UConn – Page 4 – HUSKY NATION

The Start of Something: No. 5 Huskies Trying to Get Their First Tourney win in 6 Seasons Against No. 12 NMSU

No. 5 UConn and No. 12 New Mexico State of the WAC should be a very interesting game in the West Regionals and a matchup of teams whose strengths are very similar. The Huskies define themselves largely by their defense and rebounding and the Aggies do the same, with each team especially strong at shot-blocking and defending the rim overall. In addition, each squad has a lot of experience and coaches who have been her before (Chris Jans coaches NMSU). The areas that separate the teams besides the level of competition they faced is UConn’s superior ball-handling, athleticism and free throw shooting, areas which I think can be significant factors to the Huskies winning. All in all, it’s a pretty favorable matchup for the good guys.

Background on New Mexico State’s Season

The Aggies went 24-6 and 13-4 in the regular season before defeating Grand Canyon and Abilene Christian as a No. 4 seed in the WAC Tournament. They rank 86^th on offense and 73^rd on defense according to KenPom, and their best wins came against Davidson and at Washington State out of conference and then a trio of wins against Grand Canyon. However, NMSU had a number of ugly losses such as at Chicago State (339^th in KenPom), Sam Houston State by 25 (143^rd) and New Mexico (155^th) at home.

New Mexico State, which plays at a similar tempo to UConn), is led by guard Teddy Allen, who was named WAC Conference Player of the Year. Allen, who played earlier in his career for both West Virginia and Nebraska, averaged 19.3 points and 6.8 rebounds and is outstanding inside the arc and at the free throw line, where he shoots 86.5%. Allen is the definition of a volume scorer, putting up over 30 points in four games. Jabari Rice is the only other Aggie who averages double-figures at 12.2 per game and also leads the team in assists with 3.2. Forward Johnny McCants has a very similar game to Isiah Whaley and he is an elite defender, averaging 1.8 blocks per game to go along with 8.5 points and 5.3 rebounds. Right next to him, Will McNair averages 6.7 and 4.9. Jans used a deep rotation during the season, as 11 players averaged more than 10 minutes, and follows the 2-foul rule strictly, meaning a player will be sat down if they pick up two in the first half. While Allen took by far the most 3-pointers on the team, Rice was the most reliable regular 3-point shooter among the players expected to play, shooting 34.2%.

New Mexico State’s defensive shooting numbers were great across the board after adjustments, as it held opponents to a 45.5% effective field goal rate (20^th in country), 30% on 3-pointers (24^th) and 45.8% on 2-pointers (30^th) as well as a block rate of 12.9 (31^st). However, the Aggies almost never earned steals, as their percentage ranks 332^nd in the country, and they force turnovers on just 16.9% of possessions (266^th). The NMSU EFG % of 52.2 is 79^th in the country and it shoots 54.2% inside the arc, good for 26^th on KenPom, but shoots just 33% on 3-pointers and 69.3% on free throws. Their offensive rebounding percentage of 33.2% is 41^st on KenPom. Finally, it turns the ball over on over 20% of possessions and Allen, Rice and McCants average at least two turnovers per game, with Allen at 2.8.

When UConn is on Offense

This is a very good matchup for Sanago, who badly needs to get going after his lackluster offensive play in the Big East Tournament. He has the footwork and strength to score effectively against the 6-10 McNair, his likely defender, and UConn should make a point of trying to get the big bis oy going early. Sanago has shown a consistent ability to bounce back after he has a tough game or two and as long as he makes intelligent decisions with the ball, I think he should have a very good game. I think that Martin is also set up well to have a strong offensive game. While he may have a tough time making 3-pointers on the Aggie D, Martin can clean up on the offensive glass and bully Rice and fellow guard Clayton Henry, both “6-4”, using his size and strength.

While R.J. Cole is significantly smaller than all of the NMSU starting guards (Allen is “6-6”), he has the shot-making skills and basketball IQ to find ways to score against the trio and possibly get them in foul trouble. If Martin struggles from beyond the arc, it would be valuable for Cole to make a couple of threes and just keep the defense honest while giving him more room to operate. It’s hard to know what you’ll get with Andre Jackson offensively from game to game, but his athleticism and size should allow him to get good scoring opportunities if he wants it, especially in transition (more on that just below). Cole, Jackson and Martin should all make a point of trying to attack Allen when they can, as he is not seen as a good defender and foul trouble in the first half could force him out of the game and put the Aggies in trouble. Jalen Gaffney could be a valuable offensive piece in this game when he replaces Cole because of his size and ability to attack the basket along with his tournament experience. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him put up a couple of points.

With the Aggies capable of shutting down the paint, UConn will have to find ways to get Polley good 3-point looks consistently to help open up the offense. These could come off of screens, in transition, kickouts and similar examples. Polley needs to make sure that he moves without the ball to get open and shouldn’t hesitate to look for ways to score in the midrange or at the rim as well using his size. Polley may be able to do a better job of getting open today versus a Big East Team which is more familiar with how to effectively defend him. If Tyler Hawkins is available and capable of playing around 10-15 minutes, he can also be another 3-point shooting threat as well as a decoy. Finally, Whaley may have to step out of the paint and possibly even behind the line to get a few good looks against McCants.

I believe UConn’s ace in the hole for this game is the opportunity they could have to dominate New Mexico State in transition. It is facing a less athletic and lengthy team that is very susceptible to turnovers, and the Huskies are certainly capable of playing at a high tempo if they choose to do so. Players like Jackson, Cole and Martin are built for playing transition basketball and highly effective at it as long as the Huskies are disciplined. If it becomes a turnover-fest on the Aggies part, I think UConn could run them out of the gym.

When UConn is on Defense

On defense, everything begins and ends with stopping Allen. While he isn’t the most efficient scorer, his shot-making abilities and ability to get into the lane and draw fouls allows him to put up huge numbers and be one of the top mid-major players in the country. It seems like UConn’s optimal strategy will be to trwhoey and push Allen out past the 3-point line and have him take 3-pointers or difficult midrange shots. To do that, the Huskies and specifically Whaley and Sanago will need to communicate well and run the hard hedge to run Allen off of the 3-point line and force him into passes or low-quality shots. The main defenders on Allen will likely be Martin and Jackson, and they both have the size and athleticism to successfully defend Allen if they can be disciplined and not fall for pump-fakes or euro-steps. If Allen ends up taking a lot of 3-pointers, UConn still needs to focus on closing out on him effectively. If Allen is forced into the role of distributor, it could help lead to scoring opportunities, as he is prone to turnovers (2.8 per game). And if UConn can’t stop Allen effectively in the man-to-man, then Hurley has to swallow his pride and either double-team him or switch to new defenses to keep him in check. Make Allen work and think as much as possible on both offense and defense to tire him out, and everything else should fall into place.

Aside from Allen, Rice is the other player UConn will need to key in on, as he is the main distributor for the Aggies. Rice will most likely have some combination of Jackson, Martin and Cole on him, and whomever is guarding him will similarly have to pressure Rice when he has the ball in his hands without fouling and force him into low-percentage shots. I am confident Sanago and Whaley can successfully defend McCants and McNair effectively, and believe that Whaley can outplay McCants because he has a higher offensive ceiling and McCants is extremely prone to turnovers (22.8% turnover rate). While New Mexico State has demonstrated that they are skilled at avoiding having their shots blocked, the combination of Sanago and Whaley is almost definitely better than any other duo the Aggies have seen in conference play, and UConn should be able to block or at least alter a decent number of shots. The Huskies will need to defend Henry closely on the perimeter, as he shoots 37.5% from three.

The Huskies should be able to force plenty of turnovers against New Mexico, especially if they’re intimidated by the environment or come out slow. I’d like to see Hurley press ballhandlers a decent amount, especially at the end if its close. Jackson, Martin and Cole all can press players effectively and force turnovers and Cole is especially adept at nabbing steals from opponents. If UConn can force turnovers and pressure the ball without fouling, defend the rim well and keep Allen somewhat in check, then I think the team will be in fine shape at the end.

In Conclusion

New Mexico is the type of team that could have been a reliable upset pick against the right opponent, especially with a player who can take over the game in Allen. I think that UConn’s strengths match up well to New Mexico State’s, and its overall talent level is higher. When you throw that in with the Aggies turnover issues and mediocre 3-point and foul shooting, there is a stark contrast between the teams. Last but not least, I don’t think this years Huskies squad, especially the seniors, is going to hide from the moment. They are on a mission to prove this is a top program again, and that starts with making some noise in march. New Mexico State will keep it somewhat close with its defense and the play of Allen, but I am comfortable picking UConn to win by somewhere between 8-10 points.

Observations About Last Week’s Games: Sanago is Inconsistent, Defensive Breakdowns Against Seton Hall and Questions About 3-point Shooting

This is the first of two articles I am going to write about the UConn men prior to their Big East tournament quarterfinal game against (likely) sixth-seeded Seton Hall (20-9) or No. 11 Georgetown (6-24), arguably the worst power conference team in the country. UConn, which easily swept the Hoyas and split their contests with the Pirates, suffered a frustrating 64-62 loss at Creighton last Tuesday before playing very well on Saturday’s Senior Day against a feisty DePaul squad in the 75-68 win. With their final win, the Huskies earned the tournament’s No. 3 seed when Creighton fell to Seton Hall later that day. The team officially ends the regular season 22-8, 13-6 in Big East play and having won six of seven games. It is the fewest losses a UConn team has had during a full regular season schedule since 2014, the last year it won a championship.

No one except for R.J. Cole had a particularly effective game in the 64-62 loss to Creighton, which ended up being the only team to sweep the Huskies in conference play. The senior scored 20 points and had four assists, with the only black mark being his 2-7 shooting from three. Tyrese Martin scored 11 and had 5 rebounds but was limited to 25 minutes due to foul trouble and ended up fouling out, and the only other player with more than six points was Tyler Polley, who hit two 3-pointers. UConn’s offensive line was mostly ugly across the board, as it shot just over 40% and went 6-22 from beyond the arc while getting to the line just five times and making only two free throws. It took care of the ball (six turnovers) but had just seven assists. While it had 12 offensive rebounds, the team was ultimately outrebounded 37-33.

I talk a lot more about Adama Sanago below, but offensively he struggled to finish shots and convert on second-chance opportunities against “7-1” Ryan Kalkbrenner and help defenders, ultimately shooting just 6-16 for 13 points, although he had 16 rebounds. Andre Jackson and Isiah Whaley were left open purposefully by the defense as a gambit to force them to make outside shots and it worked, as the two combined to shot just 3-15 for 8 points. Jackson took a number of ugly jump shots in particular and was 0-6 from three. The Huskies shot selection was iffy throughout the game and Sanago and others could not finish shots at the rim. The inconsistent production by the big men and lack of outside shooting was a big factor in why the team trailed 34-24 at halftime, and even after they got it going early in the second half, that deficit and their defensive deficiency’s UConn was experiencing made a comeback win too steep of a hill to climb. It tied the game a couple of times, the last time at 50 on a Martin jumper with 8:18 to go, but never led.

Now about those defensive deficiencies, which again I discuss further below. UConn allowed Creighton, a decent offensive team that was missing its starting point guard and had gotten blown out by 21 against Providence a few days before, to shoot 49% overall and 53.5% on 2-pointers and earn 14 assists against 10 turnovers. In the first half it allowed big man Arthur Kaluma to go off and drain three treys despite being a terrible shooter from deep, and generally was able to beat defenders off the dribble and score in screen and roll action. The Huskies upped their ball pressure at the start of the second half and were able to force enough poor shots and turnovers to come back and tie the game, but the Bluejays and coach Greg McDermott eventually figured things out. McDermott began going to Kalkbrenner in the screen and roll action at the rim, and continued to feed him when adjustments were made. The rest, as they say, is history, with Sanago being the main player successfully targeted by Creighton. Kalkbrenner finished with 22 points, 20 in the second half, on 10-14 shooting and 10 rebounds. Kaluma put up 15 and Ryan Hawkins 13, 6 rebounds and 3 assists.

