Jordan Hawkins – HUSKY NATION

One Unforgettable Moment

Six seasons ago, myself and UConn Nation were despondent and had no clue if UConn could become a premier program again. The Huskies were adrift in the American Athletic Conference, and head coach Kevin Ollie seemed constantly disengaged from players and unable to to coach them effectively on either side of the ball, despite leading them to a title in 2014. After UConn finished consecutive losing seasons, the administration found a way to escape Ollie’s costly long-term contract and fire him for cause, despite the violations discovered being dubious.

Athletic Director David Benedict eventually tapped URI’s Dan Hurley to be the Huskies next head coach. While Hurley had a good track level at the mid-major level (two wins in the NCAA tourney) and a reputation as an excellent player’s coach, there was no guarantee he could succeed in the demanding environment of Storrs.

Cut to last Monday night in Houston, with the confetti falling down and UConn players and coaches as well as others celebrating the program’s fifth national championship after defeating San Diego State to win the title. It was a sight that I thought may never happen again after UConn fell apart in the second half of Ollie’s tenure, and the celebration almost moved me to tears.

While Hurley’s two previous tourney teams in Storrs were talented and very likable, this season’s squad was on another level. It had great depth, size and athleticism, which showed itself in different ways on each side of the ball.

On defense, the length and strength of Adama Sanogo and Donovan Clinigan allowed UConn to shut down the paint against most opponents, and the Huskies perimeter defenders were bigger and more effective than last season’s unit thanks to the additions of Naheim Alleyne and Hassan Diarra and improvement of Jordan Hawkins. And of course, Andre Jackson is one of the country’s best defenders at his best.

Offensively, Sanogo anchored one of the best frontcourts in the country, and UConn’s perimeter shooting, ball-handling and passing was consistently strong and elite at times. Hawkins lived up to his promise as one of the best pure shooters the program has ever seen, and Jackson continued to improve as a facilitator, and eventually as a scorer despite a limited skill set. UConn was one of the best rebounding teams in the country all season on both ends of the floor, and ranked second in offensive rebounding percentage at the end of the season.

Last year’s squad could be frustrating to watch offensively due to a lack of shooting and spacing in the front court, where Sanogo and Isiah Whaley could clog the paint. That was never a problem with this championship squad. It could score from anywhere on the floor while bullying opponents in the paint, drive to the rim effectively, and shared the bell as well as any team. (UConn’s rate of assist on made field goals was eighth in the country). At their best, this group of Huskies were extremely fun to watch and played with a sense of joy and toughness that was missing to some extent on Hurley’s earlier squads. It made nearly every game a must-watch event, which was a forgotten experience for myself and others.

As great as it was to UConn at their best in the regular season, it was just as rewarding seeing how it overcame the struggles of January to become a more well-rounded team, one that was again playing like on of the best in the nation by the end of the regular season. After losing six of eight in January, multiple players switched up their approaches on the offensive end and made both themselves and the team better as a result. Sanogo, Jackson and Hawkins especially stood out in this regard.

Sanogo, who was being constantly double-teamed, attacked the basket more directly instead of playing a traditional post-up game, and cut to the rim more for easy baskets and passes. Jackson, who was being goaded into shooting from outside and struggling mightily, got his confidence back on both ends by playing more in the “dunker’s spot” at the rim, which allowed him to score and rebound easily as well as make spectacular plays for others. Finally, Hawkins attacked the basket more for layups and free throw opportunities, while also benefiting from the improved spacing the offense had in February and March. At the same time the offense improved, UConn’s team defense got much more disciplined and focused, as the Huskies cut down on the unnecessary fouls and poor help D they played in January. Hurley’s ability to teach his players how to make these adjustments and his improved composure in games helped the UConn players compete with more confidence in games, and handle adversity when it cropped up. By the time the Huskies got to the latter stages of the NCAA tournament, they were able to always control games, ensuring there was no such adversity.

While it was easy to see UConn being capable of going on a Final Four run and maybe even winning the championship, never would I have imagined that it would dominate NCAA tournament opponents to that extent. They won the six games by an average of 20 points, and each win was by at least 13 points, including the 76-59 beatdown of San Diego State to win the title. The offense easily averaged over a point per possession (PPP) in each game while scoring 70 or more points, and held each t0 65 or fewer points and 0.95 or fewer PPP. Sanogo was the best player in the tournament, averaging over 17 points and a double-double, Hawkins averaged over 16 points and shot 50% from deep, and Tristen Newton was UConn’s best player in the championship game, scoring 19 points and earning 10 rebounds and 4 assists. Add all the intangibles Jackson brings and great performances by the bench throughout the tournament, and the perfect mixture for a championship is there.

Obviously, basketball fans who weren’t overly familiar with UConn fell in love with them as the team made its run. The team’s athleticism, shot-making and toughness jumped off the chart in each game, and it made a bunch of outstanding opponents look helpless at times. The basketball IQ and enthusiasm for the game every Husky displayed in March Madness was off the charts, as well as Hurley and the player’s composure in tight moments and ability to shack off poor plays. I know if I was a neutral fan, I would enjoy jumping on the UConn bandwagon. As nervous before and at points during each game, I was in ecstasy by the end of each win.

Now that UConn has five titles in 25 (technically 24) seasons under three different head coaches, everyone is debating over whether they qualify as a blue blood. I have always thought that title is meaningless in the grand scheme of things, especially considering how hard it is to define. All I know is that UConn wins championships when it goes deep in the tournament, and it is arguably the best men’s basketball program of the last 30 years, and that Storrs is the college basketball Capitol of the World. All I know is that this was arguably the most complete team top to bottom of any of the Huskies championship teams this century, and certainly my favorite to watch. And finally, I know that this championship has redeemed by belief that UConn can be a consistently elite program. Thank you, Dan Hurley and the 2023 championship UConn Huskies.

Starter Grades With a Month Left in the Regular Season

I wrote this article ranking the performance of the bench players on No. 21 UConn prior to the Marquette win last week, with an explanation of why I chose the grade. Now, I am publishing the article I wrote but did not publish last week assigning grades to the Huskies five main starters. I will provide updated grades/evaluations on the individual starters performance against Creighton shortly. This was a lot of work, but I enjoyed much of it. I look forward to seeing your feedback!

Jordan Hawkins: B+

Hawkins got a ton of press prior to the season for the improvement in his perimeter shooting and overall offensive game, and was named to the preseason All-Big East Second Team. It was evident that the sophomore would be UConn’s go-to scorer along with Sanogo if he played up to his potential. So far, Hawkins has mostly lived up to the hype offensively, and has been playing his best all-around basketball recently even if the team has been inconsistent overall. The season still has a long way to go, but Hawkins is making a case to be seen as one of the best shooters in UConn program history.

