not shy away from them.

UConn is establishing itself as a threat in tournament play and a darling of writers

With Bouknight the Huskies are 10-2, and since the second half in their first game at Georgetown on Feb. 23rd they have outscored opponents by 59 points. They are playing great on offense since his return and nearly as good on defense. As alreadt mentioned, UConn was ranked 23rd in KenPom as of Monday night and have also shot up in NET and other ranking systems. It seems like every progranasticator is picking the team to win the Big East tournament after the issues Villanova and Creighton are experiencing, and it seems feasable the Huskies could be a seven seed in the NCAA tournament if they win in the Big East quarterfinals and even higher if they win in the semifinals or the whole tournament. I certainly expect UConn to win at least one game in the Big tournament and have a shot at winning it outright, although I feel they could have a harder path than people believe right now. I will maintain the same stance I have had for a while: If the Huskies play at their highest level, they can beat anyone, even a No. 1 seed.

Observations on win against Marquette: UConn has best offensive performance in conference play, Cole continues hot streak, and team again deales with foul trouble

Back at the beginning of January, Marquette seemed to be on the way to handing UConn an ugly loss before it came back from 18 down to earn its biggest comeback win of the season so far. This was the game that James Bouknight injured is elbow before missing nearly six weeks. On Saturday, the Golden Eagles came into Storrs looking for revenge and to build momentum after upsetting North Carolina three days before.

The Huskies were in danger of a trap game and suffering a costly loss as they try to eanr an NCAA tournament berth. UConn quickly dispelled any possibility of this, however, as they shut down Marqueette in the first half and got on an offensive role midway through the half. Behind Bouknight and R.J. Cole, the Huskies kept up their great offensive play the rest of the game and went on to have one of their largest wins of the season, defeating the Golden Eagles 80-62. UConn moved to 12-6 and 9-6 in the Big East, while Marquette fell to 11-13 and 6-11 in conference.

Bouknight continued his excellent offensive play since returning, scoring 24 points on 9-15 shooting and earning two steals. Cole was the MVP of the game however, scoring 21 points on 9-14 shooting and 3-6 from three and recording three assists. Cole has now scored 38 points in the last two games and totaled 10 assists against just two turnovers. Bouknight has averaged just under 21 points in four games since returning.

UConn struggled in the first five minutes, committing five turnovers and falling behind 11-6. The defense quickly got on track however, holding Marquette scoreless for 8:05 and causing it to commit five turnovers during this stretch. The Huskies did an outsanding job of pressuring the Golden Eagles players and making it difficult for them to score in the paint while consistently altering or blocking shots at the rim. They would miss their first 10 layups. Marquette was unable to adjust to their struggles in the paint by making shots from the outside, and would ultimately go 4-16 from beyond the arc in the game.

On offense, UConn began to get going midway through the half before exploding in the final 7:30, during which it scored 20 points to take a 38-21 halftime lead. Bouknight gave the team its first lead on a jumper at the 12:34 mark, and Tyrese Martin and Jalen Gaffney combined for the next eight points, with six coming on layups.

Cole and Tyler Polley led the aforementioned offensive spurt. The pair each hit two 3-pointers during it, and Cole would score eight points in the final 5:13. The offense did an excellent job of moving and handling the ball in the final minutes of the half, and took advantage of Marquette’s turnovers and quick shots to push the ball and score fastbreak points. The Huskies were effective both in the paint and on jumpers. They scored 20 points in the paint during the first half and ended it on a 26-10 run.

At the beginning of the second half, UConn’s bigs as well as Martin struggled with foul trouble. Isiah Whaley and Sanogo each picked up their third fouls before the first TV timeout and Marquette would quickly be put in the bonus. In addition, Josh Carlton rolled his ankle 3:04 in and did not return, limiting the Huskies frontcourt even more.

While UConn’s foul trouble and improved offensive play by the Golden Eagles put pressure on the Huskies offense, Cole and Bouknight were able to carry it in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, scoring 17 consecutive points for the Huskies. The pair killed Marquette in the halfcourt, consistently making jumpers and keeping defenders off balance.

The Golden Eagles were able to get as close as 11 points in the second half, but UConn always responded as other players eventually got going on offense. The Huskies did an outstanding job of handling the ball and commited just two turnovers after the game’s opening five minutes. Even as the Marquette offense executed better on offense in the second half, UConn’s defense continued to pressure them and force turnovers.

UConn shot 51.6% for the game despite going just 6-21 from three (it made up for this by shooting 62.8% inside the arc). It scored 40 points in the paint and 17 fastbreak points. The 18-point win was the Huskies largest in the calander year and third-largest of the season. It was the fourth time they have scored 80 or more points.

In addition to Bouknight’s 24 points and Cole’s 21, three other players scored over five points. Polley shot 3-6 from behid the arc to finish with nine points. Andre Jackson had one of his best overall games. The freshman earned eight points and rebounds and added two assists in 27 minutes while playing strong defense. Martin scored six and was again great on the boards, grabbing eight (three offensive). Sanogo had seven rebounds in 15 minutes, and Gaffney earned four assists and did not commit a turnover. UConn had 12 assists.

UConn held Marquette to 39.3% shooting from the field and 25% from three, and it went 14-21 at the line. The Golden Eagles committed 15 turnovers against just eight assists. After the Huskies struggled with foul trouble at the beginning of the second half, they did a better job of avoiding them for the remainder of the game. The UConn guards did a strong job of pressuring Marquette’s ball handlers throughout the game, with Jackson especially using his wingspain to limit player’s passing and shooting abilities. The Huskies bigs did a strong job of defending when they were on the floor. Dawson Garcia led the Golden Eagles with 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds, and Justin Lewis shot 5-9 and finished with 14.

The win helped UConn move up six spots to 28th in the KenPom standings, where they still are as of Monday night. It is also now ranked 25th in BPI and 28th in the Sagarin ratings, and is 36th in the NET rankings. The Huskies look to be in pretty good shape for an NCAA tournament berth, and can probably ensure it by winning at Seton Hall on Wednesday or a game or two in the Big East tournament.

Here are my observations on the win against Marequette:

R.J. Cole centerpiece of a great offensive performance

The epitome of a quality point guard is a player who can run an offense efficiently and put teammates in a position to succeed, score effectively when necessary, play strong defense, and most importantly, act as one of the team’s leaders. Over the course of the season, Cole has become a quality point guard for UConn, and he is peaking at the right time.

Cole was very good against Marquette in all facets of the game. After a sloppy start by the Huskies, the redshirt junior did a very good job of running the offense. He helped push the tempo, leading to great fastbreak opportunities, and made sure to get teammates consistently involved and in position to score. Cole helped kickstart UConn’s offensive run in the final eight minutes of the first half and made two key 3-pointers. When the team got in foul trouble at the beginning of the second half, he and Bouknight stepped up and led the offense. Cole did an excellent job of pulling up to hit open jumpers and beating defenders off the dribble. Throughout the game, he played strong defense and limited the Golden Eagles ability to shoot from the outside.

In addition to scoring when needed, Cole also visibly provided leadership on the floor. He was consistently communicating with teammates on the floor and in the huddle, and the joy he expressed clearly rubbed off on the Huskies other players. In recent games, Cole has become more vocal both in games and practices, and UConn clearly needed vocal leaders. I am confident he will continue to grow as a leader in the remainder of the season.