There was one other big factor that possibly led to the loss. Jordan Hawkins, who had already been hit in the previous game, picked up a concussion on a great screen by Kalkbrenner that the much smaller freshman didn’t see. Hawkins, who was scoreless in five minutes up to that point, had to be removed from the game and is in concussion protocol, meaning he will almost definitely miss the Big East Tournament and could be a question mark for the Huskies first NCAA Tournament game as well. I will talk about the ramifications of this more in the next article, but suffice to say that his absence could cause huge ramifications on both sides of the ball and make it more difficult for the team to hit perimeter shots and space the floor.

The win over DePaul Saturday went much smoother, as the Huskies controlled the action for most of the game and dominated the paint throughout. Sanago scored 12 of the team’s opening 14 points as he got the ball in excellent scoring position and overpowered defenders, and kept up his dominance on offense and the boards throughout the half, scoring 20 points. Whaley and Martin were also efficient in the first half and Jackson did a strong job of helping to run the offense and on defense. After some lax defense early, UConn tightened up and eventually took a double-digit lead, going into the locker room up 40-29. It continued to play well for most of the second half, with Martin especially doing an excellent job on the board and earning second-chance paints, and led 70-53 with 4:29 to go. Unfortunately, the Huskies continued their habit of taking their foot of the gas and let another inferior opponent make the game closer than it should be. DePaul star Javon Freeman-Liberty finally woke up after being held in check most of the night, and drained multiple threes to help cut the deficit to just five points before UConn closed the game out at the free throw line.

After maybe his most checkered game of the season, Sanago bounced back with 26 points and 11 rebounds on 10-16 shooting. Martin was a wrecking crew with 19 and 16, while Whaley went for 10 and 6. Jackson did a little bit of everything with 7 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. The only concerns on offense were UConn’s 3-point shooting, as it went 3-12, and the struggles of Cole, who ran the offense effectively but shot 1-9 for 3 points. The team outrebounded DePaul 49-31. The Demon Deacons shot just 39.4% overall but went 10-26 from beyond the arc. Freeman-Liberty had 22 and shot 3-5 from three.

Last week’s games offered plenty of exciting moments and reasons for optimism heading into tomorrow night, as well as some frustrating moments and reasons for pessimism entering the Big East Tournament. As I will discuss more in the next article however, overall, I am very excited to see the Huskies compete at MSG and legitimately believe this squad has the chance to win the whole thing if things fall their way. At their best, they have the athleticism and strength on defense to shut down the paint and alter perimeter shots as well as generate turnovers. On offense, they have the best big man in the Big East and one of the best guards and can score in a variety of ways and be dominant on the fastbreak and offensive boards. Certainly, winning the Big East tournament would be a great accomplishment for Dan Hurley and demonstrate that he is one step closer to making UConn a dominant program again.

Below, I discuss how the Seton Hall and DePaul games demonstrated the strengths and weaknesses of Sanogo’s game, the need for Dan Hurley to make adjustments on defense, the rocky but rewarding development of Andre Jackson and the team’s struggles from beyond the arc, among other topics.

The Ying and Yang of Adama Sanago

At this point, devoted UConn fans understand how important Sango is to the team’s success, and the ramifications it has on the team when he struggles on one or both ends of the court. He is one of the best big men in the country and especially on offense and as a rebounder, which was recognized by him being named to the Big East All-First Team on Monday. And yet when he struggles offensively, he can be a black hole and affect the Huskies spacing, and against certain opponents and big men he can struggle defensively, especially with all the hedging Dan Hurley asks his bigs.

Against Seton Hall, he struggled from the start and everything snowballed from there. On offense, Cole and others were able to get the ball to Sanago, but the Pirates defenders did a strong job of pushing him away from the basket without fouling. The sophomore struggled to finish make shots even if they were of high quality, with a lot of his misses just barely rolling off the rim. Sanago earned just two free throws, making one, and could have done a much better job of trying to force contact or attempting dunks. When he got the ball Sanago almost never passed it out even when he wasn’t in good shooting position, a frustrating habit that has consistently been an offensive weakness. Ultimately, Sanago shot just 6-16 to finish with 13 points and was visibly upset by his struggles. To his credit he was still great on the offensive boards, grabbing 5, and finished with 16 rebounds overall.

Even with Sanogo’s offensive struggles, UConn shot over 47% on 2-pointers and was efficient enough on offense in the second half to pull out a win. It was his weaknesses on defense, especially in the second half, that was probably the biggest factor in the Huskies losing. To be fair, Sanago had 6 blocks and was far from the only player that struggled defensively in the final 10 minutes of the game, and much of his defensive weakness was due to the system UConn uses, which I discuss more below. But in the end, the lasting image of the game for me will be Sanago being out of position or late to get back on Kalkbrenner as he easily made layups or dunks on screen and rolls. The defense decided to stick with Sanago doing hard hedges up near the 3-point line instead of initially defending the paint or playing Kalkbrenner one-on-one and it paid the price. By the end of the game, it was completely clear that Sanago, who played 37 minutes, was spent on both ends.

One great skill of Sanago is that he has repeatedly been able to rebound from subpar performances to play very well in the following game or games. I already discussed his play against DePaul above (26 points on 10-16 shooting and 11 rebounds) and Sanago definitely set the tone early and demonstrated UConn could get off to a strong start and dominate the Demon Deacons inside. He will definitely need to demonstrate this ability if the Huskies advance in tournament play. Sanago is the type of player who can carry the team on a run in the Big East and NCAA Tournaments, but his teammates and coach need to put him in position to succeed and he needs to be willing to involve others on offense.

The Creighton Loss Exposed the Weaknesses UConn Can Suffer from on Both Ends of the Floor

Again and again, the Bluejays have demonstrated to fans and opponents the best methods to beating UConn in different ways. Last week, they demonstrated how its inconsistent shooting, how best to attack the Huskies with screens and rolls and their reluctance to quickly change things up defensively.

On offense, the game showed how difficult it is for UConn to score if Sanago and other bigs are held in check and it is not making shots from the perimeter, as Cole cannot do everything himself. The Pirates invited Jackson and Whaley to take 3-pointers and the pair obliged, combining to go 1-9. Much has already been said about Jackson’s ugly stroke and as conference play as gone on his numbers from beyond the arc have predictably gone down. Whaley is inconsistent at best from beyond 15 feet, and if teams are able to effectively guard Polley and Hawkins on the perimeter then the Huskies are in trouble. It would have ben nice to see Cole and Martin pick up the slack against Seton Hall, but the first shot 2-7 from there and Martin took just one three partly due to his foul trouble. Throw in a mix of good defense on Sanago, limiting fastbreak opportunities and rebounding well and rebounding well defensively, all of which the Pirates did, and you are almost guaranteed a win.

As I said earlier, UConn was able to rebound in the second half against Seton Hall because of its effectiveness from midrange and ability to avoid turnovers. However, it was burned from deep by Kulama in the first half, falling behind by as much as 16. After the Huskies fought back to tie the game multiple times, the Pirates figured out how to effectively attack them in the screen and roll repeatedly for baskets, as well as beat them one-on-one when necessary. Because of how frequently UConn hedges, it has occasionally had trouble limiting offenses that have the size and speed to counter them, which Seton Hall certainly does. The defense has also occasionally struggled to defend guards off the dribble or strong big men one-on-one and unfortunately did this in the loss.

While I cannot guarantee whether switching up the defense would have resulted in a win against Seton Hall, I share the belief with many fans that Dan Hurley is too slow to make defensive adjustments. Yes, he has started to make more adjustments in certain games recently, such as playing a zone for short stretches or doubling a player who was giving his defender trouble. And the success of Hurley’s defenses at UConn speaks for itself. Still, he failed to go to some type of zone or double Kalkbrenner to try and limit the Pirates success on screen and rolls in the final 10 minutes of the game and instead watched them score easily again and again. It was inexplicable and Hurley deserved every ounce of criticism he got for these decisions. In tournament play, he cannot afford to fail to be flexible and not give his players as many resources as they need to succeed and win. I just hope Hurley realizes that he will need to roll the dice at times.

Against DePaul, UConn overcame its continued struggles from deep by bullying its opponent inside. However, Seton Hall has at least some of the same qualities as Creighton that gave the Huskies trouble, as does Villanova if the Huskies advance. It will be fascinating to see if they can overcome this and win.

UConn is Again Off from Three

After multiple games where the Huskies shot well from deep and were able to pull off a key win streak, the Huskies crashed back down to Earth the last two games, shooting 9-34 treys (26.5%). With Hawkins almost totally absent due to his concussion, the only other reliable 3-point shooters were Polley and Martin and they only took eight between the two of them, although they hit five. Cole (2-11, Jackson (1-7) and Whaley (1-4) all struggled from beyond the arc. UConn ended the Big East season having hit 35.7% of their threes, good for fourth.

The Huskies will need to be able to hit threes against Seton Hall and whatever opponents it faces in tournament play from there. It is doable against the Pirates, who ranked middle of the pack in the percentage of 3-pointers it allowed in conference play. They were unstoppable in the January loss to SHU, shooting 14-23, but just went 4-18 from deep in the win against it three weeks ago. UConn will need to consistently play inside out, get 3-point opportunities off of fastbreaks and find ways to get Polley open (he has the flu but will almost definitely play). While Sanago and Cole will always be options A and B, the Huskies need to find ways to get Polley open (he had the flu but is going to play as of Wednesday morning) and Martin to take more 3-pointers. With Hawkins out, Hurley may need to sacrifice his defense and rebounding to a small extent and play at times with more shooters such as Akok Akok and Jalen Gaffney until he returns. Considering UConn’s offense is pretty vanilla much of the time, it will need to hit enough 3-pointers to keep defenses honest in its remaining games.

We Saw the Best and Worst of Andre Jackson

The sophomore shooting guard demonstrated both how infuriating and fun he is to watch against Creighton and DePaul. Against the Bluejays, he took a few inexplicable threes and missed all six attempts (I find it hard to believe that Hurley gave him the go-ahead to take those shots), likely in an effort to help the Huskies overcome Sanogo’s struggles. While he may have been deliberately left open to take perimeter shots, Jackson would have been better off attacking defenders off the dribble and trying to get to the rim for easy looks and to draw fouls. The size of Creighton and Jackson playing on the perimeter more than usual helped nullify his rebounding skills and he ended the game with just three, all offensive. Jackson continued to handle and pass the ball well and finished with 3 assists against 1 turnover, but his playmaking ability was limited by the sow halfcourt game both teams were playing. Creighton’s focus on forcing Jackson to beat it from outside and general ability to play at a tempo where he is much less effective was the perfect antidote. He needs to realize what he can do offensively if his 3-point shot isn’t following against a similar opponent.

On the other hand, against DePaul Jackson flashed all the skills that make him such a nightmare for opponents to prepare for. He had 8 rebounds and 4 assists with only one turnover, played solid defense and scored 7 points, getting to the rim for two baskets and knocking down a quality 3-point opportunity. Jackson was in his element throughout the game as he got a chance to run the floor and set Sanago and Whaley up for good looks inside. As always, his passing was a pleasure to watch.

Even if Jackson doesn’t score a ton of points, he could be very effective in tournament play, especially against opponents who haven’t seen him before. His court vision and athleticism are second to none, and Jackson has improved his decision-making and accuracy on passes a ton in the second portion of the Big East schedule. He can almost always be relied upon for some rebounding and dominate on the I boards against the right opponent, and Jackson has legitimately become a strong defender, even if he can sometimes fall into playing “matador” defense. Going forward, Jackson just needs to trust himself and not try to do too much. To me, that means he should be more aggressive attacking the hoop and rely less on his 3-point shot, continue to not force passes to teammates, avoid foul trouble and play with a consistently high motor the entire game. I am not sure Jackson can be a reliable force on the tournament stage. But if he is, he can take over multiple games.