In 23 games (he missed three due to a concussion), Hawkins is averaging 16.4 points on 42.1% shooting overall and 40.1% on 3-pointers, while also making over 86% of his foul shots. These are all a huge leap from Hawkins freshman season, when the freshman showed a lot of potential but also delt with injury trouble and confidence issues and shot just 35.3% on 5.8 points per game.

Hawkins has been on fire in the last seven games, dating back to the loss to St. John’s on Jan. 15th. In that stretch , he has averaged 21.1 points and shot 50% on 88 attempts, while also draining 44.2% of 3-pointers and 92.5% of foul shots. Hawkins has had four 20-point games during this run, including 26 at DePaul in a win, and 31 in the heartbreaking loss to Seton Hall. For the season, Hawkins has scored 20 or more in nine games and in single digits just three times.

Hawkins has been a dangerous scorer all season, but he has flipped a switch in the last month. His movement without the ball, confidence and quick and fluid shooting form has allowed Hawkins to be lethal on 3-pointers coming off of screens. He has benefited greatly from UConn recently improving its screening on the perimeter, as it has given Hawkins open looks from beyond the arc. Earlier in the season and especially during the first month of conference play, Hawkins had struggled to get open looks at times because defenders were keying in on him and being as physical with Hawkins as possible without earning fouls. He also has shown the ability to go on individual runs and carry the Huskies for multiple minutes at a time and make clutch shots against tough opponents. Hawkins nearly led UConn back from a 15-point halftime deficit against Xavier, and his multiple treys early against Marquette gave the team momentum and put it in control for the remainder of the game.

As great as his 3-point shooting has been, what has especially impressed recently is Hawkins newfound focus on attacking the basket. Earlier in the season, he frequently focused on just shooting from deep and thus could disappear from games if defenders stuck on Hawkins . Since the beginning of January however, Hawkins has regularly used his athleticism and size to attack the basket for quality layup attempts, while also pulling up for quality midrange jumpers. Hawkins has recognized that the threat of his 3-point shot allows him to effectively fake out defenders and then drive for open looks, particularly in the paint. Hawkins has improved at finishing at the rim over the course of the season, and he is outstanding at forcing contact (including behind the 3-point line) to earn free throws, where he is money. Hawkins has made 55.6% of his shots inside the arc during this aforementioned hot streak.

Hawkins has also improved his offensive game as a sophomore in other areas. Hawkins is averaging 4 rebounds per game, double his average from last season, and has especially improved on the defensive boards. Hawkins has grabbed at least 5 rebounds seven times since the start of the New Year. He reacts quickly when in good position to grab rebounds, and his athleticism allows him to beat other guards to loose balls off the boards. While Hawkins ball handling still leaves a lot to be desired, he has improved his dribbling and passing this season and cut down on turnovers. Hawkins has committed more than three turnovers in a game just once. Meanwhile, Hawkins had dished out multiple assists in seven games.

On defense, I believe Hawkins has improved the most from one season to the next that I can remember by a UConn guard in recent program history. As a freshman, Hawkins lacked the strength to effectively guard bigger guards, and his footwork wasn’t efficient enough to stay in front of his man at times. This resulted in cheap fouls when Hawkins tried to force steals to make up for being beat off the dribble. While Hawkins upper-body strength will need to improve for him to be successful in the NBA, the strength training he did in the offseason has allowed Hawkins to better body up defenders. At the same time, he has improved his footwork and ability to force turnovers without fouling. Hawkins is averaging nearly one steal per game, and has earned multiple steals in six games. Hawkins size and agility has helped him develop the ability to block shots after not showing that skill as a freshman. He has blocked 15 shots and has four games with 2 blocks.

Hawkins can still continue to improve the remainder of the season in multiple areas. While it can be difficult for him to get quality perimeter shots in a game because of how much opponents focus on containing him, Hawkins needs to do a better job of being effective over 40 minutes. He has a tendency to explode on offense for a short amount of time and then disappear. Depending on when this occurs, Hawkins doing so can make it much more difficult for UConn to win, especially if his teammates are inconsistent. Hawkins can also fall into a tendency of focusing on taking 3-pointers at the expense of everything else, even if he is cold. Slowly but surely, Hawkins has developed more variety in his offensive game, but he can still run hot and cold like many shooters. I don’t know if Hawkins can do much to improve his ball-handling in season, but he still needs to strengthen his handle if he enters the NBA draft in the offseason. On defense, Hawkins can still be more disciplined and avoid either biting on fakes or reaching for the ball and picking up silly fouls that limit his playing time. Like seemingly all of the Husky guards, Hawkins sometimes fails to provide help defense or communicating on that end with teammates, allowing for easy drives to the basket for opponents.

As frustrating as this season has been for UConn as a whole, they have gotten nearly everything they could ask from Hawkins. He is developing into a great all-around player and not just a shooter, and has even displayed vocal leadership skills during games, a far cry from his lack of confidence as a freshman. Hawkins is one of the best players in the Big East, and has supplanted Sanogo as the Huskies best player. Hopefully, Hawkins will decide to return to Storrs for a junior season even if he has projected as a first-round pick. Either way, however he is capable of leading UConn on tournament runs and creating a memorable legacy.

Adama Sanogo: B+

Sanogo was selected as the preseason Player of the Year in the Big East and was also put on the Wooden Award watch list. While Sanogo’s season has probably not gone as smoothly as expected, he still has frequently been dominant offensively and a centerpiece for UConn alongside Jordan Hawkins.

Sanogo is averaging 17.2 points in 25 games, 2.4 more than last season. He has also been much more efficient offensively and is shooting more than 58% from the field, a significant improvement from last season. Sanogo has shown even better touch in the paint this year, while still bullying opposing bigs. Fans heard that Sanogo was working on his midrange and perimeter shooting during the offseason, and he has showed great form on 3-pointers while making over 39% on 33 attempts. Finally, Sanogo is shooting 75.9% on free throws, an excellent percentage for a big man. This efficiency has resulted in Sanogo having double-digit scoring performances in every game but two, eight 20-point games, and four double-doubles.

As great as Sanogo is offensively, he has been a black hole at times, especially during UConn’s January struggles. The offense has had a bad habit of feeding the ball to the junior at the expense of getting other players involved and creating good scoring opportunities for the entire lineup. Sanogo’s teammates have also failed to move without the ball towards Sanogo in these situations so that he has open passing lanes when guarded. At the same time, Sanogo has continued his habit of taking way too long to take shots in the paint, and not passing the ball out and repositioning when well-guarded. As a result, teams have easily been able to double-team Sanogo consistently and either force him into difficult shots or turnovers.