Cole has now averaged 17 points on 46.2% shooting AND 43.2% from three and just under five assists in the Huskies last five games, recording a 4-1 assist to turnover ratio. He and Bouknight are a great duo together now that Cole’s improved so much, and they are establishing themselves as one of the best backcourts in the Big East. If Cole can help lead UConn to a win at Seton Hall tomorrow, it will be a great indication of how much he’s grown.

UConn demonstrates their impressive depth on offense

I’ve already gone into Cole’s great game, and Bouknight improved as the game went on and scored successfully in the midrange and at the rim to make up for his struggles behind the arc. After inconsistent offensive performances as a team against Villanova and Georgetown, UConn again showed how effective their offense can be when it gets solid contributions on that end from multiple players.

Thanks to the Huskies depth, they were able to suceed on offense both in the paint and from midrange and behind the arc. Polley joined Cole in providing scoring from 3-point range, making three triples in 21 minutes. The senior knocked down open opportunities and did a good job of getting himself in quality shooting position, even shot faking on one of his makes. Polley scored nine or more points for the third time in five games, and is shooting 39.1% on threes in that stretch. Jackson (who I discuss more below) was able to score at the rim effectively and on fastbreak opportunities (going 3-4 on 2-pointers) and again had a spectacular dunk, and he also again passed the ball well. Martin did not make a three for the third consecutive game and fouled out, but again finished well at the rim. His offensive rebounding continues to be outstanding, as he has grabbed multiple offensive boards in six consecutive games. Finally, Gaffney made two nice jumpers and his four assists were the most in a game this season.

The excellent offensive performances by UConn;s guards and forwards offset the struggles of Whaley, Sanogo and Carlton, whom were all limited by foul trouble or injury and scored just eight combiend points on 4-10 shooting in 43 minutes. The Huskies will need this group (depending on the health of Carlton) to improve their play against Seton Hall’s big frontline. With their depth, however, the offense should be able to consistently make up for struggles in certain areas and perform well in each game going forward. UConn is more than just Bouknight and ColIn e.

The Huskies defense is playing at a high level again

During UConn’s struggles in the middle of the season, its defense was nearly as central to the struggles as the offense, despite a large portion of the attention going to that side of the ball. The defense allowed at least 70 points in each of the losses the team suffered without Bouknight, and players did a poor job of playing help defense and regularly limiting layups or foul trouble. Since Bouknight returned however, the Huskies have played much better team defense as a whole and held opponents under 70 points in four straight games. It is defending the rim better and playing stronger help defense while continuing to limit teams from beyond the arc. UConn has returned to being a strong defensive rebounding team after being inconsistent in that area during the middle of the season.

Against Marquette, the UConn defense played one of its best halfs of the season in the opening 20 minutes, holding the Golden Eagles to 21 points. The defense completely shut down the paint and challenged jumpers and threes, and its pressure made it difficult for Marquette to find open shooters and caused costly turnovers the Huskies offense took advantage of. Even when foul trouble early in the second half limited the effectiveness of the defense, UConn forced enough turnovers and limited the Golden Eagles ability to score outside of the paint, squashing any hope of a Marquette comeback.

The Huskies are now first in conference play in points allowed per game (64.9)and blocks (2.8), second in opponent field goal percentage (41.6%)and third in assists allowed per game (11.6). They need to do a better job of avoiding foul trouble, especially against Seton Hall, but at their best UConn can be an elite defensive team. This will allow them to beat any opponent.

Andre Jackson shows off his versatility

After an exciting showing in his first three games back from injury, Jackson hit a little bit of a wall in the three games prior to Saturday’s contest, scoring just four points and grabbing nine rebounds while dealing with foul trouble. The freshman was excellent against Marquette however, recording eight points eight pints and rebounds with two assists in 27 minutes, his second highest total of the season. On offense, Jackson used his speed and athleticism to score effectively at the rim, and handled the ball well after committing three turnovers against Georgetown. Jackson demonstrated his toughness when rebounding in traffic, and used his wingspan to harras ball defenders while doing a better job of avoiding ticky-tack fouls. Overall, Jackson provided much needed defense and rebounding with the bigs being limited.

Saturday’s win did a great job of demonstrating what Jackson can bring to UConn. Yes, he is very raw and a limited shooter, and is prone to lapses on defense. However, it is clear at this point that Jackson will always bring a lot of energy and much-neededd athleticm to the Huskies and can be an effective passer, rebounder and defender. If Jackson is able to stay on the floor, he will be a Swiss Army knife for the team and can make a positive impact even if he is not scoring.

UConn is again hurt by foul trouble

The Huskies defensive approach leaves them vulnerable to foul trouble. They consistently use the hard hedge and focus heavily on limiting the ability for opponents to make threes, and their bigs regularly defend players at the top of the key. While UConn is usually effective on defense overall, this style of play makes it hard for big men to get back and guard the rim, especially slower bigs like Sanogo and Carlton. In addition, Whaley’s physical style of play and habit of constantly trying to block shots regularly puts him in foul trouble even as he makes it hard for players to score. While it seems like Hurley is going to play this style of defense no matter what, the bigs need to be more disciplined, especially in a league like the Big East where the officials call a lot of fouls. Saturday is a great place to start, as Seton Hall has an excellent frontcourt which burned UConn in the team’s first meeting. More than probably any other factor, the defensive play of the big men will decide who wins that game.

Observations on win against Georgetown: RJ Cole has signature game, UConn dominates boards, and team has great second half

During the halftime break in Tuesday’s game against Georgetown, I joined many other Husky fans in eviscirating the team. After watching the team play an ugly 15 minutes of basketball after a great start and go into halftime down one, I attacked the team’s lack of discipline and asked where the player’s passion was. Little did I know that UConn was going to play one of its best halves of the season.

After going into halftime down 26-25, the Huskies got it together on offense early in the second half. In the last 13:51, they outscored the Hoyas 30-16 and went on to win 70-57. The win improved UConn to 11-6 and 8-6 in the Big East, and insured the team would firmly stay on the bubble for the NCAA tournament. Georgetown dropped to 7-11 and 5-8 in conference.

After inconsistent first halfs, the duo of Cole and James Bouknight were outstanding in the second half. The pair each scored 14 points in the half, with Cole shooting 7-9. The redshort junior had his best all-around game of the season, scoring 17 points and disching out steven assists to go with six steals. Cole did not commit a turnover. Bouknight finished with 20 points on 8-17 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double. UConn shot 56.3% in the second half.

The Huskies had an outstanding start to the game and went into the first TV timeout leading 12-2. After that, everything changed. UConn went into a shooting funk for the remainder of the first half and went scoreless for seven minutes at one point. It missed a number of open shots and second-chance opportunities, while also rushing contested shots. The Huskies were reckless with the ball and ultimatelly committed 11 turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.

While UConn rebounded and defended very well, Georgetown was able to get the ball inside and reach the free throw line, making nine of 11 shots at the charity shots. Timothy Ighoefe made a 3-pointer on the Hoyas last shot of the half to put them up 26-25 going into the locker room.

After their poor offensive play in the second half, both teams started the second half playing well on that end. Led by Cole and Bouknight, UConn began to move the ball and shoot well and attacked the rim. Georgetown did the same, with the Huskies defenders out of position on multiple posssessions. With 10:54 remaining, the squads were tied at 44.