What UConn Needs to Do to End the Regular Season Well

The buzz surrounding the UConn men’s basketball program right now is the highest I can remember in years, possibly since the 2014 season. The 21-7 Huskies, who are 12-5 in the Big East, have won five straight, are third in the Big East standings and strengthening their case for a high seed in the NCAA tournament. For the third consecutive season, the program is playing its best basketball at the end of the season. In particular, UConn has been playing outstanding offense recently, particularly from beyond the arc.

Creighton and DePaul would like nothing better than to extinguish the Huskies momentum in their last two regular season games in the coming days. Creighton, in particular, has never lost to them in five games and wants to maintain that superiority and sweep the season series between the teams. If the Bluejays win at home Wednesday night, they can finish third in the conference standings if they and UConn finish with the same record. And while DePaul is currently 10^th in the Big East standings at 5-13, the Demon Deacons have been a handful for many of the conference’s best teams, including the Huskies at the end of January. While UConn is playing very strong overall, there are areas they need to improve on or be more efficient in.

The aspects of the game the Huskies either need to improve or continue to play well in against Creighton tonight and DePaul Saturday are numerous. While the team may be flying high right now, Creighton is a very tough environment to play in, and a loss to DePaul would be an embarrassing slipup and leave UConn with a bad taste in its mouth entering the Big East tournament at MSG. Not to mention that a loss to either team would move the team to a fourth-place seed in the tournament and possibly a tougher second-round matchup. Below, I discuss what UConn must do tonight and Saturday to win and maintain the excitement around the team.

Tyler Polley and Jordan Hawkins need to continue being effective on offense, preferably at the same time

When Polley and Hawkins are both playing well offensively the Huskies have proven to unstoppable, as exhibited by the team’s 5-0 record when the pair scores in double digits. All season long Polley and Hawkins have been touted as UConn’s x-factors and it’s been proven to be true during this most recent win streak. Polley is on one of his vaunted multi-game hot streaks from deep, as he shot 7-12 from three and averaged 12 points against Xavier, Villanova and Georgetown and drained one of the most memorable shots of the season with his three against ‘Nova in the comeback during the final minute. At the same time, Polley went 9-10 from the line against them and Georgetown. Hawkins has improved immensely on defense, and the improvement on that end has earned him more playing time and the ability to figure things out at that end. The freshman played well on offense in his 14 minutes against Xavier, scoring 7 points via a 3-pointer and four free throws. He then had one of his best offensive performances of the season against the Hoyas Sunday, scoring 11 in 21 minutes on 3-6 shooting and making a spectacular dunk. Hawkins shooting from deep has slowly improved and he is demonstrating the ability to effectively attack the basket, a skill the Huskies definitely need more of.

When one or both of the sharpshooters are feeling it in a game, UConn’s offense is much more efficient. Space opens down low for Adama Sanago and others to get good looks at the basket, the team can play inside-out and move the ball well side-to side, they have more options on fastbreak plays, and players have good chances for offensive rebounds if Polley or Hawkins happens to miss. When Polley comes off the bench for Isiah Whaley or Sanago and plays with the other starters, these lineups rank 7^th and 8^th in the Big East in adjusted team efficiency margin per Evan Miya.

It is particularly important that Polley and Hawkins as well as the other bench players play well against Creighton. The Bluejays have the top defense in the Big East according to KenPom, and h against Cave held opponents to 31% from three in conference play, which also ranks first. In the first matchup with Creighton, UConn had one of its worst offensive performances of the season in a 59-55 loss, with Polley and Hawkins combining to go 0-7 from the field and the team 5-21 from deep. If the pair can hit a handful of 3-pointers and open up the team’s spacing, it will open up the team’s spacing and give them a leg up in what will probably be a low-scoring and physical game. If they can get to the line, that would be valuable as well since the Bluejays normally allow few foul attempts. While the Huskies should be able to perform well on offense against DePaul, it would be great for Polley to end his regular season career with a strong performance on Senior Day.

Adama Sanago needs to end the regular season with a bang

Adama had arguably his worst game of the season Sunday against Georgetown, especially considering the level of competition. He fouled out in just 18 minutes, putting up only 6 points and 2 rebounds while committing 5 turnovers. Sanago seemed disengaged and let the refs quick whistle affect him, and with the rest of the offense humming teammates didn’t look for him as much as normal. Sanago needs to stay out of foul trouble and avoid ones out on the perimeter against Creighton and DePaul while playing disciplined on offense. That means establishing position in the paint and not forcing shots out too far from the basket, and passing the ball back out effectively if he does not have good position, which will help Sanago to avoid turnovers. Finally, he will need to block out effectively on both ends and put himself in position for putbacks.

Sanago also struggled to score in the first game against Creighton, putting up 8 on just 3-10 shooting, and had only one block. His performance against DePaul was also mediocre, as he only finished with 10 points. The Bluejays are tremendous at depending in the paint and allow opponents to shoot just 43.4% on 2-pointers, eighth-lowest in the country. Against their big front line, Sanago will need to establish position deep have success in the paint early and often, while passing out successfully when necessary and to avoid turnovers. The sophomore has shown the ability to play very well against big men he struggled against in rematches (he just did last week against Villanova and Eric Dixon), and I am confident he will do so against Creighton and then continue to stay engaged and have a good game Sunday against the Demon Deacons.

Avoid turnovers!!

I realize the 16 turnovers UConn had against Georgetown was somewhat of an outlier, as they were largely the result of Sanogo’s struggles and then the benchwarmers not being prepared for the Hoyas press in the last two minutes of the game. Still, the Huskies are a team that has enormous struggles taking care of the ball at times, especially in conference play (their turnover percentage of 18.3% is eighth in the Big East). Even though Creighton’s defense does not force many turnovers and UConn had just nine against them in the first game, we have seen the offense have multiple games where they committed costly unforced turnovers against teams that don’t rely on forcing them.

To carry over their success at limiting turnovers from the Villanova and Seton Hall wins, the Huskies offense must make sure not to force passes to players who are well-defended or not ready, avoid playing out of control and make sure that they throw the ball over defenders if they are being pressed or trapped, especially along the baseline. The UConn players also need to make sure that they have a tight grip on the ball and are dribbling the ball high to make the team less susceptible to steals. Among the players, Sanago, Whaley and Tyrese Martin must do their best to avoid the turnover issues they have experienced recently, while Andre Jackson needs to continue distributing the ball efficiently while not forcing passes or trying to make plays that are overly flashy.

The defense needs to be more disciplined, especially when guarding the 3-point line

UConn’s defensive effort was lousy for most of the second half against Georgetown, which came into the game as the worst offense in the Big East. It did a poor job of guarding the rim and fouled way too much (though a late of that was on poor officiating), and the help defense was frequently too late both at the rim and on the perimeter. In general, the Huskies did not look like they were trying to extend much defensive effort once they got a comfortable lead, resulting in 1.15 points per possession. While I expect a much more robust effort against Creighton, a mediocre offensive squad that doesn’t shoot very well, UConn has struggled to guard the paint at times during February, even in wins, and their 3-point defense is eighth in conference play. Against a Bluejays squad that commits a lot of turnovers, the Huskies will need to avoid being beaten off the dribble and play tight defense without fouling, while also pressuring the ballhandlers to make steals more likely. At the same time, UConn will need to consistently provide help defense when necessary and avoid giving Creighton too many open looks from three. It shot 9-17 in the first matchup with UConn, arguably the biggest factor in their win. While DePaul is a weak offensive team, the Huskies need to continue playing good defense against it to give them momentum heading into the Big East tournament.

Observations on the Win Against Villanova: UConn Sticks the Landing, Sanago and Whaley Own the Paint and the Importance of Ball Control

What can you say about UConn’s 71-69 win against Villanova on Tuesday night?

The most important win the program has had in the post-2014 era? Check. A win that demonstrated to college basketball fans the program cannot only challenge but beat the best of the Big East and that it is on the cusp of being a national power again? Check. An indication that the Huskies are gelling and playing their best at the right time? Check. I have more to talk about in regards to the importance of this win elsewhere on the blog. As far as observations go, however, the essential observation I had right after the win was that UConn was facing an excellent Villanova squad having a good night, and yet didn’t flinch and executed a great game pan that took advantage of the team’s biggest strengths and allowed them to overcome the Wildcats.

The resolve that the Huskies showed throughout the game, helped by the encouragement of the wonderful XL Center crowd, was admirable. After they got off to a very quick start led by Adama Sango, they consistently responded to Villanova’s baskets to keep it a back-and-forth game. When Dan Hurley was ejected with just under five minutes remaining in the first half (more on his ejection near the end of the article) and the Wildcats scored five points off of his two technical to go up 29-24, UConn could have tried to force the action or become flustered and fallen further behind by halftime. Instead, Kimani Young took over as head coach and the trio of R.J. Cole, Sanago and Isiah Whaley all made tough baskets and the defense clamped down to ensure the team led by one (33-32) at halftime.

Throughout much of the second half, the Huskies kept up its high level of play even as Villanova did everything it could to gain control of the game. They came out like gangbusters and scored 10 points in less than three minutes to take a 43-36 lead, with Tyrese Martin draining two 3-pointers during this stretch. After the Wildcats quickly drained two threes to make it a one-point game, the next 10 minutes of game action were frustrating for UConn, as Villanova drained a succession of threes despite good challenges from Husky defenders and their offense struggled to score at the rim. With 7:55 remaining, Colin Gillespie hit a three to put his squad up 56-54. Again, UConn would not go easy, scoring five consecutive points in the next minute, including a three by Tyler Polley off a gorgeous pass by Andre Jackson, to go back up by three.

While the Huskies were largely able to shut off the paint, the Wildcats used their excellent ability to force contact to get to the free throw line and regain the lead. Adama Sanago scored four points to retie the game at 65, but free throws by Gillespie and Brandon Slater put ‘Nova up 69-65 with just 30 seconds left. With Villanova getting to the line at will and the Huskies struggling with turnovers for the first time all game, I have that I didn’t have much hope that the team could rally and win the game in that short of time. Luckily for me, I was mistaken. Young and UConn did everything right on both sides of the ball to pull off the comeback, setting off a wild celebration for fans at both the XL and elsewhere.

While the Huskies have had a very impressive February in general and are now on a four-game win streak where they have beat a quartet of squads that will or almost definitely make the NCAA Tournament, Tuesday night’s win was a clear indication that UConn can beat anyone and go on a deep run during March Madness. It also allowed the Huskies, who are third in the conference standings, to get revenge on a Wildcats program that have defeated them five consecutive times since 2014. They may still be the class of the conference, but its clear that UConn (and surprisingly Providence) will have something to say about this both now and in coming seasons.

There were a million observations on UConn’s win I have had from the minute after the game ended until now. Just a few of these described below include the decision-making and execution of Young and his players in the final 30 minutes, the Huskies ability to own the paint behind Sanago and Whaley, the importance of the team’s improvement from beyond the 3-point line, and the unforgettable ejection of Hurley. Enjoy.

Kamani Young and the Seniors Execute a Beautiful Comeback

If an uninformed viewer flipped on a TV during Tuesday’s game and had no prior knowledge that Young was an assistant (officially associate head coach) with no prior game coaching experience, they would probably think Young was an old pro as a head coach. In contrast to the always animated Hurley, Young projected an air of confidence and coolness while still strongly encouraging his players. If he was nervous, he certainly didn’t show it. Young did a good job of managing minutes, especially for Cole, and the offensive sets generally looked like they were run pretty efficiently, with the team ultimately finishing with 15 assists to Villanova’s 9. UConn also didn’t go on any extended periods of defensive lapses with Young on the bench.