After UConn’s loss to Seton Hall, Hurley and the team made a few important adjustments offensively that has allowed Sanogo to still be effective, but within the normal flow of the offense. Hurley has positioned Sanogo at the top of the key and had him set screens for the guards regularly, allowing the Huskies and particularly Newton and Hawkins to get around defenders and attack the basket effectively. Instead of attempting all his shots in the paint or beyond the arc, Sanogo has attacked the basket from the top of the key a few times a game on layup attempts. Because of Sanogo’s strength and agility, this has been a very high-percentage play. Finally, Sanogo has finally started to pass the ball out of the paint more and shown better accuracy when doing so. He has averaged 2 assists over the last five games while committing just four turnovers. Sanogo’s growth as a player bodes well for the Huskies success during the remainder of the season.

While Sanogo’s scoring has continued to be elite, his rebounding and defense hasn’t lived up to the expectations he set last season. His rebounding has dropped from an average of 8.8 last season to 7.2, as have the percentage of both defensive and offensive rebounds he has grabbed. I would be very surprised if Sanogo reached last season’s mark of 10 games with double-digit rebounds unless UConn goes on a tournament run. Although part of Sanogo’s rebounding numbers going down is the result of having strong rebounding guards in Hawkins and Newton and the addition of Clinigan (even if they rarely play together) and Hurley having him defend on the perimeter, I believe that Sanogo has also demonstrated less effort on rebound opportunities and when boxing out. There could be a few reasons for this in theory, including Sanogo wanting to focus more on scoring or trying to avoid foul trouble, but it is disappointing to see Sanogo giving less effort on the boards at times. I hope that as UConn hits tournament play, Sanogo ramps up his effort on theboards andbecomes the elite rebounder he was last season.

Sanogo’s defense has also left something to be desired at times. With his strong footwork, Sanogo continues to be an effective one-on-one defender against most bigs. However, his help defense has been very inconsistent. Sanogo has been late on cutting off drives, and while he still does a solid job of altering shots he has ceased to be a shot-blocking threat. Sanogo has blocked just 16 shots this season and had multiple blocks in a game just three times, after averaging 1.9 per game last season. It is understandable that Sanogo wants to avoid defensive fouls considering how much responsibility he has on offense, and UConn’s system of having Sanogo consistently run high-hedge defense makes it difficult for him to get back and help teammates defend the paint. Still, Sanogo needs to stop getting caught watching the ball or half-heartedly blocking out defensively. UConn needs him to be a skilled two-way player to capture their remaining must-win games and tournament victories.

Tristen Newton: B

Newton’s season has been a bit of a roller coaster as well. The highly touted senior guard transfer had a tough time adjusting to UConn’s early on in nonconference play, but eventually appeared to be learning how to run its offense and be a complimentary scorer by the time of the Phil Knight Invitational. However, Newton’s scoring began to drop off a cliff at the end of the nonconference schedule, and through the first half of conference play in December until the middle of January. Newton wasn’t picking up the slack enough elsewhere on offense or defense to mitigate his disappearance, leading heavily to UConn’s struggles after starting 3-0 in the Big East. Since an ugly loss to St. John’s however, Newton has had a resurgence and flashed all the talent Huskies fans have heard about, and the team has subsequently fled off his versatility and energy. UConn needs a quality point guard, and Newton is finally filling the role.

Newton is averaging 10.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. He is averaging 4.4 assists, but has committed 2.3 turnovers per game. Newton ‘s shooting percentage inside the arc has dropped significantly due to his struggles, but he has continued to improve his 3-point shooting from last season and is now up to 34.9%. Newton continues to be money from the foul line, making 80.7 of hid free throws. He has scored in double figures 12 times and 20 or more points on four occasions. Newton earns a lot of his assists at his best, and has five games of at least six dimes. Finally, he has gotten to the 4-rebound mark 12 times. Newton has earned multiple steals in seven games.

Newton has been on a tear since the St. John’s loss on Jan. 18th. Since, he has averaged just under 15 points in six games, including 20-point performances at DePaul and against Xavier, while shooting 46.6% overall ,38.1% from deep and over 80% at the line on 38 attempts. Before this stretch, Newton had scored in double figures just twice in Big East play. He has done a little bit of everything else as well, averaging just over six assists and under five rebounds while grabbing two steals. Newton’s most impressive performance came in the signature win against Marquette, as he recorded 12 points and assists and grabbed 10 rebounds in 35 minutes. It was Newton’s second triple-double already this season, with Shabazz Napier being the only other Husky to accomplish this feat.

After an All-AAC Conference junior season at East Carolina in which he averaged roughly 17 points and 5 assists, expectations may have been too high for Newton. Yes, he was a versatile guard with size and strength and a nose for the basket, but the level of competition was a big step up for a player who is not a natural point guard, especially after the conference has had more depth than preseason reports indicated. It was always going to take him a while to create chemistry with players in regular season competition, and that only became harder when Andre Jackson returned to the starting lineup and the two had difficulty co-existing on the floor while Jackson tried to take on a point guard role that he unfortunately wasn’t well suited for.

After being generally effective on offense the first month-plus of the season and relying on his ability to get to the line to rack up points, Newton steadily faded to the background for a while. He stopped being aggressive offensively and rarely attacked the basket when the team desperately needed him to (From the first Xavier loss to the St. John’s game, Newton took jut 9 free throws and made 5). Newton looked reluctant to shoot a significant amount of the time, making difficult passes in the paint instead of attacking the basket for layup opportunities. Newton’s disengagement with the rest of the team offensively and relative defensive struggles was a direct reason why the Huskies became a one-trick pony on offense and suffered their 2-6 stretch in January.

Since that team, Newton has looked completely different. It appears that Dan Hurley talked to him and urged Newton to attack the basket more and initiate the offense quicker, and Newton embraced the challenge. He is now consistently driving the ball and playing more quickly, while also moving without the ball on the perimeter and getting better 3-point looks. Newton has also been highly effectively in the zone defenses UConn has employed and especially at pressuring ball handlers in the full court with his size and strength. He has consistently seemed to be having fun, and appears to be taking on a bigger leadership role during timeouts and other game situations. The UConn offense flows much better when Newton has the ball frequently, especially during significant moments. He is the lynchpin and floor general right now that UConn fans were looking for. A team needs a reliable point guard to have postseason success, and this version of Newton can finally bring it to the UConn program.

Andre Jackson: B-Jackson has been up-and-down as a player since the moment he arrived in Storrs, but his junior career has been a special case. When the junior is at the peak of his powers, he is extremely versatile, a team leader, and an absolute joy to watch. But when Jackson has played his worst, he has played out of control on both ends and been a black hole on offense, where his confidence has been shaken.