From then on, it was all UConn. While the Huskies struggled from behind the arc, they hit shots from everywhere else. Cole was the catalyst, knocking down jumpers and tough shots in the paint while also creating good scoring opportunities for teammates. After being quiet for most of the first half, Bouknight was much more aggressive in the second half and made some spectacular plays, including a dunk off an alley-oop pass from Cole. Almost everyone else got in on the action at points, and UConn continued to dominate the boards and handled the ball better, committing just three turnovers in the second half.

The Huskies were much more disciplined on defense in the second half. They continued to challenge shots behind the arc and defended the paint better while mostly avoiding fouling. UConn also benefited from Georgetown missing a lot of open shots. The Hoyas would ultimately finishing the game having shot just 35.8% and 4-19 from three.

UConn finished the game shooting 45.5% despite going just 2-11 from three. In addition to the 37 combined points from Bouknight and Cole, Sanogo and Whaley had strong all-around games. Sanogo had eight points and seven rebounds (three offensive) along with two blocks in 21 minutes, and Whaley had seven points and rebounds (six offensive) and two blocks in 21 minutes. Martin had eight points and five rebounds. Andre Jackson and Jalen Gaffney continued to struggle. Jackson went scoreless in 13 minutes and committed three turnovers, while Gaffney scored just three points and did not have an assist in 10 minutes. Qudus Wahab had an excellent game for Georgetown, earning a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds.

The Huskies ability to win 50-50 balls and impressive effort when going after loose balls is reflected in the game’s rebounding and turnover numbers. Despite Georgetown having the best rebounding numbers in the Big East entering the game, UConn won the rebounding battle 46-30 and recorded 18 offensive rebounds to the Hoyas nine. Five players grabbed at least five rebounds for the Huskies. They had eight steals and helped force Georgetown to commit 15 turnovers, with five of its players recording multiple turnovers.

The win moved UConn up to 35th in the KenPom rankings, and they are now 32nd in the rankings as of Thursday night. If the team can win all its four remaining games this should gurantee them a berth in the NCAA tournament, and three wins should be enough, especially if the Huskies can win one or two games in the Big East tournament.

Here are my observations on the win against Georgetown:

Cole takes on a aleadership role

While Cole avoided the ball-handling and sloppiness issues that many of his teammates experienced in the first half, he still struggled to shoot the ball, going 1-7. Cole missed open shots frommidrange and also rushed shots. It looked like he could be on the way to having a similar performance to his showing against Villanova, where Cole went 2-10 and had just two assists.

The R.J. Cole that appeared in the second half was a completely different player. Cole went 6-8 from the field for 14 points and dished out four assists. He used his pull-up jumper to catch defenders off guard and beat defenders at the rim despite the height disaprity between him and the Hoya guards. Cole was able to find teammates inside and on the perimeter for good scoring opportunities, and avoided waiting until late in the shot clock to start running the offense. Most importantly, Cole clearly took on a leadership role on the floor, helping to lead conversations in the huddle and constantly communicating with teammates on offense. Hurley said after the game that he was proud of Cole’s play, and it was clear his teammates were as well.

A few weeks ago, Dan Hurley pulled Cole out of the starting lineup to insert the message that ne needed to improve his play and effort level. Since then, he has been a different player. Cole has averaged 16 points and recorded a 21-4 assist to turnover ratio over the last four games while adding nine steals, and seized the starting role back from Gaffney. He has run the offense at a quicker pace and helped to take advantage of fastbreak opportunities, and it’s clear that he and Bouknight play very well off of one another. Cole established himself as the team leader by holding a player’s only meeting after the loss to Providence in which the team discussed how each player could fill their roles better, and he has only built on that leadership role since. It took a while, but Cole is finally meeting the expectations for him coming into the season.

UConn returns to controlling the boards

The Huskies have been a very strong rebounding team over the course of the season, and are currently second in the Big East in offensive rebounds per game (12.5) and third in total rebounds (36.9). However, they had not been quite as effective on the boards recently, and had not won the rebounding battle in most losses. With Georgetown as the best rebounding team in the Big East, it was essential that UConn beat the Hoyas on the boards to gurantee a win.

The Huskies didn;t just outrebound Georgetown: it obliterated them. They had 46 rebounds to the Hoyas 30 and snatched 18 offensive boards. The players did an excellent job of boxing out and outhusted Georgetown’s players to many long rebounds, especially on the offensive end. Even if UConn’s rebounding prowess did not lead to many second-chance points (nine), it allowed them to control the tempo and get great fastbreak opportunities. The guards got in on the action as well as the bigs, earning 21 boards. The team’s rebounding numbers reflected their hustle and aggressiveness throughout the game. UConn will need to continue to control the boards to go undefeated the rest of the regular season.

UConn has their best defensive performance in a long time

Georgetown is not a great offensive team, far from it. However, the Hoyas entered the game playing much better defense than early in the season. They scored 78 and 81 points in their wins against Butler and Seton Hall, and had put up more then 70 in four of their five previous games. UConn quickly ended the team’s offensive resurgence. The defense did an excellent job of challenging 3-point shots and altering ones around the rin, and frequently got back on defense even after committing turnovers. By doing so and then avoiding silly fouls in the second half, the Huskies eventually wore down Georgetown. While they struggled to stop Wahab, they did an excellent job on the team’s other top players. Jhavon Blair shot just 1-5 from three and finished with just nine points, and Jhamorko Pickett went just 3-12 from the field. The Hoyas missed a lot of open shots, but UConn still deserves praise for its defensive effort.

Sanogo and Whaley return to owning the paint

At times this season, Sanogo and Whaley have been a very effective duo. In the three games leading up to the matchup with Georgetown, however, they each had played very inconsistently. When UConn needed them to step up against Georgetown, they met the challenge.

Sanogo had not played up to the level they established in late January and early February in the aftorementioned games, scoring a combined 14 points and averaging four rebounds while dealing with foul trouble. Against the Hoyas, UConn fed him the ball more and Sanogo took advantage, working around multiple defenders on his way to eight points on 4-7 shooting. The freshman did an excellent job on the boards in 21 minutes, grabbing three offensive boards and seven in total. He was able to anticipate rebound opportunities well and consistently beat Georgetown players to balls. Sanogo also earned two blocks, and did a better job of avoiding foul trouble than normal, picking up just three. If Sanogo is able to stay on the floor, he is capable of having strong games against the remaining schedule. Sanogo played well in the Huskies first game against Seton Hall.

Whaley was still blocking shots at a great rate before Tuesday’s game, but the senior had only scored five or more points against one opponent (Xavier) and recently had not had big rebounding games outside of the win against the Musketeers. Like Sanogo, Whaley had also struggled with foul trouble. Against Georgetown, he was extremely effective on both ends of the floor. Whaley was outstanding on the offensive boards, recording six, and had seven total. While he missed multiple putbacks, Whaley still finished with stevn points on 3-6 shooting. He also finished with two blocks, and helped alter many shots. Whaley was all over the place and played with a ton of energy every moment he was on the floor, and it was clear his teammates were feeding of of this. If Whaley continues to play with that some level of passion, he will have a big impact on the team even if he doesn’t score a ton of points.