Young made an especially memorable mark in the final 26 seconds with UConn trailing Villanova 69-65, with Polley, Cole and Martin executing his plays to a T. First, Young called a timeout to go over the next play and inserted Polley as the first option. The play design to set up Polley’s 3 began with a handoff from Andre Jackson to Polley, but having Martin and Cole right off the ball as scoring options made it so defenders were unable to help right away, and gave Polley the option to find either Martin or Cole on the wings as well as take the three. Polley made the right decision, each player was prepared and the basket came in just five seconds, allowing UConn plenty of time to make a quality stand on defense to get the ball back.

It was very smart of Young to tell the Huskies to pressure the Villanova player who got the ball after a basket and try and force a held ball (Cole ultimately was credited with the held ball and turnover) or turnover instead of just immediately fouling. While one can debate whether the held ball on Gillespie that gave them the ball back via the possession arrow was actually a held ball or foul (I am still not sure), it was clear the defense flustered Gillespie and put him in a dangerous situation, as it was clear the star was just trying to earn a foul and not make a basketball play. If the team had instead immediately fouled, they would have to face putting one of the best foul shooters in the country on the line and then almost definitely be down by three with less than 20 seconds remaining. Instead, UConn got the ball back trailing 69-68 with 17 seconds remaining, and Cole was set up for his signature play of his Huskies career (so far).

On Cole’s go-ahead basket with five seconds remaining, the two dribble handoffs that got the point guard isolated on the right side of the court and allowed Sanago to set a ball screen and be a decoy, leaving the right side totally open for Cole to drive. This great misdirection allowed Cole to go into the open paint carrying the ball on his right hip and Brandon Slater too late to get back and successfully challenge the layup. Young and his players understand how they could leave the Wildcats defenders vulnerable, and that Cole was ultimately the right man to guarantee them the win. He did that seconds later with the charge he drew on Gillespie, the last illustration of how the Huskies were able to limit the All-American inside the arc for 40 minutes.

Young and the aforementioned players are at the point of the season where they understand the strengths of both the team and individual players on both ends, and with the help Hurley they demonstrated that knowledge in the final 0:26. Earlier in the season I wouldn’t think a win like this was possible, especially with Hurley not on the bench, but now I am at the point where I can expect it. Thank you Kamani Young. Let’s hope you’re not snatched up to be the head coach at another program too soon.

Whaley and Sanago Set the Tone on Both Ends

Sanago concluded a signature 3-game stretch with 20 points on 8-14 shooting, 6rebounds, and 3! assists, adding 2 blocks for good measure. Against Seton Hall, Xavier and Villanova, the sophomore averaged 18.3 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2 blocks, demonstrating why he is going to be an All-Big East player. Against Villanova, Sanago continued to demonstrate his improved shot selection and positioning, establishing deep position for easy layups or jumpers. While Sanago missed a couple of bunnies, he more than made up for this with his passing, delivering a couple of pinpoint passes to others for layups or jumpers, and also avoided making any turnovers. Finally, Sanago took advantage of his opportunities at the charity stripe, knocking down 4-5 free throws. In comparison to his offensive performance in the game against the Wildcats nearly three weeks ago, Sanago took much better care of the ball and passed it back out when it was smart, his footwork was much more delicate and he got up for rebounds more effectively. The Sanago we saw at the XL Center Tuesday on offense demonstrated a ton of intelligence, strength and shot making ability.

Sanago was nearly as valuable on defense as he was on offense against the Wildcats, however. After being limited by his early foul trouble in the team’s first meeting, Sanago was able to avoid it to a large extent and did an excellent job of primarily guarding Eric Dixon. Dixon, who had 24 points and 12 rebounds in the team’s first tilt, made only one field goal on four attempts and committed two turnovers. Sanago also played reliable help defense on Jermaine Samuels, Gillespie and others.

While Sanago has more or less been pretty reliable all season, Whaley has been all over the place on offense and his defense has even been inconsistent at times. Starting with the second St. John’s win however, the super senior has been a rock on both ends when given the opportunity. Whaley had one of his most efficient offensive games of the season against Villanova, scoring 13 points on 4-5 shooting and going 4-4 from the line. Whaley, who grabbed three offensive rebounds, did an excellent job of beating defenders at the rim or earning putbacks and also stepped back for a key 3-pointer. With Sanago and Whaley leading the way, UConn absolutely dominated the Wildcats in the paint at times.

While he had just one block and no steals, Whaley’s outstanding defense on Tuesday was highly evident when you watched him defend Gillespie, a task he shared with Jackson. Whaley gave Gillespie littler room to maneuver with the ball, forcing him into either tough shots or stalled dribbles that hurt Villanova’s ball movement inside the arc. He and Jackson forced Gillespie into five turnovers and limited him to just four 2-point attempts. Factor in Whaley’s help defense on Villanova’s other guards as well as Gillespie, which helped lead to 14 turnovers, and you can see how Whaley’s speed and strength can allow him to be a great defender against various opponents come tournament time if he stays disciplined.

The Huskies Look Like a Different Team When Knocking Down 3-Pointers

While UConn was terrible at shooting 3-pointers against Seton Hall (4-18), they’ve been very effective beyond the arc in the remainder of the six most recent games starting with the Marquette win. They shot at least 33% in those other games, and against Xavier and Villanova it has shot over 40%, including 10-24 against the Wildcats. The improvement in the last two games was significantly driven by the awakening of Polley, who was 3-3 against the Musketeers and 3-6 against Villanova. Martin was almost as valuable as Polley against them, shooting 3-7 from deep and draining two huge threes at the beginning of the second half to give the Huskies momentum. Cole has shot solid from deep recently and Whaley and Jordan Hawkins have made important contributions from there at times as well. Even if Polley and Martin have been the most dangerous shooters on the team, having so many players capable from deep makes it tougher on defenses.

When UConn is knocking down threes (or at least shows a threat of doing so), it especially makes this offense more dangerous. Most obviously, effective outside shooting spreads the floor for Sanago and to a lesser extent Whaley, and makes it much easier for them to operate efficiently in the paint. It does the same for Cole when he drives for layups, as otherwise Cole’s height makes it much more difficult for him to score against large guards. If Jackson or Hawkins can better develop their 3-point shooting, then it will allow them to pull of shot fakes and drive for baskets easier.

The biggest exhibit for how much UConn’s improved 3-point shooting has helped them is that the team has easily scored more than a point per possession in six of the last seven games, with the exception being the 63-60 win at St. John’s on the 13th. The Huskies will for sure have another game or two where they struggle heavily from deep this season, but they have generally been better at shooting from deep then I thought they would be (86^th in the country and fourth in the Big East) and can beat anyone if Polley and or Martin is on point from there.

UConn Finally Impresses With its Ball-Handling

After a Xavier win in which the Huskies nearly fell apart in the second half due to turnover issues and ultimately committed 18, they had a huge incentive to show they could be a disciplined offensive team. It was a challenge for the team to do so against a great Villanova defense, but UConn made it look easy while also making it seem like Villanova was the team who had issues with ball security.

There were a few factors that allowed for UConn to handle the ball better on Tuesday. First, the Huskies ran tight offensive sets that demonstrated a lot of flow and emphasized ball movement and screens. For example, they rarely tried to force the ball too much into Sanago. In multiple games this season that has allowed opponents to get multiple easy steals, with the previous win over the Musketeers being a prime example. While Cole did a smooth job of running the offense like always, it was Jackson who was the most dynamic guard on offense. The sophomore finished with eight assists against just one turnover. While he certainly threw some impressive passes and set teammates up for easy baskets, Jackson was also in control and did not try to fire off passes’ teammates would not be ready for or that were uncatchable, a huge Achilles heel of his. Hopefully, the lessons Hurley, Young and the remainder of the coaching staff have tried to install in Jackson about the importance of being a disciplined passer are slowly paying off.

In addition to Cole and Jackson, multiple other plays demonstrated strong passing and ball-handling against Villanova. I already mentioned Sanago, and Martin had only one turnover after a sloppy performance the previous game. Jalen Gaffney gave Cole some valuable rest and did a much better job of running the offense then at most points this season. While Hawkins isn’t handling the ball much per say, he definitely seems to be more patient with it and is avoiding the senseless turnovers he was committing up until early this month. Only Whaley, who had four turnovers, fell into the trap of trying to do too much with the ball.

UConn will have a tough time with ball-handling frequently just because of the fact that they do not have a second reliable guard behind Cole who can also shoot, but when they play smoothly it can be pretty to watch and the team has more chances for good shooting opportunities, as well as opportunities for offensive rebounds. We’ll see if this was a special exception or if the team can largely avoid the turnover blues going forward.

Observations on Last Week’s Wins: Polley Wake Up, Cole Asserts His Importance and the Danger of Turnovers

Right now, all UConn men’s basketball fans have a right to feel giddy. The Huskies have won three games in a row and four of five against strong opponents, and this week moved up to the No. 21 spot in the AP Poll. The attention being paid to the program and the rising attendance at games the last two weeks indicates that there is the most excitement around the program in at least six years. And now with Villanova traveling to the XL Center Tuesday night in front of a packed house, the Huskies, now 19-7 and 10-5 in the Big East, could win their biggest regular season game arguably since the early days of the AAC, when Louisville was still a member. And yet, there are still a lot of questions and doubts surrounding the team even after impressive wins against Seton Hann and Xavier.

The wins against the Pirates and Musketeers, both at Gampel, were similar in a lot of ways. While UConn was strong on offense overall, it was their defense and rebounding which distinguished their play as a team. Both games featured excellent performances by RJ Cole and Adama Sanago, with the pair getting just enough help from their teammates to close out the games efficiently. Neither team was able to put together a full 40 minutes in either win, as the Huskies started slow against Seton Hall and had an ugly second half against Xavier, but they also showed confidence and teamwork even when things weren’t going right. The enthusiastic crowds at Gampel certainly helped.

With the game against Villanova looming, it’s appropriate to look back on the positive and negative observations to take from last week’s wins. These include the play of Adama and RJ, the defense and rebounding, and the continued struggles with turnovers.

RJ Cole and Adama Sanago set the Tone for UConn

The further we get into the season, the more appreciation I get for R.J. Cole. Most fans are very fond of Cole, but it can be hard to comprehend just how important he is to the program unless you regularly watch UConn. Cole is the one player who can be a consistent playmaker and can be relayed upon to hit tough shots or get to the free throw line. While the senior isn’t a natural point guard and can sometimes become too focused on getting his shot in expense of others, he is a reliable ball-handler and passer and does a quality job of avoiding turnovers. Cole’s strong defense can occasionally be negated by his lack of height, but there is no double he is one of the Huskies best two-way players and is especially good at earning steals and drawing charges. Finally, while Cole isn’t normally a vocal leader, it is clear he brings a sense of stability to the offense and inspires his teammates to be more disciplined. Just look at how much smoother the offense frequently appears with him at the point in contrast to others. Not bad from a transfer who jumped from a low major to the big bad Big East.

While Cole had a strong day in the 70-65 win against Seton Hall (16 points on 7-11 shooting and three assists), Xavier was one of his signature performances of the season. After UConn began the second half committing turnovers on seemingly every play and Cole was briefly forced to the bench due to earning a third foul, the Huskies came close to blowing a 17-point halftime lead and as Tyrese Martin and Jalen Gaffney could not effectively run the offense. Once Dan Hurley brought Cole back to the floor with about 13 minutes to go, the team slowly became calmer and more disciplined. With others struggling to hit shots, Cole helped carry the offensive load as he drove for a couple of layups and set Jordan Hawkins up for a back-breaking three to put UConn up 59-50. With his offensive play and solid defense, Cole got the team back on track and allowed them to slowly pull away from the Musketeers. While Cole will struggle to score more against Villanova’s big guards, I am confident he is capable of running the offense with the same efficiency he showed on Saturday.