Jackson is averaging 5.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game in 22 games, while shooting 36.4%. The point forward ‘s PPG and field goal averaging have gone down compared to his sophomore season, although Jackson’s assist-to-turnover ratio has improved significantly. He has four double-digit games for both points and rebounds, although he hasn’t scored in double digits in the new year. Jackson has dished out six or more assists in seven games, and come up with multiple steals in a significant number of games. Even if Johnson doesn’t score a lot of points in a game, at his best he’s a stat stuffer.

Jackson’s worst tendencies have slowly emerged however, with the New Year’s Eve loss at Xavier being the jumping off point for these struggles. In the 11 games since, Jackson has seen his scoring average and shooting percentage go slightly down. While he is averaging nearly the same assists, Jackson has Bommited multiple turnovers seven times. Even if Jackson’s raw stats have only gone down a little bit, he has made multiple mistakes on offense during crucial moments in each loss, while playing with a lack of intelligence on defense.

Jackson had had two distinct stages this season, with the last two wins against Georgetown and Marquette possibly signifying the start of a third stage. Starting with the Phil Knight Invitational Thanksgiving week until the end of December, Jackson contributed heavily on both ends and was the team’s sparkplug. The junior was doing a great job running the offense alongside Tristen Newton and finding scoring opportunities for teammates, while also grabbing offensive boards. Jackson was doing just enough to score via floaters, baskets at the rim and the occasional three, and with his teammates scoring so efficiently Jackson’s scoring wasn’t really needed. Most importantly, Jackson was playing exquisite defense, pressuring his man constantly and forcing turnovers and poor shots.

As the calendar flipped to the new year however, Jackson’s quality of play plummeted on both ends along with the team’s as a whole. He lost all confidence shooting the ball, and frequently had poor selection when doing so. Jackson frequently refused to attack the basket and occasionally turned the ball over when doing so. His floater (Jackson’s go-to-shot) deserted him, and he began to be bated into taking risky 3-pointers when defenders stay off of Jackson. This led to ugly shooting lines on threes like a 4-12 performance at Xavier and 0-3 marks against both Providence and the Musketeers. While Jackson continued to rebound well, he began to play out of control when running the offense and making risky passes that either led to turnovers or teammates not being in the right position to score.

What was more frustrating then Jackson’s struggles on offense was his disappearance on the defensive end. After living up to his accolades as a defender early Jackson declined heavily in the first half of the Big East schedule. Jackson become overaggressive on defense, committing silly fouls and having to be removed by Dan Hurley as a result, and repeatedly tried to block his man’s shots from behind instead of working harder to stay in front of players. Combine all of this with Jackson’s shaky help defense, and he was the player most responsible for the Huskies defensive decline when they lost six of eight games. Jackson’s defensive struggles carried over to the offensive end and caused the junior to become disengaged at times while not fulfilling his status as UConn’s leader.

After the Huskies second loss to Xavier and Jackson’s 2-point performance against DePaul, he and Hurley said that the coaches and Jackson were working to tighten up his defense and putting him in situations on offense where he could make plays more efficiently. In the wins since against Georgetown and Marquette, Jackson has demonstrated this hard work paid off. Jackson’s defense has continued to be aggressive while also more disciplined and focused. He held Hoyas star Primo Spears scoreless, and was et defending multiple Creighton players while helping to force poor shots and defenders. Jackson’s rebounding and passing was solid in multiple games, especially against Georgetown. Instead of taking jumpers and 3-pointers, Jackson focused on getting open for scoring opportunities around the basket on layups and putbacks and dunks, resulting in a combined 12 points on 5-12 shooting. It has been great to see Jackson not just more effective, but having a lot more fun on the court in these wins. When he is playing loose and with energy, all the other Huskies feed off of it.

The remaining regular season and tournament games will be huge for Andre Jackson’s legacy at UConn. Can he prove that he and the team have truly righted the ship? Can Jackson show improvement on offense while playing up to his potential in other phases of the game? And maybe most importantly, can Jackson truly be the leader of the next Huskies team that goes on a tournament run? Jackson is capable of answering all these questions with a triumphant yes. Now it’s just time for him to be a great player, and not just a great athlete.

Alex Karaban: B+

If Dan Hurley wanted to create a freshman big who is well-rounded offensively in a lab, he probably couldn’t do any better than Alex Karaban. The freshman power/small forward from Massachusetts’s has already demonstrated that he can score from nearly anywhere on the floor, particularly in the paint and behind the arc. When you combine that scoring ability with quality passing, solid rebounding and quickly-improving defense, and you have a Husky who is qualified to be the Big East Freshman of the Year.

Karaban, whom UConn has relied on heavily at forward with Samson Johnson out nearly the entire season, is averaging 9.8 PPG, 4.1 RPB, and 1.8 APG in 28.7 minutes. He is shooting 46.9% on field goals , 39.7% on 3-pointers and 82.1% at the free throw line. Karaban’s offensive metrics on KenPom and elsewhere are off the charts, especially for a freshman. He has scored in double figures 15 times, and has hit his season high of three 3-pointers in eight games, most recently in the last two wins. Karaban has scored in double figures five of the past eight games, with a high of 17 in the first matchup with Marquette. While Karaban doesn’t have any games with a huge amount of assists, he has dished out multiple ones in 12 games. Karaban was named the conference Freshman of the Week for the week of Jan. 29th after averaging 7.5 points, 4.5 assists and 4 rebounds, which was the fifth time this season he has received the honor.

Karaban ‘s best offensive skill right now is shooting 3-pointers. He is excellent at moving without the ball, has quality form and does not hesitate no matter the moment, has evidenced by his 3-pointer late at Georgetown that gave UConn a 63-61 lead it never relinquished. Karaban has already established a solid post game and can score effectively on both layups and post-ups. As Karaban works on getting stronger in the offseason, it could allow him to score more effectively in the post while also stretching defenders out beyond the 3-point line. In addition to scoring Karaban’s court awareness and basketball IQ has allowed him to be a quality screener in the pick-and-roll and an excellent passer, especially compared to the average freshman. Adama Sanogo and Donavon Clinigan have particularly benefited from Karaban’s passing skills.

On defense, Karaban has also consistently gotten better. While he needs to add a lot of upper-body strength and doesn’t have the athleticism a lot of the power forwards he’s facing in the Big East (a conference with excellent big men), Karaban has learned how to challenge shots and go after rebounds inside without fouling, and how he can position himself to challenge shots. Karaban’s recent improvement at avoiding foul trouble has allowed him to make a more consistent impact on offense, particularly from beyond the arc.

Alex Karaban quickly proved himself to be an indispensable player for the Huskies. Currently, I would argue he is their third-most reliable player beyond Jordan Hawkins and Sanogo. If Karaban is this developed as a freshman, I cannot imagine how good he will be as a junior or senior. Slowly but surely Karaban is building a legacy in Storrs, one that may lead to a tournament run in March.