Observations on win against Providence: James BOUKNIGHT!, defense shuts down Friars, and depth is on display

Well that was fun, wasn’t it?

UConn has been waiting for baited breath for James Bouknight to come back for nearly two weeks know, with that urgency going into overdrive after the team’s first loss to Providence last week. With last Saturday’s win against Xavier however, the Huskies showed that they could beat a strong opponent without their star. They carried that momentum over to Tuesday night, and played a more complete game with Bouknight back, not looking like he missed a day at all.

UConn defeated Providence 73-61 to improve to 10-5 (7-5 Big East).In just 24 minutes, Bouknight scored 24 points against the Friar defenders, who looked helpless to stop him. The Huskies led for nearly the entire game and by double dights for most of the second half.

The first half was the Bouknight and Tyrese Martin show, as the pair combined for 28 of the team’s 37 points. After not scoring in the first 3:06, UConn went on an 11-0 run to go up by seven. The final basket in this run was a Martin layup off a pass from Bouknight, who had just come in the game moments before. Both teams started off strong on offense, with the Huskies mainly scoring on laups and off turnovers and Providence on 3-pointers. A three by A.J. Reeves tied the game at 19 with 9:51 to go.

After the Friars tied the score, Bouknight gave UConn the lead for good on a 3-point play. This was talready he sophomore’s fourth basket, with the first being a spectacular dunk off an offensive rebound. Bouknight displayed great athleticism and shot-making ability from the moment he stepped on the court. He made multiple difficult layups, passed the ball well and played solid defense.

After their hot start, Providence cooled off and the Huskies defense executed much better. They forced key turnovers and consistently challenged shots at the rim, with Whaley, Bouknight and Jackson (defending star David Duke) in particular stepping up. The Friars hit just three field goals in the last six minutes. UConn did an excellent job rebounding on both ends throughout the first half, setting a tone that would last the whole game.

In the second half, other players carried the load, as Bouknight and Martin scored “only” eight combined points. With Sanogo fighting foul trouble, Josh Carlton stepped up and scored seven points. Tyler Polley hit two 3-pointers as well as a jumper, scoring nine points. Bouknight continued to impress on both ends before sitting out the last few minutes due to a cramp. Following a dunk by Whaley off a pass by Cole 4:48 into the half, UConn led by double digits the rest of the way and pushed their lead to 18 multiple times. The defense continued to play well, limiting Providence to very few 3-point opportunities and holding them scoreless for long stretches. The Friars did not break the 50-point mark until there was just over seven minutes left.

After the Huskies coming-out party on offense against Xavier, they were even more efficient against Providence with Bouknight in the fold. UConn shot 46.8% overall (the team’s highest percentage since its second win against Butler) and 5-12 from three. Bouknight was 7-13 from the field and 4-5 at the line and added two steals, while Martin shot 8-16 to finish with 18 points and seven rebounds, four offensive. Cole struggled to make shots late in the game, but still finished with 13 points and five assists. Carlton had seven points and rebounds (four offensive) and two blocks, and Whaley grabbed six rebounds and added three blocks. The Huskies outrebounded Providence 42-32 and had 12 assists.

The Friars shot just 36.2% from the field and made only four threes, and had 11 turnovers to nine assists. Duke finished with 11 points but shot just 3-16 from the field, and a week after scoring 20 points against UConn, Nate Watson was held to six points. The only Providence player who had a strong offensive game was Alyn Breed, who scored 14 points on 5-11 shooting.

The Huskies had an extremely encouraging night all around against Providence. The excitement and offensive firepower Bouknight brought was awesome, and UConn’s defense had its best performance in a while. It is going into Saturday’s game at Villanova with a lot of momentum, and its setting up to be one of the best Big East matchups of the season.

Here are my game observations for the encouraging win against Providence:

James Bouknight is good, you guys:

While I believed that Bouknight could have a good performance and provide UConn the necessary energy to earn a decisive win, he frankly exceded my expectations. Bouknight was extremely efficient on offense, not displaying any rustiness with his shot. He demonstrated a ton of confidence and did not hesitate from going inside or taking difficult shots despite the injury. Bouknight also passed and rebounded the ball well, grabbing four. I was also really impressed with his tenacious defense which resulted in two steals. Bouknight has improved on that end throughout the season.

With Bouknight back, UConn will be a much better offensive team, and improve on defense as well. Bouknight is not only capable of scoring roughly 20 points per game, his average for the season. He will open up the offense and provide better scoring opportunities to his fellow guards as as Martin and Polley, who can get higher-quality looks from three, and allow the Huskies to play in the uptempo style that has been successful the last two games. Bouknight needs to build up his stamina, but he makes the team capable of beating anyone. It’s nice to have a full-blown star again.

UConn’s defense and rebounding has become its greatest strength again

The Huskies were an excellent defensive team in the first half of the season, allowing only two opponents (Central Connecticut and Creighton) to score over 70 points in a game. However, they had a mid-season swoon, allowing 70 or more points as they lost four of five). At the same time, UConn rebounded less effectively, and has lost or tied the rebounding margin in four of the five losses. Against Xavier and Providence however, the team reestablished its superiority in these areas.

In the last two games, the Huskies have executed very well on defense. They made it difficult to score in the paint and in traffic, and have switched and hedged more efficiently then they were doing in the losses. Playing at a faster pace also made Xavier and Providence susceptible to turnovers. Whaley has been outstanding and blocked eight shots, and Carlton and Amada Sanogo have both defended well at times. Meanwhile, Martin and Cole continue to be mostly reliable on that end, while Jackson has shown a ton of growth as a defender with each game. Add Bouknight and Akok Akok to the mix, and the defense can shut down anyone.

UConn outrebounded Xavier by four and Providence by 10, and it hasn’t just been the bigs who have been grabbing boards. Six Huskies grabbed four or more rebounds against Providence, and that gang rebounding mentality can allow the team to tire out and overwhem opponents, especially on the offensive end. Uconn is now sixth in the country in offensive rebounding rate according to KenPom (36.8), and are second in the Big East in offensive rebounds per game and fifth in total rebounds. If it can use its size and athleticism to continue maintaining their rebounding advantage against the remaining regular season opponents (particularly Villanova and Setion Hall, which both have excellent offenses), then the Huskies offense should be effective enough to win all these games.

Huskies get contributions from everywhere for the second straight game

I have already exposed on the impressive depth UConn showed in Tuesday’s game, but I wanted to focus on it more here. At guard, the team had the theatrics of Bouknight as well as the steady play of Cole and key plays on both ends by Jackson. Cole looks more comfortable running an uptempo offense and has passed the ball well recently. While he is still an inconsistent shooter, the redshirt junior has demonstrated a better ability to finish at the rim the last few games and knock down pull-ups. Cole has averaged just over 14 points in the last eight games and scored in double figures in each contest, and he’ll get more open shots with Bouknight back. Jackson still needs to be more consistent on defense and avoid foul trouble (he had four in 21 minutes against the Friars), but he again provied himself a solid rebounder and excellent passer, and his athleticism and speed makes him a perfect compliment to Bouknight. If Gaffney can be even slightly more consistent, then UConn can have one of the best backcourts in the Big East going forward.