Sanago did a great job last week and especially in the Seton Hall win of re-asserting his dominance after the foul trouble that limited him against Villanova and Xavier in the first matchup. Against Seton Hall, Sanago did an outstanding job of asserting his dominance early, recorded 12 and 9 rebounds in the first half, and managed to play discipled defense with only foul in 32 minutes while blocking three shots. He allowed UConn to get off to a great start and withstand the Pirates comeback later in the first half, and then made some big baskets in the second to put the Huskies in control. Against Xavier, the sophomore really didn’t do anything scoring-wise after the first 2-0 minutes when he pushed around their defenders for 15, but he continued to rebound and finished with nine boards, four offensive, and two blocks. Finally, Sanago again only had one foul in 38 minutes. The only negative for Sanago against Xavier was his four turnovers, but Hurley admitted after the game that this was partly due to the team trying to force the ball into Sanago to much at the beginning of the second. Villanova is a tough matchup for Sanago, but as long as he can find a way to stay out of foul trouble and not force shots, he’s very capable of having a quality day.

Tyler Polley Provides a Shot in the Arm

As his is style, Polley’s season has been all over the place. The super senior’s main role is supposed to be that of team’s 3-point specialist and sniper, but Polley’s numbers from beyond the arc had been down for the second consecutive season, as he came into the Xavier game shooting 33.9% in conference play. Polley had gone 1-9 from there in the previous three games, and had not hit more than two 3-pointers in one since a 3-4 day in the first St. John’s game. A lot of factors went into Polley underperforming from deep, including defenses constantly keying in on him, Pollfive ey not getting set for shots, and teammates not doing a good enough job of finding him when he was open. To his credit, Polley has played solid defense and extremely valuable late in the game as a free throw shooter, but he needed a game where he filled his niche. Enter Saturday against Xavier.

Polley’s shot was completely on point against Xavier. He easily drained the trio of threes he took, even when they were well-defended. Polley used shot fakes and step-backs to give himself room on the shots, something he doesn’t do enough when taking threes. Add a midrange jumper and five three throws (including three he earned when fouled on a 3-point attempt, and it added up to 16 points, Polley’s third highest total of the season and first double-digit scoring game since January 18th. Polley also did an excellent job of using his height to break Xavier’s press late in the game. He gave the Huskies a lot of momentum early with his shooting and then executed well on both ends to pull the game out. That’s the mark of a senior leader and what they are looking for from Polley.

As many have said, Polley can be an ex-factor for UConn the remainder of the season. If he is on from deep and finding other ways to score while also playing solid defense, than that could elevate UConn’s offensive ceiling and allow them to beat any opponent if the team is also playing solid in other areas. Meanwhile, if the performance at Xavier is an anomaly and Polley returns to being very inconsistent from deep and a non-entity on offense at times, then the Huskies will find it that much harder to score and more pressure will be put on the team’s top players (Cole, Adama and Tyrese Martin). A lot of it will depend on his teammates, but Polley can make a new legacy at UConn the remainder of the regular season and come tournament time.

UConn Reestablishes its Identity as a Defense and Rebounding First Team

In the losses to Villanova and Xavier, UConn underperformed on the defensive end, especially with guarding the paint, and did not control the defensive boards and gave up too many second-chance opportunities. While it was understandable the Huskies would have trouble shutting down an elite offense it doesn’t match up with well, it didn’t make much sense on paper against Xavier, which has had a mediocre offense in Big East play. It was also very disappointing to see that UConn underperformed on the boards against both teams, as they should have been able to effectively use their size and athleticism to get the upper hand on Wildcats and Musketeers players.

Against Seton Hall and Xavier, the defense built on its performance against St. John’s and was completely dominant at times. It held the Pirates and Musketeers to 42.6% and 38.3% inside the arc, and limited Xavier to 5-17 shooting from three. It also held Xavier to 0.90 points per possession, and limited star guard Paul Scruggs to 3 points. UConn earned six blocks in both games, with Sanago earning three in the first game and Whaley four in the second. In both wins, the defense did an excellent job of defending and altering shots at the rim and ramping up ball pressure. Against Xavier, the Huskies did a much better job of defending from behind the arc then they have recently, and the player’s help defense was extremely efficient. In both games, the defense kept their opponents from going on long runs and were able to recover from a few lax possessions or brief struggles. That ability to suffocate the defense and generate offense from that is what can make UConn an elite team, and I am confident it can continue to play at a high level as long as the defense is creative.

It was also great to see the team elevate its rebounding after a few games where it underperformed. Sanogo’s ability to avoid fouls against both teams and go up to get offensive rebounds allowed him to fulfill his destiny as a great all-around big man. Martin had double-digit rebounding games against both Seton Hall and Xavier, and it was smart of him to focus on rebounding and defense when his shot wasn’t falling on Saturday. And Whaley and Andre Jackson were a nuisance on the boards, as they always are. UConn needs to keep up its energy and box out to continue that level of rebounding against Villanova, especially on the offensive end. If it doesn’t rebound well against ‘Nova, I see no possibility of the team winning.

The Huskies Decision Making When Moving the Ball Needs to be Better

Ahhh, the opening minutes of the second half against Xavier. Where to begin? I don’t remember any game I watched where a team committed so many turnovers in almost no time (10 in the first seven minutes of the second, to be precise), and how many of them were preventable. Yes, Xavier did a great job of ramping up its defense to start the second and were pressuring ball handlers. But there’s no excuse for Jackson, Jalen Gaffney and Martin throwing sloppy and off-target passes inside to no one in particular, and resulting in baskets for the Musketeers. The Huskies were stubborn about forcing the ball into Sanago even when he was very well-defended (Hurley admitted after the game that the team was too focused on doing this), and for some inexplicable reason Jackson was out of the game when Cole was sitting due to foul trouble, leaving the team with no reliable ball-handler against a pressure defense. UConn has to do a better job of substituting in situations like this, and it needs to look at film to better understand what went wrong during this stretch and how the team can still handle the ball effectively if Cole is sitting. That stretch was inexcusable, and it cannot happen again.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UConn Shows its Toughness and Composure in Final Minutes

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

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

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

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

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

Tyrese Martin, Swiss Army Knife

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

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

Defense and Rebounding Operating on Full Cylinders

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

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

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

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

Sanago Limited Yet Again

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

Observations on Villanova and Marquette Games: The Huskies Show Their Best and Worst Qualities Against Tough Opponents

I am not going to waste a lot of time going into full details about how UConn’s loss at Villanova and win over Marquette played out, as I am sure readers (and me myself as well) are more interested in my more direct observations on these two games and how the Huskies performances contrasted each other, as well as other observations. Suffice to say, I felt very down on the team after the Villanova loss and the win over Marquette somewhat renewed my confidence in them. I’ll have a much clearer picture of my feelings after tonight’s contest at Xavier.

While UConn “only” lost by 11 (85-74) against the No. 15 Wildcats last Sunday, the game was nowhere near that close. They possess one of the best offenses in the country and are a particularly tough matchup for the Huskies due to playing with four guys on the perimeter, shooting and ball movement. Despite possessing more size than Villanova and top scorer Justin Moore being out with an injury, UConn was helpless to stop the Wildcats inside, particularly Eric Dixon (24 points and 12 rebounds), and had defensive breakdowns there as well as on the perimeter. Once Isiah Whaley and Adama Sanago each picked up two fouls in the opening minutes and UConn shot 36% in the first half, it was clear that it was on its way to being blown out against the Big East’s premier program.

The Huskies were visibly desperate to win at home Tuesday after consecutive losses to Creighton and ‘Nova and facing an opponent that had won eight of nine. This paid off with an 80-72 win, their most important of the season and one of their most complete efforts. The offense was very efficient in the first half, shooting 59% percent as the team went up 46-36. While the offense slowed down in the second half, UConn continued to dominate the boards and their defense was solid. The Huskies outrebounded the Golden Eagles 46-27 and had 20 second-chance points to Marquette’s 11. They closed the game out well after Marquette got within three points twice in the second half, going on a 9-0 run with six minutes right to take a nine-point lead and essentially lock up the win. As discussed more below, Sanago and Tyrese Martin had big games, two players who needed to get going for UConn.

As the Huskies look to maintain momentum against Xavier, let’s examine observations I had about the two most recent games pertaining to both overall performances as well as those of certain players.

It’s Amazing How Different a Team Looks When It’s Knocking Down Shots, Isn’t it?

The UConn offense looked pretty putrid in the first three quarters, scoring just 44 points to fall behind by 19. In the first half and much of the third quarter, it chose poor shots and the offense looked sluggish, featuring very little ball movement or well=executed sets. With the Huskies again struggling from the perimeter for the third consecutive game and Whaley and Sanago dealing with first-half foul trouble, UConn could not stretch the floor and operate inside efficiently. With the frequent absence of Whaley and Sanago and others not picking up the slack, it did not get its usual putback opportunities and got killed on the boards overall against a Villanova team that focuses much less on getting rebounds, grabbing just 20 boards to the Wildcats 28. The Huskies offense finally woke up in the fourth, scoring 30 points and shooting over 60% against a Villanova squad that had taken their foot off the gas. It did a better job of sharing and handling the ball and finally began to hit perimeter shots, with Jordan Hawkins knocking down three. Cole would finish with 25 points and Martin and Sanago 14. Still, UConn had no shot on winning after such a bad start and allowing Villanova to shoot 59.2% and have three players score 16 or more points.

The Huskies offensive performance to end Sunday’s game was a harbinger of things to come against Marquette, especially in its first half. The offense was excellent from the opening tip and especially caught fire 10 minutes in when UConn established control with a 17-3 run that gave it a 38-24 lead. The Huskies moved the ball very well and were able to open up space for Sanago to operate by getting Hawkins and Tyler Polley going (the pair each knocked down multiple 3-pointers). Sanago bullied defenders to the tune of 14 first-half points, and UConn’s excellent defensive rebounding allowed it to get down the floor quickly and score 15 fastbreak points.

While the offense slowed down in the second half as the game became much more physical and it had cold stretches, Sanago and Martin continued to score effectively and the Huskies managed to go on valuable runs. They especially did an outstanding job of forcing contact and getting to the free throw line and knocked down 20 of 23 attempts (87%), including 6-8 by Sanago.

UConn ended up shooting 47.4% and had five players score at least nine points. Martin, who was a beast on the boards and did a great job of maneuvering through the defense to get good shots, finished with 18, 15 rebounds and 3 assists on 8-15 shooting. Sanago went for 24 and 15 and Hawkins and Polley each scored eight. While the Huskies finished with 14 turnovers, six were by Sanago and they generally did a better job of handling the ball and finding open teammates at the rim or beyond the arc. Considering the level of the opponent, this was arguably the team’s best offensive performance so far.

Owning the Glass

While Villanova is no slouch at rebounding, UConn’s inability to win at or least be competitive on the boards Sunday was extremely surprising. The rebounding gap of -8 was the largest UConn has had this season. A lot of different factors played out in these struggles. Villanova did an excellent job of boxing out despite the Huskies height advantage and consistently beat them to long rebounds or loose balls, resulting in many more second-chance opportunities for the Wildcats (they had 20 offensive rebounds to UConn’s 13. The foul troubles of Sanago and Whaley meant there were less opportunities for putbacks, and neither Andre Jackson or Martin stepped up and earned offensive rebounds. Most importantly, Villanova just looked stronger and more athletic than UConn and the effort level just wasn’t there for the Huskies, especially as they fell behind a ton. Hurley was extremely frustrated by UConn’s poor rebounding and overall effort after the game and he had good reason to be.