My Exciting, Memorable and Disappoint Return to Gampel to See UConn-Xavier

This January has been four weeks of heartbreak for Huskies fans, and probably the most challenging month the program has experienced since the final years of Kevin Ollie’s tenure. At this time last month, fans were rightfully believing UConn was the best team in the nation and would win the Big East. Now, the Huskies are 5-6 in conference play after Wednesday’s home loss to Xavier, and both Husky nation and the wider college basketball fanbase are wondering if the team is capable of pulling itself together in February, or will instead stumble into the conference and NCAA tournaments.

Together with an electric crowd, I got to see UConn up close at both its best and worst in at Gampel Wednesday against Xavier in an 82-79 loss. In the first half which ended with UConn down 15 points, I saw a team that is a mess both offensively and especially defensively. This collection of players is incapable of both stopping opponents one-on-one and making high-quality shots, and does not communicate well with one another on either end of the floor. In the second half, the Huskies became a completely different team. They constantly both attacked the basket and scored on layups and free throws, while hitting both open and challenging perimeter shots. On defense, they used both multiple zones and constant ball pressure to force turnovers and generally just make a formidable Musketeers offense uncomfortable (and yet they still scored more points in the second half). As a result, UConn came roaring back into the game and almost made an unforgettable comeback. It cut the deficit to one multiple times, but a few costly mistakes on multiple ends in the final moments thwarted a comeback, resulting in the Huskies falling to 5-6 in the Big East and still searching for answers on how to beat the best teams in the conference.

It was very sad to see UConn lose in person at Gampel, especially sense you could sense how eager the fans were to see the Huskies get a win they desperately needed. Still , I loved the experience and will remember the game for a long time. Despite losing to Xavier, there were a few positives both the team and the fans could take from the games, which they can hopefully learn from and use to get back on track in February. At the same time, there were weaknesses that continued to present, which UConn needs to mitigate and solve if it wants to be a threat in March. Below, I go into detail about both some positive and negative observations I took from the game.

The Positives

Jordan Hawkins Continues to Emerge as a Star

During the preseason, there was a lot of talk about how Hawkins had significantly improved as an offensive player and could emerge as one of the best scorers in the Big East. In non-conference play and the early portion of the Big East schedule, Hawkins was a reliable scorer but only occasionally took over games. Over the last four games however, Hawkins has been the Huskies best player and carried the team even when he has gotten very little help. The sophomore has scored 20 or more points three times and averaged 23 while shooting 42 % from three and over 53% overall, even as the team has gone 1-3.

Hawkins was sublime against Xavier in the second half after a quiet start, and finished with 28 points while shooting 5-10 from beyond the arc and making all seven of his free throws. Despite the Musketeers defense keying in on him, Hawkins was able to get free off screens and knock down huge 3-pointers, even with defenders draped over him several times. He also continued his recent habit of attacking the basket when the opportunity arose. Hawkins was able to make some challenging layups and consistently get himself to the charity stripe. He single-handedly kickstarted the UConn offense and got the team and the crowd back into the game, and was the best player on the court. It’s just a shame that his effort couldn’t be rewarded with a comeback win.

Besides his scoring, Hawkins has visibly taken on a bigger leadership role in the last month, while continuing to be a solid rebounder and defender. Hawkins still can improve his ball handling (he had three turnovers against Xavier) and tighten up his defense, but if he continues to play at this level than he will be in position to be drafted high in the first round of the NBA draft if he chooses to leave UConn after the season. Hawkins is demonstrating that he is capable of leading the Huskies on a possible March Madness run, something no other Husky is doing right now. Let’s just hope the team gets back on track and becomes capable of going on such a run.

Tristen Newton Seems to be Turning a Corner on Offense

For much of the Big East schedule, Newton has been a disappointment at point guard. The senior transfer, whom was one of the best offensive players in the American Athletic Conference at East Carolina last season at shooting guard, was playing extremely passively on offense earlier this month and appeared uncomfortable running the offense. Yes, Newton had been inconsistent on offense the entire season, but gone was the player early in the season whom constantly attacked the basket and got to the free throw line, was a credible 3-point threat, and handled the ball effectively. In addition to Newton’s lack of aggressiveness, he appeared to struggle with sharing the responsibility of running the offense alongside Andre Jackson, who was injured and then coming off the bench when Newton got off to a strong start on the season. Combine Newton’s poor offensive play with an inconsistent performance on defense, and UConn fans had a legitimate gripe with the big-time transfer.

In the two games before the contest against Xavier (at Seton Hall and home against Butler), Newton finally started to demonstrate the aggressiveness Dan Hurley was looking for. He scored 11 points in both games while going a combined 11-12 at the free throw line, and had a combined six assists (unfortunately, Newton also committed five turnovers). Amazingly, this was the first time he had scored in double figures in consecutive games for the first time all season. Newton’s awakening from his slumbers set the stage for a very strong performance against the Musketeers.

Newton gave his all against Xavier offensively. He was UConn’s best player in the first half while almost everyone else was struggling, and continued to attack the rim in the second half while also hitting two timely treys. Newton finished with 23 points, tying a season high, and went 6-12 from the field and 9-11 on free throws. These were the most field goals Newton had drained in a game for the Huskies. While Newton made some poor decisions with his passing, committing five turnovers, he did a very strong job of moving the ball and pushing the tempo, especially in the second half, while playing with high intensity throughout. Newton recognized he needed to step up with Andre Jackson and the other guards besides Hawkins struggling, and he helped UConn right the ship in the second half and put Xavier’s defense on its heels in the second half. It may not have been quite good enough for a win, but Newton helped demonstrate what the team’s offense needs to do if the Huskies are going to go on a winning streak.

Hopefully, Newton’s memorable performance Wednesday can continue to be built upon. Newton’s better at earning free throws than almost anyone in college basketball, and if he can sustain his improved shooting and tighten up his ball handling and defense, than UConn may finally have the versatile player they thought they were getting out of the transfer portal. Newton may not be able to fit the role of a traditional point guard, but if he continues to play to his strengths and emerge as a leader, it will take a huge load off of Jackson, Adama Sanogo, and the rest of the team’s guards. I think that Newton can sustain this level of play and Dan Hurley can push him effectively. As a result, the Huskies will improve in February and hopefully when it matters most in March.

The Use of Zones and Heightened Pressure on Defense Caused Xavier to be Less Efficient in the Second Half

Even as UConn’s man-to-man defense has sucked and been extremely foul-prone for the last month, particularly when guarding players that are attacking the paint, Dan Hurley has been extremely reluctant to make any adjustments, whether that is playing zone or planning Sanogo and Donavon Clinigan together. This has resulted in the team allowing opponents to come back and win multiple games, and the players to ultimately lose confidence on both ends. After his defense’s ugly performance in the first half against Xavier however, Hurley finally took the plunge and made significant defensive adjustments in the second half, which were responsible for the Huskies nearly making an incredible comeback. It may have taken way too long to happen, but Hurley’s flexibility on the defensive end may be a great sign going forward.