At the forward spots, Martin and Polley both have played well the last two games. Martin has scored 33 points in the last two games and proven himself to be UConn’s second-best player over the last few weeks. The junior transfer can score inside as well as shoot over the defense, and still contribute on the boards and on the defensive end even when he’s not shooting well. I expect him to keep up the strong play. Polley seems to have found his shooting stroke the last two games, and its been nice to see him not just focus on shooting threes. With Bouknight back, he should get even more open looks.

Whaley has played excellent defense the last two games both as a power forward and at center, and he demonstrated against Xavier what he is capable of on offense as well. I discuss Carlton’s performance more below, and I am sure Sanogo will continue to show growth in some of the remaining games. If Akok can consistently get on the floor, the Huskies frontcourt will be a force to be reckoned with on both ends.

Josh Carlton reminds fan of his skills

With the emergence of Sanogo, Carlton has received little playing time recently. Akok may take away from his opportunities to get on the floor as well. Nevertheless, the senior center demonstrated he can still be a valuable piece of the bench. Carlton did a great job of beating out Providence players for reobunds and flashed his ability to score in the low post, even adding a few foul shots for good measure. Add the blocks, and Carlton showed he can be a force in short bursts when he matches up well against fellow bigs. If Carlton continues utilizing his skills well and play with energy off the bench, he can make the Huskies better on both ends and help the team out when teammates are in foul trouble.

Game observations on Providence loss: UConn looks disjointed, offense goes cold, and Sanogo continues hot streak

UConn entered Wednesday’s game at rival Providence desperately needing a win to keep their NCAA tournament hopes on track after a tough loss to Seton Hall. Their need to win only increased more when it was announced just before the game that James Bouknight would not play. Providence was similarily in a must-win mode after having lost four of five to fall to 9-10 and 5-8 in the Big East. The game would come down to who showed more toughness and efficiency.

UConn did not rise up to the challenge. Instead, they seemed to lack energy for all 40 minutes and performed poorly on both ends, especially in the second half. Meanwhile, Providence executed well and controlled the pace, getting contributions from throughout the roster. This resulted in a 70-59 loss, the Huskies (8-5,5-5 in Big East) fourth in five games.

While the absence of Bouknight and uncertainty over his return is obviously taking a toll, it cannot be used as an excuse, especially when the Friars were also missing top players due to injury issues. It’s time for the UConn players as well as Dan Hurley to not make excuses and play better as a team. As of Friday afternoon, they are currently sixth in the Big East and off the bubble for the tournament.

After leading by one at halftime, UConn and Providence briefly traded baskets to open the second half before the Friars star point guard David Duke made a layup to give them a 40-38 2:45 in. This kicked off a 17-6 Providence run that put it up 55-44 with 9:49 remaining. During this, the Friars pushed the tempo and got multiple easy layups, with the Husky defenders either beaten off the drible or out of position. Providence also regularly got fouled going to the rim, as UConn kept being called for touch fouls. Nate Wilson and Noah Horchler scored six and five points, respectively during the run. Meanwhile, the UConn point guards struggled to bring the ball up against the Providence press and generally wasted a lot of time just throwing the ball from side to side, leaving players having to rush shots in the final seconds of the clock. The Huskies went cold even on open shots, missing five three-pointers.

After falling behind by 11, UConn finally got ont rack for a short time. It went on an 11-3 run, which was ignited by tighter defense by UConn (it had both three steals and blocks during this stretch), quicker and easier shots, and offensive rebounding, as well as missed free throws by the Friars. Whaley and Sanogo each had dunks during the run. However, Polley again missed a 3-pointer when he had an opportunity to tie the game at 58 with 3:15 remaining, and Providence closed it out from there, hitting eight free throws in the final three minutes to win by 11.

Sanogo had one of his best all-around games despite foul trouble, scoring nine points and grabbing eight rebounds while making five blocks. Cole led the Huskies with 14 points on 5-12 shooting and earned six assists, but had five turnovers. He again slowed down in the second half, scoring just five points. Martin had 13 points and nine rebounds. Whaley again struggled, scoring just four points in 29 minutes before fouling out, and Jalen Gaffney had a disappointing game after earning the start at point guard, recording four points and an assist in just 16 minutes due to foul trouble. Tyler Polley had his worst shooting game of the year, going 2-12 overall and 1-8 on 3-pointers despite a number of open looks. Wilson and Duke led the way for Providence, as the former had 17 points on 6-8 shooting and six rebounds, and the latter 17 points, six assists and three steals. Horchler had nine points and 10 rebounds, and A.J. Reeves had 10 points and six assists.

As a team, UConn shot just 36.5% in the second half and 40% for the game. Polley was not the only player who struggled from behind the arc, as the team went 4-20. The Huskies were beat in nearly every statistical category. Providence controlled the boards, grabbing 39 to UConn’s 34, and the Friars lohad 14 assists to UConn’s nine. Providence also had a big advantage at the foul line, making 18 free throws to UConn’s five. The lone bright spot was in blocks, as the Huskies had eight.

Any way you look at it, this was a very disappointing game and probably the most frustrating loss UConn and its fans had had in some time. The team seemingly lacks confidence right now and isn’t playing well in any facet of the game, and Hurley doesn’t seem to necessarily have answers. The whole James Bouknight saga and the question of if and when he will return had seemingly cast a cloud over the program. I don’t know what the answers to these problems are, but suffice to say Saturday’s matchup with Xavier is a must-win game.

Here are my observations on the loss to Providence and UConn’s play:

The Huskies offense never gets going

This applies to every element of the game, but especially on the offensive end. Providence head coach Ed Cooley was very smart to play the press knowing that UConn generally doesn’t run and play uptempo, and the offense played right into Providence’s hands. The Huskies rarely tried to run and quickly break the press, typically taking nearly 10 seconds to get the ball within 20 feet of the basket. After that, it seemed like it generally took at least 10 seconds for a shot to be taken, and many of this were covered or came lot in the shot clock. Even with UConn struggling from the outside, the players did not try and feed the post or drive and either shoot it or get to the foul line nearly enough. Both when the team went cold in the middle of the second half or tried to come back late, the Huskies did not try to play more quickly or run unique offensive sets to generate points and momentum.

After the game, Hurley clearly expressed his frustration with the pace of play and the offense not being more agressive. That’s all well and good to hear, but what changes are he and the players going to make to get the offense playing more efficiently. I understand Hurley’s desire to try and play more slowly without Bouknight so that it keeps scores lower and makes it more likely UConn can win games, but that is currently not working, and the defense isn’t playing well enough to hold opponents in the 50s or low 60s anyway. What’s the arm in running different offensive sets that catch opponents off guard, or playing more uptempo and try to generate easier baskets and opponent turnovers. The Huskies need to worry less about Bouknight coming into save the offense and instead get the offense to work even without him.

UConn lacks energy and focus

While the offense was certaintly the biggest issue against Providence, the defense didn’t execute well either. Players were regularly unable to close out on shooters in time, especially on 3-point shots. While the big men protected the rim well and got some key blocks, the guards were beaten off the dribble at key times, especially in the second half. It seemed like the defenders did a poor job communicating with one another, especially in plays such as the pick and roll. While some guys already struggling on defense (like Polley) continued to have tough days, others like Martin did not perform up to their standard. UConn’s defense has been on a slide for a while now, as it has allowed at least 70 points to four of their last five opponents, the exception being the Butler win on Jan. 26th. In the adjusted efficiency ratings on kenpom.com, the Huskies are now 45th in the country at 94.3 points, which is more than 20 points higher than two weeks ago.