As I already wrote, UConn had a huge advantage on the boards against Marquette (46-27), a quality rebounding time with good size. While the Huskies were strong on the offensive boards, where they beat the Golden Eagles 14-10 and got five each from Sanago and Martin, it was the defensive boards where they made the biggest difference, beating Marquette 32-17. Behind Sanago and Martin, who had 10 each on that end, the Huskies were consistently able to limit Marquette to one shooting opportunity. Even more than with offensive rebounds, their defensive ones led to fastbreak baskets or quality shots and opportunities at the free throw line. It was clear that UConn’s rebounding neutralized the Golden Eagles fast paced offense and eventually wore them down. Outside of the team’s 17-3 run, the signature sequence of the game for the Huskies came late in the second up eight with 1:47 remaining when the Huskies grabbed three consecutive offensive rebounds before Jackson was finally fouled and made one of two. That sequence basically clinched the game and demonstrated the effort and toughness Hurley has been looking for the past few games. Hopefully it will be present against Xavier as well.

Starting and Ending Games Well is Critical to Success

While UConn actually started the game OK at Villanova, trailing just 15-12 when the second TV timeout came 8:29 in, the foul trouble of Whaley and Sanago and UConn’s poor shot selection and inability to hit a jumper weighed on them. Villanova began dominating the Huskies inside and Gillespie closed out the first half with two 3-pointers. The Huskies started the half OK and cut the deficit to seven, but the Wildcats went on a 12-0 run to seal the game with roughly 12 minutes to go, dominating the Huskies on both ends.

I’ve already gone into detail about UConn’s solid offensive start against Marquette and their ability to go on a big run to establish a decisive first half lead. However, it was its ability to counter every run Marquette went on in the second half that won it the game. When Greg Elliot and Daryl Morsell hot threes and Oso Ighodaro made two free throws to cut the Huskies lead to 53-52 with 11:56 remaining, the team made six free throws and Martin hit a jumper while forcing 11 consecutive Marquette misses to push their lead back to 11 with 7:39 to go. The Golden Eagles answered quickly with eight straight points, but a hook shot by Sanago and three from Martin gave UConn a nine point lead, with it closing the game out at the 11. The Huskies showed great composure and found scoring opportunities to maintain the lead. It’s only one game, but this demonstrated to the players, Hurley and fans that they can execute to win games late against quality conference opponents.

Observations on last Two games: UConn Comes Up Small on Offense and Big on D, Bench is Absent, and R.J at his Best and Worst

By all reasonable metrics, myself and other readers and devoted fans of the Huskies should be pretty satisfied with how the season has played out. UConn is 15-5 and 6-3 in the Big East, just came off of a five-game win streak and in the top 25 in both the AP polls and multiple ranking systems like NET and KenPom. In addition, the team has a few impressive wins already, including one of the best of the entire college basketball season against No. 1 Auburn. And yet the last five days have been extremely stressful for Husky fans, especially after Tuesday’s 59-55 home less to Creighton.

The Huskies quickly morphed from one of the best offenses in the Big East to one that struggled to create shots and convert on quality opportunities against DePaul in a 57-50 win and the Bluejays, as well as being way too reliant one or two players. Combine fears of a limited offense with the Huskies issue of winning close games, and everybody is on edge going into Saturday’s game a t powerhouse Villanova and then a tough schedule for the remainder of February.

After six consecutive games in which UConn scored at least 75 points and demonstrated depth and ability to shoot from the perimeter, that came to a screeching halt against DePaul (10-10, 1-9) last Saturday. The Huskies missed a ton of open shots and struggled with careless ball-handling, went into halftime struggling 29-28 and really didn’t gain control of the game until midway in the second half. R.J. Cole single-handily kept his team in the game in the first half, as the redshirt senior made a serious of tough layups and jumpers on his way to 16 of their first 21 points.

In the second Adama Sanago gave UConn a huge lift by scoring six consecutive points to open the game and Cole continued his brilliant play. A relentless defense limited the Demon Deacons to just six points in the first 10 minutes of the half and the Huskies did enough from there to secure a hard-fought win. Cole finished with 25 points on 9-17 shooting and 5-5 at the free throw line and Sanago had 10 and eight rebounds. Andre Jackson scores seven points, snatched 13 rebounds and added three assists. The Huskies shot just 37% overall and 2-15 from three, but took control of the game in the second half partly by dominating the boards, where they outrebounded DePaul 45-35. Besides Javan and Brandon Johnson, who scored a combined 32 points, no one else on their squad scored more than seven as they shot 28.8%.

I’ll go into specific details about the Creighton game a lot more below, but it was extremely painful to watch the 59-55 loss. The Bluejays (13-7, 5-4 as of Monday morning) entered the game coming off two tough losses and on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament, and from the opening tip looked more energetic and stronger than UConn. It shot just 28.6%, with the Huskies ever forcing shots against a big and physical defense or missing wide-open shots. Against one of the best rebounding teams in the country, Creighton outrebounded UConn 27-16 and earned 11 second-chance points in the first half. The Huskies did a poor job boxing out around the rim and getting to loose balls. They managed to stay in the game only due to the performance of Isiah Whaley, wo scored their first nine points and finished the half with 11 points on 5-8 shooting, and solid defense around the rim that helped hold Creighton to 40%.

The second half shared a lot of similarities with UConn’s loss to Providence in December. Its defense improved their switching and rebounding and altered more shots at the rim, and Adama Sanogo and R.J. Cole briefly stepped up to support the hot-shooting Whaley. Two threes by a wide-open Whaley tied the game at 37 with 13:18 to go, and a key Whaley block and Sanago hook shot gave the Huskies a 41-39 lead at 10:13. After the teams scored baskets for a short time, Alex O’Connell gave Creighton the lead with a dunk off a turnover by Whaley with 5:22 remaining and his team stayed in front the remainder of the game. UConn failed to make a field goal for more than seven minutes starting with 7:56 left, missing numerous open jumpers and putback attempts as Bluejays defenders continued to push them around. Despite a valiant defensive effort by the Huskies, Creighton did just enough on offense and at the free throw line to escape Hartford with a 4-point victory.

While UConn won many of the team statical categories in comparison to Creighton, its ineptitude on offense and lousy start led to its downfall Tuesday. The team ultimately shot just 29.9%, including a ridiculous 34.2%% from three, and Whaley was the 3-point offense for the Huskies, going 4-8 to his teammates 1-13. While Whaley was excellent, going for 20 and nine rebounds, no teammates was efficient on offense. Andre Jackson and Tyrese Martin combined for just 12 points on 4-20 shooting in 69 minutes, and Cole and Sanago struggled to score against Creighton’s size and physicality, ultimately finishing with a combined 23 points. Most egregiously, the Huskies four bench player scored just two points and went 0-8 from the field, with only Tyler Polley playing significant minutes (Creighton’s bench had 13, with Tyler Alexander scoring 11 points). The Bluejays may have shot just 39.3% and had more turnovers and fewer steals and blocks, but to UConn fans they are empty numbers. Hurley definitely summed up the feelings of myself and other fans when he called the loss an “embarrassment” and “stunning”.

Despite the sense of frustration after Tuesday, there are a lot of positives to take from the DePaul and Creighton contests. UConn played excellent defense, R.J and Whaley had signature performances and the team again showed the ability to rally from poor starts to take control of games. And at times they again showed the ability to dominate the glass, even if the Huskies don’t take advantage of this enough. Now, it’s time for the program to get a signature road win against a powerhouse for the first time in forever at Villanova tomorrow. Below, I talk about my observations about UConn’s offensive and defensive play the last two weeks, the impact of good Cole against bad Cole, and concerns about poor bench contribution, among other topics.

UConn Suffered on Offense in Each Game in Different Ways

Against Butler, the Huskies offensive issues were more due to missing open high-quality shots and sloppy turnovers as well as foul trouble for the big men. It’s not like Martin, Jackson, Polley and Jordan Hawkins didn’t get good open looks from the deep or the opportunity to finish at the rim. They just didn’t, for reasons like poor spacing and rushing spots to bad bounces. Jackson, Whaley and Sanago, who combined for 10 of the 13 turnovers, were too loose with the ball against a Demon Deacons squad that gave UConn a lot of trouble due to their physicality. Luckily for the Huskies, Cole was brilliant at finishing shots (more on his performance below) and Sanago and Jackson did just enough to help the offense escape Chicago with the win.

In contrast, the Huskies biggest offensive issues against Creighton were more buried in shot selection and not moving the ball effectively. In the first half, players forced a lot of midrange or 3-point attempts that they were short on or took off balance instead of looking harder for the open man. Creighton’s size and physicality made it difficult for UConn’s guards and bigs, especially Cole, to finish shots, and the Huskies found it difficult to push the pace and get fastbreak opportunities due to rebounding issues. Especially in the first half, the offense looked incredibly static and didn’t seem to be running a lot of creative sets. Who knows how much of that is on the players and then on Dan Hurley.

While the Huskies briefly got going on offense in the second half, largely thanks to Whaley, the team fell into a trap of playing hero ball and returned to being static as the BlueJays retook the lead and the clock got closer to zero. Cole, in particular, found it very difficult to finish against bigger guards. Sanago had issues establishing position deep in the paint against defender Arthur Kaluma and his teammates didn’t look for him hard enough. UConn could have made it easier for itself by scoring on putbacks or earning and making free throws, but it instead looks helpless on second-chance opportunities (Not going up hard enough? Bad technique? Poor luck? Probably a combination of all these factors). If the team could have converted on three or four more second-chance opportunities and missed fewer front end free throws, they would have one. Frankly however, the team didn’t deserve to.

The Defense was On Point for Nearly 40 Minutes in Both Games

No, the Bluejays and Demon Deacons are not anyone’s idea of offensive juggernauts, and UConn benefited from the absence of star Javon Freeman-Liberty against DePaul. However, the Huskies still have a lot to be proud of from these efforts. They shut down the paint in both games, consistently altering shots and pressuring ball-handlers using their athleticism. After poor starts in both games, UConn did a much better job of challenging perimeter shooters in second halves. UConn did a great job of keeping DePaul off the offensive boards. And most importantly, the Huskies never seemed to lack energy on defense in either game in contrast to its offense. Cole, Martin and Whaley did a particularly strong job of playing defense between the games.

Between DePaul and Creighton, the Huskies held both teams under 40% shooting, 23 turnovers, just 12 assists and only a combined 47 points in the game’s second halves. After a lackluster defensive showing against Georgetown, the defense could have easily been discouraged and slacked off in the next two games. Instead, it shook things up and demonstrated better fundamentals and communication in the following games, and that is why UConn’s identity is centered on its defense.

R.J. Cole is Jekyll and Hyde

Cole is by far UConn’s most indispensable player. When he is on, the Huskies have a dynamic player who can create shots and facilitate others and the offense runs much smoother. When Cole is contained or off and no one else steps up as a leader sand shot creator, the team is almost guaranteed to suffer a loss. Cole was absolutely brilliant in the win over DePaul. He scored 16 of UConn’s first 21 points to keep it within striking distance. Cole knocked down a series of jumpers and used his athleticism to beat defenders at the rim. In the second half, Cole continued to score effectively and facilitate well on offense while playing aggressive defense and helped close the game out at the line. He finished with 25 points and five rebounds.

The Creighton loss showed how thin the line is between winning and losing for UConn when Cole doesn’t play well. The Bluejays weren’t a great matchup for the redshirt senior with their size and physicality, and with almost no teammates playing well everything was put on Cole’s shoulders. He could not score effectively at the rim, and when Cole’s outside shots weren’t falling at the beginning of the game, he seemed to lose confidence in them. While Cole struggled to get to the line, he missed multiple key free throws late that helped kill a UConn rally, a mistake that is inexcusable for someone that is almost automatic at the charity stripe. By the end too much was being asked of Cole on both ends and it clear he was completely fatigued.

Even with his poor play against Creighton, I don’t put too much blame on him for the loss. Cole was doing his best to provide leadership and play excellent defense as well on offense, and ultimately the challenge was too big for him against a team that is a bad matchup. While Cole needs to be more efficient offensively, he cannot be at his best unless others are making outside shots to open up the lane for him. When Cole has performances like Tuesday’s it shows just how glaring the absence of more shot creators and a reliable backup point guard is for the Huskies.