While UConn was more likely to struggle against defending Xavier’s elite offense playing man-to-man, it’s poor defense in the first half was very predictable. The Musketeers jumped out to a 9-0 lead and were ahead by double digits for almost the entire half, and ultimately went into the break shooting 50% and up 2-24. The Huskies got beat off the dribble constantly and allowed many open layups, and did a poor job of defending the rim. They also surprisingly struggled to stop Xavier beyond the arc, allowing several open threes as players did a poor job of closing out. Alex Karaban, Jackson and Sanogo especially struggled on defense, with Jackson continuing his habit of allowing players to below by him and then picking up ticky-tack fouls going for steals.

As fans are well aware of, Hurley isn’t a coach who makes quick adjustments or inclined to change up his defense. But with Xavier again shredding UConn on that end, he finally decided he had no choice but to switch up to a zone. Bu alternating between 1-3-1 and 2-3 zones and pressuring the Musketeers full-court, the Huskies were able to regularly force turnovers and offensive fouls and caused them to look discombobulated, especially as the half wore on. Jackson was especially effective on defense with these adjustments, as they allowed him to use his athleticism to hound defenders. UConn’s aggressive defensive certainly got the crowd into the game, and it also allowed the offense to get more fastbreak opportunities and open shots everywhere on the floor.

I strongly feel that if the Huskies hadn’t adjusted on defense, it would have easily lost by double digits. Playing zone and upping their ball pressure made the team much better on both ends of the floor, and allowed it to be in position to possibly win. While UConn should be much more effective playing man-to-man in the next two games at DePaul and Georgetown, Hurley absolutely should continue to experiment with playing zone and pressuring ballhandlers in half-court sets for a few minutes. He could possibly even play Sanogo and Clinigan together and see how effective they are on both ends. The same goes for experimenting in practice. By doing all this, UConn can be in better position to slow down Marquette’s elite offense and earn a huge home win next Tuesday.

The Crowd Was Outstanding

The XL Center can be an intimidating environment for opposing players, as it can host more fans. However, it cannot compare to Gampel Pavilion, especially when it is sold out and many students show up. The crowd was charged from the opening tip, and were able to still maintain solid energy throughout the first half even as UConn played terribly. However, it was the second half when the energy ramped up. As the Huskies began to force turnovers and Hawkins caught fire, the crowd noise became deafening. They stayed standing throughout the remainder of the game, and all this excitement helped rattle the Xavier players and cause timeouts. Even when UConn couldn’t get over the hump and take the lead in the final minutes of the game, the crowd continued to provide players encouragement. The fan’s excitement was infectious to experience in person, and heartwarming to see considering how much the team has been struggling. Let’s hope the Huskies can turn things around and reward the fanbase for its support.

The Negatives

The Poor Play from the Bench, Karaban and Jackson

UConn’s bench play has been weak for much of the Big East schedule after being a huge strength during the nonconference schedule, and it was no different against Xavier. The quartet of Naheim Alleyne, Hassan Diarra, Clinigan and Joey Calcaterra scored just six points and grabbed three rebounds in 35 minutes while shooting 2-9 and recording no assists. Calcaterra and Alleyne largely couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn, going 1-6 from three. Clinigan had maybe his worst game of the season, missing two crucial free throws and picking up two ugly fouls in just seven minutes. His struggles forced Sanogo to play 33 minutes. None of the other bench guys particularly distinguished themselves defensively, either.

Karaban’s struggles weren’t a huge surprise on defense. He was facing a pair of strong big men in Zach Freemantle and Jerome Hunter who are both bigger and stronger than the freshman. Still, Karaban did not box out great and grabbed just three rebounds in 35 minutes. He was mostly MIA on offense, scoring just five points with only one assist and missing two of three 3-pointers. The freshman will bounce back offensively, but he needs to be more aggressive and badly get stronger in the offseason. It will be a huge help when Samson Johnson fully returns from injury and takes some of those minutes.

While Karaban’s inconsistency is to be expected from a freshman, Andre Jackson’s is much more concerning. The junior ability to score just enough and keep defenses honest has completely evaporated in January (just under five points per game on 30% shooting overall and under 25% from deep). Jackson, who started Wednesday’s game by missing his first seven shots and was 3-12 overall, still rarely scores on anything more than dunks, floaters or open 3-pointers. Worse, Jackson’s passing and decision-making has gone down as the Huskies have floundered. He has averaged nearly two turnovers per game in January and made crucial ones against Seton Hall and Marquette. Jackson’s assist numbers have gone down (he had two against Xavier , and he is regularly playing out of control and asking teammates to make plays they are incapable of doing. For example, in the second half Jackson threw an alley-oop pass to Sanogo on a fastbreak, even though Sanogo doesn’t have the vertical left to finish that play, missed an open dunk and putback, and was called for a controversial goaltend which he also fouled on, leading to a 3-point play which halted a UConn run. And in addition to Jackson’s offensive struggles, I have also talked about the overaggressive defense which has regularly put the junior captain in foul trouble, and Jackson’s inconsistency with keeping players from driving by him.

While other players haven’t been great lately Jackson’s decline has hurt the Huskies very badly. His play has declined across the board, as well as his leadership and confidence in games. Jackson will have to play more under control on offense while figuring out where he can best contribute and reestablish his identity as a lockdown defender. His level of play took a jump around this time last year. If Jackson can do that again, it will take pressure off of the Huskies stars and allow the team to be a big threat again both in the conference and especially nationally.

The Huskies Yet Again Played a Bad Half, and Made Critical Mistakes in the Final Minutes

In all of UConn’s six losses, a big theme is the team not playing competitively for all 40 minutes. Usually this has been the case in the second half, as the team was either up or tied at halftime in the first five losses. Wednesday’s game was a big reversal, with UConn playing its worth first half of the season by far. It looked all out of sorts on both ends, and Dan Hurley took way too long to call timeouts and refused to change up his defense despite his players getting burned on that end. Whether the team was not well-prepared enough or tin a state of shock after falling behind by so much can be debated, but either way the opening 20 minutes were an embarrassment. There is no good reason for the Huskies to put together a full game and make the changes to ensure they do.