The lack of energy is also being reflected in UConn’s rebounding numbers. It has not won the rebounding battle in the last three losses, and had fewer offensive rebounds against both Seton Hall and Providence, despite that being the Huskies biggest strength. While they still have excellent offensive rebounding numbers (third in Big East play with 11.9 per game and sixth in the country in KenPom in averaging offensive rebounds on 15.3% of misses), UConn is 10th in Big East play in defensive rebounding with 23.3 per game, and its average of 35.2 per game is now sixth out of 11 teams. Against the Friars, the Huskies lost the rebounding batte 28-23, and its 10 offensive rebounds were two fewer than Providence’s. They were again beaten to long rebounds and loose balls and allowed costly second chances, while being one-and-done when shooting. Whether that’s a matter of UConn players not giving enough effort or more likely just misjudging rebound opportunities and being outworked, the Huskies need to reestablish their rebounding as a huge strength to be successful.

Finally, the UConn players and Hurley aren’t demonstrating enthusiasm and excitement when playing. Watching the bench against Providence, you did not see the players cheering on one another and celebrating big plays, and Hurley definitely looked displeased a lot. Hopefully against Xavier, the team will make a conscious choice to come out with as much energy as possible and maintain an air of positivity, one that can help lead to a win.

Sanogo and Andre Jackson are again huge bright spots

While fans were definitely frustrated with the play of UConn’s older players, Sanogo and Jackson each had very strong afternoons. Sanogo did an excellent job on the boards and made some tough shots, again demonstrating strong footwork. He also continues to improve on defense by altering and blocking shots more effectively and bodying up on defenders, although he still needs to improve on keeping his hands up and avoiding costly touch fouls. The growth that Sanogo has shown as a player over just a few weeks is amazing, and I am sure he will continue to improve the rest of the season.

Jackson has displayed exciting offensive abilities and athleticism since returning against Seton Hall. He had six points, four rebounds and two assists against Providence in 28 minutes. Jackson made a number of highlight-reel plays, including another memorable dunk and a few difficult passes. He is an inconsistent shooter and still pretty raw on defense, but I think Jackson is arguably the most athletic UConn player besides Bouknight and will be essential to any success the team has the remainder of this season.

The James Bouknight Experience

After it was announced Bouknight was not playing, Hurley said in the post-game interviews that an outside surgeon had operated on Bouknight to take out his bone spurs, and that he wasn’t close to returning. Suffice to say, it was frustrating to hear Hurley only reveal this information about the surgeon now, and have his statement contradict the previous ones that Bouknight would be a game-time decision for each game before his return. Now we cannot know when exactly Bouknight will get clearance to play this season if at all (I would guess it will beanother week at the earliest), and have to speculate on how the question of when Bouknight returns is affecting his teammates. I have to imagine that they are frustrated about how to approach games and prepare with his status up in the air, and that their struggles without him are only eroding confidence. Hurley needs to help his team cultivate the idea that the rest of the season is their oppurtunity to prove how good they can be without Bouknight, and that this will result in UConn elevating its play and beating tough opponents. That way, it will again be prepared to again be one of the best teams in the Big East when Bouknight returns.

Game observations on Seton Hall Loss: Defense can’t stop the Pirates, seniors continue to struggle, and Gaffney and Jackson makes a splash

UConn came into Saturday’s game against Seton Hall slightly favored and looking to make a statement win after an 11-day layoff. Instead, the Huskies came out flat and struggled mightilly on both ends, going on to lose 80-73, the team’s third in four games.

UConn (8-4, 5-4 in Big East) couldn’t contain the Pirates (11-8, 8-5) on offense for much on the of the first half and struggled shooting the ball, eventually falling behind 36-18 with 4:02 remaining in the first half. UConn righted the ship in the final minutes of the half, going on an 11-2 run to cut the deficit to 38-29 going into the locker room. The offense stayed hot at the start of the second half, opening it with a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to two at 38-36. Seton Hall didn’t flinch however, making a few impressive baskets to go back up by 10 with 14:11 remaining. From there, the Huskies cut the deficit to four at a few points, but the Pirates offense continued to be overwhelming and UConn could not keep up.

Sandro Mamukelashvili led the way for Seton Hall, recording 22 points and seven rebounds. The senior got to the foul line 12 times, making 10 shots. The Pirates offense was very balanced, with Myles Cale (2o points and 3-6 on 3-pointers) Jared Rhoden (12 points on 4-9 shooting) finishing in double figures. Seton Hall shot 50 percent overall and went 9-18 from beyond the arc and 27-31 from the line.

Jalen Gaffney had his best offensive game of the season for UConn, scoring 20 points on 5-11 shooting and going 8-9 from the line, and freshman guard Andre Jackson was exciting to watch in his first game back from injury, scoring seven points and grabbing four rebounds in 20 minutes. R.J. Cole and Adama Sanogo both scored 12 points, and Tyrese Martin had 10 and six rebounds. As a team, the Huskies shot 47.9% overall but went 6-19 from three. They struggled on the boards, as Seton Hall outrebounded UConn 28-23.

The Huskies got great news before the game, as it was announced that James Bouknight will likely be back for the next game against Providence on Wednesday (he is officially a game-time decision), and coupled with the skill Jackson showed on Saturday, UConn should definitely be more dynamic on offense and likely defense going forward. With the loss, however, the team is now firmly on the bubble to make the NCCA tournament, and needs to get back on track immediately.

Below are my observations on the loss to Seton Hall and the team’s performance:

UConn’s defense was helpless to stop Seton Hall for much of the game

Before I jump on the Huskies defense, I will give the Pirates players a ton of credit. Their offense played out of its mind for much of the game, collectively shooting 50%/50%/87% overall, on 3-pointers, and from the line. Seton Hall made a ton of challenging shots and their players consistently passed the ball well, with UConn defenders frequently out of position as a result. The Pirates mixed up their playing style, dominating the perimeter in the first half and then attacking the basket and consistently drawing fouls in the game’s final minutes.

Now to UConn’s defensive performance: It was extremely poor and definitely the worst the Huskies have had this season. They looked a step slow from start to finish and could not handle the Pirates size and strength inside and quality ball movement. UConn chose to double players too much and were burned for it, as it lead to open shots on the perimeter and good looks at the rim. Whenever Seton Hall drove the ball. especially in the second half, it seemed to either get an easy basket or fouled, leading to two points. My hope was that the Huskies big men would be able to keep Seton Hall off the boards and limit their scoring opportunities, but instead UConn was outrebounded and none of the bigs had a particularly effective game defensively. What was particularly frustrating was seeing Seton Hall’s players regularly beat UConn’s to loose balls and get key second-change scoring opportunities.

While the Seton Hall loss was an abberation to some extent (teams almost never shoot that well throughout a game), UConn’s defensive performance in general has lagged over the last few games. In the losses, the opponents shot above or just under 50%, and made more than half of their 2-pointers. While multiple defenders are still playing well the team defense as a whole has slipped. Combined with the Huskies facing tougher opponents and not rebounding as a well, this could help make almost every game a tossup. I think the return of Bouknight can help the defense be more efficient, but the lineups may have to be juggled if the defense continues to be inconsistent. I’m knowledgeable enough to say what the best combinations could be at this time.