Another Game, Another Slow Start

It seems like you can count on one hand the number of games UConn has gotten off to a quick start, no matter the level of competition. The team fell behind by double digits early in the first half against both DePaul and Creighton, with the defense and a single player (Cole against DePaul and Whaley against Creighton) keeping the offense afloat before it improved its play in the second half. In the opening half against Creighton, everyone named Isiah shot just 18.5% Such slow starts will put heavy pressure on the team and certain players as the Huskies force even tougher competition in February starting with Villanova tomorrow. There is a lot of adjustments the team can make to get going earlier, such as increasing the pace of play, running more creative sets and changing around the starting lineup, which Hurley has alluded to. Whatever is done, a team supposedly at the level should not experience this issue again and again.

The Bench is Nonexistent

Against DePaul and Creighton, the bench of Tyler Polley, Jalen Gaffney, Jordan Hawkins and Akok Akok scored a combined six points while making just one field goal and missing all their 3-pointers despite Hawkins and Polley’s reputation as 3-point specialists. With none of the quartet reliable against the opponents and Polley the only one playing a large number of minutes, it is understandable that the starters tired against Creighton and in other games, especially Cole. The depth Dan Hurley talked about before the season has largely been nonexistent outside the starters, and unless the bench starts showing up the Huskies will struggle heavily to beat the upper echelon of Big East teams. At least one of Polley and Hawkins has to be reliable every game, and Gaffney has to be able to be a reliable backup guard who can generate points off the bench (its hard to get a handle on Akok’s role at all right now). I am confident there is a decent chance UConn could kick-start the bench by experimenting with the starting lineup, but I never imagined it would be this unreliable by February.

Observations on UConn’s Win Against Georgetown: An Unforgettable Offense, the Front Line Continues to Own, and Hawkins Comes Alive

It’s fun to watch offenses dominate in all facets of the game, isn’t it? More than anything else, that’s the observation to take away from UConn’s 96-73 beatdown of Georgetown on Tuesday night at Gampel. It was one of the Huskies most complete wins of the season, and ultimately by several metrics one of the best offensive games any D-1 team has had this season and one of the five best by the program since 2002. The game also again showcased the impressive chemistry and joy the team has displayed in January. One thing is certainly clear: UConn has absolutely owned Georgetown since returning to the Big East.

The UConn offense was firing on all cylinders from the get go as they pushed the pace off Georgetown turnovers and missed shots and found Adama Sanago for open shots in the paint. Sanago opened the game with a dunk off a beautiful pass with Andre Jackson, who then had a spectacular fastbreak dunk a few possessions later. After Georgetown called its first timeout following a layup by Tyrese Martin, the Huskies began to expand their shooting range. With the help of some crisp passing, Akok Akok, Jordan Hawkins and Tyler Polley made consecutive three pointers (all assisted open), to push UConn’s lead to 28-19 with 9:28 remaining in the first half. Each trey was taken before the Hoyas defense could get set to challenge the shot.

Even as UConn was hitting everything however, Georgetown was doing a good job of keeping pace with them offensively, scoring 15 consecutive points on 3-pointers, two by Donald Carey to cut the deficit to 36-31 with 4:54 to go. The Hoyas were on fire from deep the entire first half, shooting 8-13. The defense did a poor job rotating and did not sufficiently challenge 3-pointers despite this being by far Georgetown’s biggest offensive strength.

In the last five minutes of the half the Huskies again put some distance between them and the Hoyas. Whaley scored multiple baskets off of offensive rebounds and UConn scored multiple second-chance points, taking advantage of quality ball pressure and loose handles by Georgetown players. Polley ended the half by making all his free throws after being fouled on a three to give the Huskies a 52-40 halftime lead. Martin scored 12 points in the half and his team had 11 points off turnovers. Still, the Hoyas managed to stay in the game by shooting 53.3%, with Aminu Mohammed dominating UConn inside and out to score 13.

Both offenses started slow in the second half as the game became more physical and there were unforced turnovers. UConn missed multiple shots around the rim and Georgetown struggled from the perimeter. The Huskies slowly stretched out their lead, and a fastbreak dunk and putback by Whaley putback gave him 13 points and made it 62-46 with 13:37 to go. Eventually, an open 3-pointer by Hawkins off a pass by Gaffney put the Huskies up 69-52 just before the 12-minute mark. They eventually figured out how to break the press the Hoyas started the half with to get quick shots, and focused on attacking the paint and scoring at the rim. Meanwhile, the defense, led by Whaley, did a much better job of challenging shots and rebounding at the rim to start the half and benefited from Georgetown finally getting cold from the outside.

Over the next few minutes UConn slowly built its lead. The got a great open look for Hawkins out of a timeout and he drained the three to push the lead to 20 points. Sanago then took over with six consecutive paints deep in the paint, with the final two baskets coming on pinpoint passes by Jackson from the top of the key, extending UConn’s run to 12-0, which lasted just over three minutes. During this run, the Huskies kept the Hoyas out of the paint as they missed jumper after jumper.

After a couple of baskets by Georgetown, UConn went on one last run with 7:48 to go. Sanago had a putback before it scored four points with the help of a flagrant foul, with the 9-1 run ending on a beautiful 3-pointer by Cole. The Huskies extended their lead over 30 in the final minutes as both teams emptied their benches and the Hoyas went on a scoring spree to make the final score look closer than the game was.

UConn ultimately shot exactly 50% and 41.7% 10-24) and 78.3% (18-23) from the free throw line, and the offense as a whole scored 1.45.9 points per possession. This was the best PPP mark by any team in the country this season and Five players (Sanago, Whaley, Hawkins, Cole, Martin) scored at least 13 points, with Sanago leading the way with 19 and Whaley and Hawkins tying season highs with 15. Sanago had 18 points and 8 rebounds as well as 2 blocks and steals. Whaley went for 15 and 7 and Martin 14 and 8. Cole added 7 assists and 6 rebounds, and Jackson had five dimes. Hawkins went 4-7 from three. UConn had 21 assists to 7 turnovers and 27 fast-break points, it’s best number against high major competition. It had 19 offensive rebounds to Georgetown’s 12 and outrebounded them 40-28 in total.

Georgetown shot 4% and 11-21 from three. Mohammed had 15 points and 7 rebounds and shot 3-4 from deep and Colin Holloway and Donald Carey put up 11 and 10, each making two threes. After a poor defensive effort in the first half, UConn held the Hoyas to 37% shooting in the second half. Led by Whaley, they defended much better around the rim and rebound better, and improved their rotations on the perimeter, allowing the Huskies to consistently contest outside shots. They had 6 blocks and 5 steals.

There are a lot of fun thoughts to take from UConn’s win against Georgetown. Here are a few significant observations I experienced.

UConn Has Legendary Offensive Performance

I’ve already gone through most of the remarkable offensive numbers, from the 1.45 points per possession (one of the best program marks this century) to having five players score in double digits and eight at least five to the shooting splits (50%/41.7%/78.3%). In addition, every player who played more than five minutes had an offensive rating over 100 on KenPom. Even without these numbers however, any fan watching could see this performance represented all of UConn’s players at their very situational best.

The players did an outstanding job of moving the ball and attacking the defense off of turnovers and missed shots. UConn’s acclaimed offensive depth was completely on display, from Hawkins (and Akok’s) ability to be a sharpshooter off the bench to Sanago and Whaley’s ability to dominate in the paint and on the board to Martin’s versatility on both ends to Cole and a lesser extent Jackson’s ability to beat defenders and create plays. At their best, there are so many ways the Huskies can score that a team can only contain them so much. That’s even more true when they are avoiding turnovers and unforced errors, as the team has mostly done the last few games.

Adama Sanago and Isiah Whaley Continue to be a Potent Duo

Sanago continued to be a dominant force against Big East opponents, scoring 19 points in just 23 minutes due to foul trouble. The Georgetown defenders were helpless to stop Sanago when he established good position, as he shot 8-14 and 3-4 from the line. The sophomore also showed off his athleticism with a fastbreak dunk, passed well out of double teams and played solid defense, earning two blocks. Sanago is now averaging 18.2 points, 13.2 rebounds and 3.6 blocks in the past five games, and no Big East team has shown they can contain him when Sanago is healthy.

While Sanago is the big man who aways looks smooth, Whaley is currently doing the dirty work. After a tough stretch where he underperformed and dealt with health and injury issues, Whaley has averaged 13 points and 8.5 rebounds in the past two games while shooting 12-20. He is currently doing a great job of boxing out defenders and grabbing offensive rebounds for easy putbacks. Whaley was by far UConn’s most effective defender against Georgetown and did a great job of altering shots and grabbing defensive rebounds. Whaley’s energy and leadership ability seems like it is returning to the level Husky fans are used to. If he can continue to be a high-quality defender while getting his outside shot going again, Whaley will be even harder to stop.

Jordan Hawkins is the Microwave Man

The freshman who came in with big expectations has had a very topsy-turvy year, marked by confidence issues and inconsistent ball handling and shooting. As UConn has gotten deeper into Big East play however, Hawkins is finally starting to show the offensive skills fans were expecting from him. After demonstrating the ability to score in the paint against Butler, Hawkins finally came alive beyond the arc against Georgetown by going 4-7 from three to help the Huskies pull away. Hawkins 3-point shot has usually looked very smooth even when he is off, but recently it appears that he is doing a better job of moving without the ball and getting open opportunities with his feet set. When you combine his abilities from deep with his quality free throw shooting and ability to beat defenders at the rim, Hawkins can provide instant offense off the bench. Hawkins also avoided any turnovers against the hoyas, a issue that has plagued him all season.

Like a lot of talented freshmen, Hawkins has shown a lot of inconsistency and been unable to record multiple strong games in a row (he was scoreless in the second game against Butler). The Georgetown win has a great one for him to build on, as it was the best he’s shot from three in a long time and Hawkins avoided turnovers and played solid defense. After strong performances in two of the last three games, I would hope that he can build some momentum and at least begin shooting well from deep game to game. It’s clear that Hurley and his teammates will do their best to put Hawkins in a position to succeed, as they have been emphasizing playing better defense and working on his ball-handling technique. Now it is on Hawkins to fulfill his promise as UConn begins playing tougher teams.

@@Observations on Huskies Pair of Wins Against Butler: Struggling Players Get Going, Sanago Stays Dominant and UConn Shows Versatility

With UConn having back-to-back games against Butler last Tuesday and Thursday (the result of the December game against the Bulldogs being cancelled and then rescheduled due to the Huskies Covid-19 issues), it had a great opportunity to get two comfortable wins against a weaker opponent. UConn had been unable to do so before last week against mid or high-major conference teams, with most of its wins instead being nail-biters. While the wins were very different, the Huskies succeeded in their task and extended their winning streak to three games. The games also showed UConn’s versatility and their ability to win in multiple ways.

UConn defeated Butler 76-59 Tuesday night before winning 75-56 at Hinkle Fieldhouse two days later. It improved to 13-4 overall and 4-2 in the Big East with the wins, while the Bulldogs fell to 9-9 and 2-4 in conference play. Both wins were the team’s biggest since a rout of Grambling State in early December. As of Sunday night, the Huskies were ranked 18^th on KenPom, and moved up to No. 20 in the AP Poll on Monday. Tuesday’s win was also the first time they have held a team under 60 points since December 4^th.

In Tuesday’s win at the XL Center, UConn quickly demonstrated the talent disparity between it and Butler, leading nearly the entire game and never allowing the Bulldogs to go on a second-half run to get within striking distance. While the Huskies started slow offensively their defense was excellent from the get go, and they eventually caught fire in the final five minutes of the first half, establishing momentum that would last for a long time.