By falling behind by 15 at halftime, the Huskies had almost no margin for error during their comeback. After they cut the deficit to a basket in the final minutes multiple times, errors raised their ugly heads. First, Newton was called for an offensive foul when driving to the basket along the right baseline with 4:03 remaining and the score 73-72, with the officials ruling that he pushed off. Then with score 78-77, Hawkins slipped on a drive and lost the ball before fouling two minutes later. After a layup by Jack Nunge, Newton had a very similar turnover a minute later. UConn was able to force a turnover on the next play, but Dan Hurley than called a timeout with 20 seconds left as Hawkins drained a jumper, wiping away the basket. Xavier called a timeout 11 seconds later with the same score to give the Huskies a chance to set up a final scoring play, but whatever was drawn up was blown up by excellent Musketeers defense. Desmond Claude bailed them out when he fouled Newton with two seconds left, but he unfortunately made the second free throw he was trying to miss, depriving the team’s bigs any chance at scoring on a putback. In a vacuum, most of these errors were understandable considering how desperate the team was playing and their urgency to finally take the lead. However, they added up, and UConn was handed its second consecutive loss by a basket.

Throughout Hurley’s tenure in Storrs, UConn has been sadly famous for losing close games to good teams again and again. It looked like things may finally change after the 14-0 start, but so far that has proven to be just a mirage. To put it bluntly, UConn needs to learn how to execute down the stretch and make winning plays in close games, and fast. Otherwise, it is not going far in tournament play yet again, and Hurley’s seat will start to get warm.

A lack of Fundamentals and Smarts When Playing Man-to-Man Defense

I’ve alluded to the poor defense in the first half throughout this article, but I had to devote an individual section to it considering just how lousy the D was. Among other things, it featured:

Doing a terrible job of limitingdribble penetration, leading to either quality layups or open baskets for bigs or kickouts to the perimeter for open shots
Poor help defense and communication among players, helping lead to Xavier foul shots as well
Poor rim protection, particularly by Sanogo
A loss of confidence by the entire team, which carried over onto the offensive end.

Almost all defenses would initially struggle to stop the Musketeers, and their ball movement and ability to make tough shots was remarkable to see in person. Still, there is no excuse for UConn’s man defense to be this bad against every strong opponent. Even if playing zone is somewhat effective, you can’t do that for 40 minutes against any opponent. I hope that the Huskies worked a lot on improving their defense in every facet of the game during their 6-day layoff between games, and that it will pay dividends immediately.

Dan Hurley needs to be better

Hurley is a solid coach and a great program-builder and recruiter. Players and recruits seem to love competing for him and Hurley’s high-energy style. That being said, at some point Hurley needs to figure out the issues with this team and start beating tough opponents so the players are ready for March Madness and UConn gets a good seed. He needs to make quicker adjustments, especially in-game, be willing to remove players for a short time if they are not executing, and just be more flexible on both ends of the floor. Hurley prides himself at being a defensive coach, and it’s up to him to figure out a way to improve the Huskies man defense and put players in position to succeed. Ditto on the offensive end, especially with getting more out of the bench players. Starting the season so well was thrilling, and this is probably Hurley’s most talented team at Storrs on paper. But it ultimately doesn’t matter if the team isn’t mentally tough and the program fails to go on a tournament run.

Fans Need to be More Positive About Team

During the few weeks leading up to UConn’s preseason against Stonehill Monday night, I noticed a frustrating trend from the Huskies fanbase: Way too many members of Husky nation are extremely cynical about this team. Yes, there is the small contingent whom are already certain UConn will be lifting the national championship trophy. But many, especially online, are constantly questioning the team’s reliance on transfers and the ability of certain players to live up to the hype. These fans are especially skeptical of Dan Hurley’s ability to adjust as a coach and lead the Huskies to greater postseason success.

I don’t mind reasonable skepticism about UConn’s ability to be successful this season, and share a lot of the same questions and concerns as these fans to some extent. However, this cynicism is misplaced. Yes, there will be growing pains as the team integrates a lot of new faces and probably new styles of play (four-out on offense and a faster pace of play, zone on defense), and the Huskies will eventually have to demonstrate they can consistently win close games against tough opponents. But there will also be more depth and likely offensive versatility than the last few seasons, players are primed to take large steps forward, and the transfers each offer clear strengths already. The beginning of the UConn season is a time for optimism, not worry.

First, I believe the fanbase is expressing too much concern about transfers Tristen Newton (senior guard), Hassan Diarra (junior guard), and Naheim Alleyne (senior guard). UConn has shown already that they can develop transfers from smaller conferences into impact players in R.J. Cole and Tyrese Martin, and that will continue.

Newton, a 6-5, 190-pound combo guard, had a huge season at East Carolina last season, averaging 17.7 points and 5 assists and earning First Team All-AAC honors. He averaged just under 12 points overall in three seasons at ECU. Newton showed last season that he can take over games and be a floor general against strong competition, and brings more size and speed to UConn’s backcourt.

As he gets comfortable against the tougher competition, Newton should develop into a go-to scorer for the Huskies. He does not need to be the guy constantly handling the ball for UConn with Andre Jackson and Diarra also right there, and I don’t expect him to be. Newton just needs to gain the trust of his teammates and Hurley and demonstrate reliable ball-handling. By the middle of the season, I think Newton will be main guy the team relies on to attack the rim and get big-time buckets and free throws in crunch time. Dan Hurley has indicated he has high expectations for Newton and that he needs to work hard to meet them, and I believe Newton can meet Hurley’s demands.

While Newton’s success will likely depend on his ability to create offense for both himself and others and make baskets when the game is on the line, Darra’s will depend on him being a junkyard dog and doing all the little things, especially on defense. The 6-2, 190-pound combo guard from Queens and Texas A&M is highly regarded as an on-ball defender and can use his size and strength to force turnovers. He showed at A&M that he can be a primarily ball-handler when necessary, and improved his assist-to-turnover ratio tremendously from freshman to sophomore year.

While Diarra is still an inconsistent offensive player, he similarly made strides as a shooter and demonstrated he could be a threat behind the arch, most memorably in the Big 12 Tournament. Diarra was highly regarded by the Aggies coaches for his work ethic and competitiveness, and all reports indicate Hurley and his staff feel the same way. I strongly believe that Darra’s strength and competitiveness could help him develop into a solid rebounder for a guard of his size.

Diarra seems like he is destined to eventually become a fan favorite at UConn. With his defense, ability to play the point, and improved shooting, he could be a sparkplug off the bench or an ideal running partner for Andre Jackson, Newton, and Jordan Hawkins. Diarra showed off his versatility against Stonehill (11 points on 5-8 shooting, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals) as well as his intensity. Reports coming out in the preseason said that Diarra was demonstrating improved shooting and the ability to run the offense effectively, and Hurley seems to get the most out of any player who plays all out. In a few years, Diarra could emerge just like Christian Vital did as a senior.