UConn’s most experienced players continue to not play well

The quartet of Isiah Whaley, Tyler Polley, Josh Carlton and Brendan Adams have beeen integral members of the Huskies for three seasons now, and have each played well at times this season, especially Whaley and Polley. Over the last four games however,this group has heavily struggled, especially on the offensive end.

Whaley, who played 30 or more minutes in each of these games, has averaged 6.8 points on just 35.7% shooting in the stretch, and had just seven rebounds over the last two games. He does continue to protect the rim well, as he’s averaged four blocks. Whaley had probably his worst performance of the season on Saturday, recording just two points and two rebounds in 30 minutes. He continues to miss shots around the rim, and struggled on defense at times against Seton Hall (Hurley’s insistence on having the bigs defend players at the top of the key does not help, as it draws them away from defending the paint). He also struggled to beat the Pirates bigs to rebounds on Sunday and did not seem to consistently play with a high energy, something that has been a problem at times this season for Whaley. After how he ended the season last year and the high expectations coming in, it’s clear that Whaley has been a slight disappointment up to this point. 8.3 points and 6.2 rebounds in roughly 29 minutes a game isn’t going to cut it, even with the 2.9 blocks.

Polley has completely disappeared on offense the last four games, averaging just five points on 29.2% shooting, including 4-17 on 3-pointers. Polley has also not been to the free throw line in the last three games. Against Seton Hall, Polley scored five points in 16 minutes and went 1-3 from behind the arc. It’s hard to blame Polley too much for his recent struggles shooting from three. Without Bouknight there to help stretch the floor and open up the offense, defenders can constantly faceguard Polley and make sure he almost never gets open looks. The return of Bouknight should help Polley immensely, as would UConn running more off the ball screens to get him open from three.

That being said, Polley is not scoring from inside the arc or getting to the line at all, and he continues to contribute almost nothing on the boards or with generating scoring opportunities for teammates. Coupled with his poor defense, Polley is contributing very little to the Huskies right now. I think he can get back on track on offense and have a few more games where he shoots great (Polley is still shooting 38.5% on threes), but Polley needs to find someway to improve on defense, or he’s not going to get many minutes no matter what.

Meanwhile, I feel bad for Josh Carlton. He has not had either double-digit points or rebounds since the start of January, nor played over 15 minutes in a game. In the last four contests, Carlton has gone scoreless twice (against St. John’s and Seton Hall) and recorded a combined eight points and 12 rebounds. He played just five minutes against Seton Hall, and is now averaging 3.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in just 13.3 minutes. Carlton has struggled to score and avoid foul trouble, and it’s clear that with the emergence of Sanogo and return of Bouknight and Jackson that he will be at the end of the bench.

Finally, Brendan Adams has stepped up with Bouknight out and given UConn valuable efforts and minutes. However, it is clear that he has been carrying too much of a load and its been cataching up with him. Adams has averaged just five points (he had five against Seton Hall) over the last four games while shooting 5-21. He got off too a terrible start against Seton Hall and lost minutes to Jackson, eventually playing just 16 minutes, his second lowest total of the season. Adams also had just one assist, the first time he has not had multiple assists in a game since December 30th. Adams should play a lot less with Bouknight and Jackson out, and can return to his well-suited role of a backup who can provide good ball handling and solid defense.

The three seniors and Adams may not be as athletic or versatile as as UConn’s yonger players or first-year transfers, but they must play at a higher level nonetheless. The Huskies need the group and especially Whaley and Polley to play more consistently and at a higher level of intensity to ensure an NCAA tournament bid. This is the group’s moment. Now they need to step up as leaders and earn it.

Jalen Gaffney comes alive on offense

Gaffney had shown some flashes in the previous two games, scoring a combined 12 points and shooting 4-7 from three against Creighton and Butler while adding five assists. I certainly wasn’t expecting Gaffney to have a huge game against Seton Hall, but he proved me wrong. The sophomore scored a career-high 20 points while shooting 5-11 overall and going 8-9 at the line, and added two assists and steals. Gaffney showed a ton of confidence, and made multiple challenging shots. He was able to consistently drive to the rim and find a way to score, and helped make sure UConn stayed in the game in the second half.

This game was a great snapshot of how dynamic Gaffney can be when he goes at opponents. He likely saw that no teammates were stepping up and instead of shying away, took the reins of the offense. Gaffney is quicker and then Cole and Adams and needs to take advantage of these abilities. It was awesome to see Gaffney play with no hesitation, and it needs to continue even with Bouknight back. Gaffney definitely had a long way to go to be a strong defender, but he has earned more minutes. Hopefully he keeps playing up to his potential the rest of the season.

Andre Jackson makes an immediate impact

Myself and others didn’t know what UConn would get from Jackson against Seton Hall in his first game since Dec. 20th after the freshman broke his left wrist. The answer was energy, athleticism and confidence. Jackson made his presence felt once he got going late in the first half, grabbing a few key rebounds and scoring four quick points. Two of these were a one-handed putback dunk, one of the most memorable baskets of the season so far. Along with Gaffney, Jackson helped the Huskies finally get on track and cut into the Pirates big lead so that they trailed by only single digits at halftime. Jackson missed a few rotations on defense, but his length also bothered Seton Hall ball handlers. He hit a 3-pointer in the second half and ultimatelly finished with seven points, four rebounds and a steal in 20 minutes of play.

In his previous four games this season, Jackson had frequently looked unconfident. That wasn’t a problem for one second against Seton Hall. Jackson was involved on every play on both ends, and his passing and rebounding helped lift his teammates to play better. Jackson still visibly lacks discipline on defense, and he will be inconsistent on offense like any other freshman. If Jackson continues to work hard in practice and play all-out in games though, I am confident that he will give UConn at least a few high-impact plays every contest.

UConn starts a new chapter on Wednesday against Providence

Having Bouknight back is going to make UConn waay, way better. As long as their star doesn’t have any more health issues, he can help the team be more efficient on both ends of the court. Players like Polley and Cole can have some pressure taken off of them and could flourish by having better opportunities to use their skill set (like Polley shooting from three), and Sanogo and Jackson will benefit from the scoring opportunities Bouknight generates for them. His return will make it much harder for opposing teams to game plan for facing the Huskies, and I am very confident UConn will win most of its remaining games and make the NCAA tournament.

That being said, the UConn players and Hurley need to recognize that having James Bouknight won’t automatically solve all their issues. The Huskies need to focus on pushing one another and getting better in all phases of the game. They cannot start games lackadasical or bring poor effort against any opponent, especially considering how deep of a league the Big East is. In particular, the seniors need to push themselves to take on leadership roles and make the most out of their final seasons. It is going to be fun to see what happens down the stretch.

Observations on win against Butler: UConn shows its depth, the defense steps up, and the Huskies get a decisive win

After two tough losses to St. John’s and Creighton, UConn was in serious need of a bounce-back win against a hot Butler squad at home Tuesday night. It came out strong from the opening tip and played efficiently on both sides of the ball, winning 63-51.

In the first half, the key to the Huskies (8-3, 5-3 Big East) success on the offensive end was the 3-pointer. After they took a 12-10 lead 8:53 into the game, the team hit six consecutive 3-pointers over roughly the next eight minutes, ultimately taking a 34-20 advantage. UConn would maintain a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game. During this run, the struggling Tyler Polley and Jalen Gaffney each hit two treys. The Huskies ultimately shot 6-9 from the outside in the half on their way to a 38-24 lead.

UConn was largely successful from behind the arc in the opening 20 minutes due to quality ball movement and players moving well without the ball. They were able to find open space and get set before shooting, which was a challenge in the losses. Polley especially benefited from teammates getting him the ball when open after constantly being defended tightly against St. John’s and Creighton. The Huskies , who started the game pushing the ball more than normal, also did an effective job of passing the ball into the post and setting screens to get open baskets at the rim in the first half, with Tyrese Martin and Isiah Whaley being the main beneficieres. UConn would shoot 62.1% in the half, with Martin and Polley leading the way with 9 and 8 points and the bench outscoring the Bulldogs (5-8, 4-6)) 14-7.

The Huskies defense, which had been inconsistent in the losses, was even better than the offense in the first half. It limited Butler to 29.6% and 1-11 on layups, and recorded both five steals and blocks. UConn did an excellent job of defending at the rim and providing help when necessary as well as avoiding fouls, and rarely allowed Bulldogs players quality open looks.

In the second half, the Huskies continued to play strong defense throughout even as they cooled off offensively. They were able to maintain a comfortable lead and squash any possible runs. After a few jumpers helped the Bulldogs go on a 8-2 run and cut UConn’s lead to 49-39 with just over nine minutes left, it put its foot down and went on an 11-2 spurt to take a 19-point lead with 5:54 remaining. Martin and R.J. Cole each made multiple impressive shots during the run. The Huskies defense continued to shut down the paint, and only Bryce Golden was able to shoot well from the perimeter for Butler.

UConn’s shooting percentage was both 50% from the field and 3-point line. Meanwhile, it allowed its fewest points of the season and limited the Bulldogs to 34.5% shooting and 7-21 from three. Golden shot 5-7 from three and scored 19, but his fellow starters scored 24 combined points on 11-38 shooting. The Huskies finished with nine blocks and six steals, and jumped up to 24th in KenPom’s defensive efficiency rankings.

Martin was outstanding from the field after struggling the previous two games, shooting 7-9 on his way to 20 pooints. The junior was able to make a wide array of shots, such as floaters and layups, which he has struggled to finish. Martin also again flashed his 3-point shooting ability, making 2-3. He has scored in double figures in five straight games. Cole handled and shot the ball well, scoring 11 on 4-7 shooting to go along with five assists. Polley and Sanogo each had eight points, and Whaley smacked seven blocks. UConn distributed 14 assists.

Tuesday night’s win was just the game UConn needed. The team played arguably its most well-rounded and consistent game of the season, and showed a ton of confidence against an opponent that is playing well. The win again showed that the Huskies are capable of beating anyone even with James Bouknight out. With the games that were originally scheduled to follow postponed (Villanova and St. John’s), UConn will get a lot of time to prepare for a tough matchup against Seton Hall on Feb. 6th, with Andre Jackson and Bouknight possibly playing.

Here are my five observations on the win against Butler:

The Huskies get impressive efforts across the board

Dan Hurley and UConn fans have stressed the importance of finding one or two primary scorers with Bouknight out. While that has not necessarily happened yet, most of the Huskies stepped up on at least one end against Butler. Martin had his best shooting game of the season and scored in double figures for the fifth consecutive game. Cole continued to play well on both ends of the floor and did not force shots while moving the ball well, and scored in double figures for the third straight game and recorded five assists for the fourth consecutive game. Gaffney built on his solid performance against Creighton, recording six points and three assists in 27 minutes. Pollley showed a better touch on 3-pointers and improved his rebounding. In the paint, Whaley had a monster defensive performance with his carrer-high seven assists, showing improved energy and his ability to guard all five positions. Finally, Sanogo (who again showed off good low-post moves) and Josh Carlton combined for 10 points and 12 rebounds in 30 minutes.

Without Bouknight, UConn has a very small margin of error, even against marginal opponents like the Bulldogs. Multiple players will have to step up on both ends of the floor until he comes back, and Tuesday’s win displayed how impressive the Huskies can be when they play as a team.

Martin steps up as a team leader

While Martin still needs to be a little more consistent on offense, he is continuing to establish himself as UConn’s top offensive player right now. Martin is averaging just under 16 points and six rebounds per game in the last five contests amd shooting roughly 48% from the field. On the season, Martin is now averaging 11.9 and 7.2 rebounds on the season while shooting 47.8%.

Tuesday was the guard’s best shooting game of the season (7-9) and stands with the first DePaul game as his best offensive performance. Martin demonstrated that he is capable of finishing at the rim when concentrating, and that he can finish tough floaters over defenders and stretch the floor by hitting dribble pull-up 3-pointers. Martin’s defining play came in the final seconds of the first haf when he did a cross-over and hit a floater over defender Jair Bolden as time expired. Few players do not have the smarts and shot-making ability to make that play, and UConn is lucky Martin has that gift. He is already defining himself as one of the best transfers the Huskies have ever had.

UConn returns to playing high-quality defense

Against Creighton and especially St. John’s, the defense had disappointing efforts. The Red Storm shot 49% and the Bluejays 51% overall, and Creighton shot 18-27 on 2-pointers. Both squads also killed the Huskies in the second half, scoring over 40 points. The defense especially struggled to stop these squads at the rim and on screens, constantly allowing open layups.

UConn’s defense was much better in all aspects of the game against Butler. Both the man-to-man defense and especially the help D was excellent, with players revolving over to help teammates stop drives and constantly contest shots. Sanogo continued to show improved defense, and Whaley, who was called out by Hurley to play with more energy, met his coach’s demands. He continued to display his ability to guard all five positions on his way to the seven blocks, as well as his remarkable ability to hedge. Whalley is now averaging 2.8 blocks per game, and is a prime contendor for Big East Defensive Player of the Year. The Huskies reminded opponents that they can shot down any and all opponents and star scorers.

Cole and Gaffney played well as a tandem at point guard

While Cole has consistently improved in recent games, Gaffney was struggling mightily and losing minutes. That’s why it was so rewarding to see both play efficiently. Cole (29 minutes) and Gaffney (27) combined for 17 points on 6-18 shooting and eight assists against four turnovers. Each handled the ball well and consistently found open teammates, and avoided taking reckless shots. They each also pushed the tempo more than in recent contests, putting the Bulldogs on their heels. It was especially rewarding to see Gaffney play efficiently, and if he continue to play smart while being more agressive, he can take pressure off Brendan Adams and help UConn be a more complete team.

UConn makes sure to keep the pressure on

Over the last few years, the Huskies have made a habit of allowing teams to get back into games after taking comfortable leads, and losing some of these contests as a result. Even more than in the AAC, this is a huge handicap when facing the heavy competition the Big East offers. That was why it was so rewarding to see UConn take a double-digit lead and then maintain it throughout, while quickly responding to any run by the Bulldogs. It was a good example of maturity and confidence, and hopefully it will continue when UConn gets similar leads against toughter competition this season.