While Alleyne players shooting guard and not forward, it appears to me his game is a better, more complete version of Tyler Polley. The 6-4, 195-pound senior transfer was a reliable perimeter scorer in three seasons at Virginia Tech and made 37.3% of his threes for the Hokies last season. He is over 38% in his career from deep. While Alleyne missed all four threes, he took against Stonehill, there is no reason to think those numbers will not be similar at UConn. With his size and shooting range, Alleyne should open up the offense for whomever else is on the floor.

Alleyne is more than just a 3-point specialist, however. He is considered a solid defender, and had four steals in the opener. Alleyne can play at small forward against certain teams and has been both a starter and sixth man. His maturity and extensive experience playing in a high-major league can allow him to be a leader for the Huskies, especially in these first few weeks while Jackson and possibly Hawkins are out with injury.

Most of the feedback about Alleyne’s play in the preseason was positive, and Hurley expressed satisfaction with the flexibility he offers UConn on both ends of the court. Alleyne is the perfect complimentary player every good program needs to improve.

I have become even more frustrated over the skepticism fans have in the ability of Adama Sanogo, Andre Jackson and Jordan Hawkins to become more complete and efficient players. All the offseason work Sanogo put in to expand his game, and the team’s efforts to make the offense more flexible, can allow him to be the Big East Player of the Year. Fans have read the reports/stories and seen video about Adama expanding his shooting range and passing ability, and his passing certainly looked much smoother against Stonehill. I expect Sanogo to become a more disciplined defender over the course of the year as well, especially if Hurley fully adjusts the defense so Sanogo must defend the high hedge less. I also think that with the encouragement of Hurley, Sanogo will be more aggressive offensively (more dunks please!). Finally, the likely improvement of the Huskies shooting can make it much easier for Sanogo to score and create offense for others. Fans will have to wait a while to see if he can consistently make jumpers against good teams when the opportunity arises. But Sanogo has told the rest of the Big East for two years that they should not bet against him.

Andre Jackson is already likely the most essential player to UConn reaching its ceiling not named Sanogo, as well as my favorite Husky now that Martin left. He improved tremendously as a defender (I would argue he is one of the best in the Big East) and rebounder last season, and as a ball-handler in the second half of the season. While Jackson’s offensive game was extremely inconsistent and his shooting mechanics remained ugly, he significantly improved his shooting last season and was a 3-point threat, albeit with very few attempts. With all the hard work Jackson put in to improve those mechanics and ability to finish at the rim during the offseason, and the positive feedback Hurley and reporters have given about those efforts, I think Jackson will be a more aggressive offensive player and consistent scoring threat. He may even be able to average double digits.

While I am excited about Jackson’s potential to improve as a scorer, I am way more bullish in his ability to run the offense and create good scoring opportunities for others. Jackson’s speed, vision and unselfishness is unique, especially for a forward. If he can just be more disciplined and not always go for the spectacular pass, he can be a nightmare for defenders, especially on the fastbreak. Throw in Jackson’s eagerness to embrace the role of the Huskies vocal leader, and there is a reason Hurley thinks Jackson is the heart and soul of the team. I need a little time to see if Jackson can really be a point guard like he claims, especially if Jackson is rusty when he returns from injury in a week or so, but the NBA will come calling if he can.

I am a little less confident in Hawkins’s ability to take as big of a leap offensively as fans and pundits are predicting, and that the added muscle and weight he put on in the offseason will still make it easier for him to score and avoid injury. And of course, that fear of him getting injured has only increased since his possible concussion against Stonehill that will keep him out at least one game. Hawkins has excellent shooting mechanics and was consistently praised for the offensive improvements he showed in preseason practice and scrimmages by both Hurley and reporters. While James Bouknight was better as a freshman than Hawkins, Hurley has shown the ability to develop talented freshman into sophomore stars in both Bouknight and Sanago. There is a reason NBA scouts are so high on him and he is already projected to be a first-round pick if he leaves UConn. If Hawkins can improve his ball-handling and ability to score around the rim, Hawkins will be a double-digit scorer and could consistently take over games. And as a result, UConn will likely go on a postseason run and put Hawkins in position to be a possible lottery pick next summer.

Finally, I feel a small but loud contingent of fans believe that based on the last two seasons, Dan Hurley is incapable of winning a majority of close games against quality teams and taking the Huskies to a Big East Tournament championship and far in the NCAA tournament. These fans have unrealistic expectations for Hurley and can sound ridiculous when saying he should be fired if UConn does not get to the Sweet 16 or further in the next two seasons. I am frustrated by how the past two seasons ended, and feel that Hurley can be too slow to make in-game adjustments and call timeouts, especially in their final minutes. His tendency to always be highly emotional in games also appears from my high to have a negative effect when the players are struggling. Still, Hurley’s strengths fair outweighs his faults. He appeared to make the necessary roster adjustments in the offseason for UConn to became a more well-rounded team.

Hurley is an excellent defensive coach, and his teams the last two seasons have been especially strong at guarding the paint and getting blocks, led by the incomparable Isiah Whaley. With the departure of Martin to the NBA and Whaley and Cole to other professional leagues, Hurley made sure to bring in two well-regarded defenders in Diarra and Alleyne. While Hurley’s offenses have been more limited, he made a concentrated effort to add better shooting and ball-handling through both the portal and recruiting (for this season and next). As already stated, generating improved perimeter shooting should give Sanago more space to operate in the post, which he frequently lacked last season.

In regards to returning players, Hurley has been clear that he plans on playing Jackson at point guard frequently when he returns. While that is an audacious move to make with a guy that was recruited as a forward and has been sloppy with his passing at times, it has a ton of upside. Jackson has outstanding court vision and length and has improved his ball handling, and a point guard with his speed and size could help UConn run a devastating fastbreak. Finally, Hurley has indicated he is willing to play more zones and other defensive styles with this year’s team instead of being so reliant on the high hedge. I think doing so successfully will help the big guys a ton, especially Sanago and Clinigan, and possibly allow the Huskies to have more energy for the end of games.

I am sure I will be plenty critical of Hurley on this blog at times throughout the season, especially if the Huskies continue to lose close games like they did last year. But if Hurley truly can adjust and learn from his mistakes, this is the year the team should break through in March Madness and win a few games. Who knows what will happen in future seasons, but it is nice to have a top-5 recruiting class coming to Storrs next season.

I urge Husky nation to embrace this fun team with so many newcomers. Enjoy the opening slate of games and the opportunity to see less experienced players contribute, and do not freak out if UConn drops a game or two when they start facing powerful out-out conference teams. This group has the talent to seriously challenge for the Big East titles and go on a tournament run, and is showing a lot of promise already despite missing some key players. If UConn has a strong year, it will put them in position to likely challenge for a Final Four in the next couple of years with the talent coming in. Support the players and enjoy the ride!