After the Bulldogs hit two free throws to cut the deficit to 25-16 with six minutes remaining in the first, UConn would flip the script with three consecutive 3-pointers (two by Andre Jackson and one by Tyler Polley), giving it a 17-point lead. Ultimately, the Huskies ended the half on a 14-8 run to take a 39-25 lead into the break, allowing just a single field goal in the process. This stretch was fueled by outstanding interior defense and ball movement, with the Huskies pushing the pace and consistently getting open shots. Jackson and Polley were the primary beneficiaries of these looks and took advantage.

After a poor first half, Adama Sanago came out of the locker room firing and made two baskets to open the second half and give UConn a 19-point lead. Butler made a spirited 13-4 run when the Huskies got cold from the outside, and a tough layup by Simas Lukosius cut their lead to 47-36 with 14:39 to play. This was the last sustained run the Bulldogs would go on until garbage time however, as R.J. Cole and company began to attack the paint for baskets and find one another for quality looks inside. UConn pushed their lead to 15 and eventually 20 at 65-45 on a 3-point play by Jackson with 4:49 to go before going on to win by 17. Its defense in the paint continued to be suffocating for much of the second half, ultimately finishing with 10 blocks, and Butler does not shoot well enough from outside or the midrange to make up the difference. In the final minutes the Huskies were finally able to get their young benchwarmers into the game, with freshman Samson Johnson and redshirt sophomore Richie Springs making baskets.

Cole was the standout offensive performer in the win, scoring 17 and shooting the most efficiently he had in a while (4-7 from the field and 8-9 at the line) while adding six rebounds and three assists. Four other players scored in double figures and Sanago had his third consecutive double-double with 13 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks). Jackson was everywhere with 12 points, 10 rebounds and three assists, Jordan Hawkins had his best game in a long time with 14 points on 5-9 shooting, and Polley scored 10 to round out the double-digit scorers. On defense, the Huskies bottled up Butler to the tune of 31% shooting and shut down their top scorers Bryce Golden and Bryce Niz, allowing the pair just 10 combined points on 3-16 shooting in 56 minutes. In addition to the four blocks by Sanago, Akok Akok had three and Isiah Whaley two. UConn outrebounded Butler 49-39.

After UConn had dictated tempo two nights prior, Butler did so in their home gym during the first half Thursday. It played a methodical and physical style, and it worked as the Huskies couldn’t score anywhere besides right at the basket and struggled with ball security, committing seven turnovers while shooting 28.6%. They went scoreless multiple times for long stretches, and the trio of Cole, Jackson and Tyrese Martin were defended very well and had poor shot selection, going on to shoot 2-15 in the first 20 minutes. It was Sanago and Whaley who carried the offense to their 24 first-half points, combining for 16 on 7-11 shooting to get UConn to get 24 points. Sanogo’s footwork around the basket was excellent and Whaley crashed the boards to earn multiple putbacks. Despite the lack of offensive firepower, the Huskies managed to trail just 28-24 at halftime due to their aggressive defense and poor shooting by Butler, who made 39.9% of their looks and committed seven turnovers.

As the second half started, UConn regained the lead roughly three minutes in and claimed it for good when Martin hit a jumper with 11:55 left to make it 40-38. The Huskies continued their outstanding defense in the first eight minutes and Martin, who had struggled offensively for a few games and during the first half, suddenly woke up and anchored an 11-0 run. Martin scored eight points in this run, including two 3-pointers, and was just warming up.

After going up by two, Martin and UConn began attacking the paint, sharing the ball efficiently and pushing the tempo, when possible, to establish a commanding lead. However, Butler refused to go quietly despite continuing to shoot poorly, instead doing their best to live at the free throw line. Jalen Gaffney and Martin scored consecutive baskets off Bulldogs turnovers to go up 10 with 6:16 to go, but they quickly answered with a three and free throws to cut the deficit to 57-52. The Huskies stayed calm and Cole, who did a strong job running the offense despite offensive struggles, found a wide-open Martin for a three with 3:;59 to go, and Polley solidified the win with a three on the next possession, again set up by Cole. In the final 4:18, UConn outscored an exhausted Butler 18-4, with eight curtesy of Martin.

Martin, who scored just two points in the first half, put up 25 in the second to finish with 27 on 7-11 in 15 and 11 points. Whaley grabbed 10 rebounds for a double-double, while Sanago just missed out on a double-double with nine and added three blocks. Jackson struggled mightily with his shot but still earned seven rebounds and five assists. Cole had a season-low four points on 2-8 shooting but ran the offensive effectively and committed just one turnover. The Huskies improved their perimeter defense on Thursday and held Butler to 4-19 from three and 38% from the field, and outrebounded the Bulldogs 39-25 after struggling on the boards early.

As discussed more, the two wins last week were very encouraging, no matter the level of competition. They continued to show how formidable UConn’s defense can be at its best, its depth, and that certain players can take over when necessary, among other signs. Beating Butler by nearly 20 points twice gives me the confidence that the Huskies will play well against low level Big East teams in Georgetown and DePaul this week, and be in good position to play well during the team’s tough early February schedule. Below, I look at the most encouraging observations from last week’s performances as well as important developments fans possibly saw in players and the performance of Dan Hurley.

Once Again, We Were Reminded That UConn Can Win in Multiple Ways When Needed

There were plenty of lessons for myself and other fans to learn and see from both wins over Butler. In the first win, I saw that UConn could be in control from start to finish against major conference opponents, which it had not done all season beforehand. At the same time, the Huskies demonstrated that their depth, though sometimes overstated, can come from less obvious sources at times. In addition to the strong games from Cole and Sanago, Jackson’s first career double-double, 3-4 shooting from long distance, three assists against one turnover and strong distance showed how dangerous he can be on both sides of the ball at times. As raw as Jackson is, the fact that he can already put together games like this shows how indispensable the sophomore is to UConn’s success. Combine all this with the 14-point game from Hawkins (more about him below) and 10 by Polley, and it was just too much for Butler to deal with. UConn’s ability to establish a comfortable lead quickly also allowed Hurley to distribute minutes more evenly and get his least experienced players into the game, both of which the team needed desperately.

There were even more lessons to take from the second win. First, it reminded fans that UConn can recover from lousy offensive performances in the first half if the defense can play at high-caliber level and just one or two players are able to keep the team in the game offensively. This is exactly what happened with Sanago and Whaley. In the second half, the Huskies reminded Butler that it has more players than just Sanago or Cole who can go off and take over a game. Martin’s performance was the best half any Husky has played offensively this season. I talk about him more below, but the shot-making ability and strength Martin showed against the Bulldog defenders is a reminder that he is a great compliment to Sanago and Cole.

This was the best job UConn has done in closing out a game this season by far considering it was only up by five with four minutes to go. It avoided the turnovers, defensive mistakes and poor offensive execution seen in the team’s close losses or overtime wins. The Huskies put their foot on the necks of an opponent and made it impossible to stop them. Hopefully, they will be able to build on that momentum in the next week. Finally, it was wonderful and surprising for me to see how decisively UConn was able to win with Cole making no impact as a scorer (although he still ran the offense well when not dealing with foul trouble). This was the first time Cole did not reach double figures in two months, and yet Martin stepped right into his role of offensive leader and Gaffney at point guard (more on him below) while the bigs still produced. I don’t know if the Huskies could survive Cole scoring so few points against a formidable opponent, but it was a great learning experience.

At the same time, the Butler wins was also evidence of things observers already know. UConn has a consistently strong defense that can be elite. The Huskies are one of the best rebounding teams in the country, especially on the offensive end. And of course, they do not give up on a game even after a tough stop or if they are not executing one on side of the ball. UConn consistently demonstrated all these skills in both games, and with their athleticism and strength Butler could not keep up for 40 minutes.

Martin and Whaley Have the Bounce-Back Games They Desperately Needed

When Martin returned from his wrist injury by scoring a combined 40 points against Providence and Marquette on 15-30 shooting, I was certain that he was close to being fully recovered and could reliably continue to be part of a dangerous trio with Sanago and Cole. But after UConn returned from their 17-day delay on the 8^th at Seton Hall, Martin was largely ineffective in the next three games, averaging just a combined nine points on 10-27 shooting and five rebounds while play a ton of minutes a game. I am not sure how much the layoff and or a case of Covid-19 and a lack of full practice hurt Martin, but it was clear starting with the Seton Hall game that Martin’s wrist was still bothering him and that it was affecting his shooting, especially close to the rim. At the same time, Martin didn’t seem to be showing the same energy and toughness on both sides of the ball against Seton Hall, St. John’s and the first game against Butler. Combine all this with Martin not rebounding at the same rate and occasionally struggling with turnovers (five against Seton Hall), and he had seemingly temporarily lost his status as the team’s third banana to Jackson.

I am not sure what adjustments Martin exactly made or what was said in the locker room to him before coming out in the second half, but he was aggressive from the opening tip and never let up. Martin used his agility and strength to bully the weaker Bulldogs inside and found ways to get open on the perimeter for threes, which were all right on the money. He used every opportunity to push the action and attacked unprepared defenders and found open teammates for good opportunities when appropriate. Martin seemed to realize that the UConn offense was stuck in the mud at halftime and needed him to take over the shot creator role Cole usually occupies with pleasure. Martin is so versatile that he can contribute well even when shooting poorly, but having a third player alongside Cole and Sanago who can carry the offense at times is a huge luxury.

For Whaley, he entered Thursday’s game determined to up his defensive play and contribute more on offense and the boards after being called out by Dan Hurley as someone who needed to step up and be more efficient and energetic. Whaley has had myriad health issues all season and was reportedly the player who took the longest to recover from Covid-19. Before Thursday, the super senior had scored just 10 points and six rebounds in three January games, albeit with eight blocks. Whaley showed fatigue on the court at times, part of why Hurley played him for just 10 minutes on Tuesday. Most worryingly, Whaley’s defense had visibly slipped, as he was getting beat one-on-one at the rim more and not providing help defense as efficiently. Add this all up, and “The Wrench” was missing.

It was clear before the game that Whaley knew he had to play better and he answered Hurley’s challenge Thursday. Along with Sanago he carried the offense in the first half as the guards struggling, crashing the glass and earning putbacks with a ferocity he had rarely demonstrated this season and stepping out for a pair of jumpers. Whaley ultimately finished with 12 points and had 10 rebounds, six offensive, for a double-double, his first of the season. This was also the first time Whaley pulled down multiple offensive rebounds since the loss to Providence. On defense, Whaley looked very quick and strong and consistently altered Butler’s passing and shooting at the rim, even if he was credited with only one block. With the confidence boost from his showing and a few days off, Whaley can hopefully keep up his mojo, especially on defense, for the rest of January before the schedule gets tougher. Let’s just pray for no injuries.

Another Awesome Week for Adama

A new week, another two signature performances from Adama. The sophomore has been money since returning as a starter against Seton Hall, and averaged 14 points and 12 rebounds against the Bulldogs along with a combined seven blocks. Sanago was smart about picking his spots in the two wins. In Tuesday’s home contest, he focused on crashing the boards and playing tight defense in the first half while struggling on offense and then got some easy looks at the rim in the second half courtesy of his teammates. In the second game, he was unstoppable around the rim in the first half before stepping back in the second as Martin took over, while playing good defense throughout. Sanago has a ton of energy in both games and got back on track at the free throw line on Thursday, making all five opportunities. He should continue to feast on opponents against Georgetown Tuesday night, as the Hoyas are very poor defensively in the frontcourt.

Hawkins and Gaffney Remind Fans of Thir Talents

Before last Tuesday, Hawkins had been in a prolonged shooting slump and was still struggling with ball security and on defense. These factors had all combined to lower his minutes significantly and Hawkins entered the night having not played more than 12 minutes since December 11^th against St. Bonaventure. In the four games since, he had scored just nine points on 3-14 shooting and 2-9 from 3-point land and one assist against five turnovers, including three versus Seton Hall in nine minutes. Hurley was pulling Hawkins at the first signs of ball-handling or defensive issues instead of preferably sticking with the freshman and setting up good opportunities for him to score, but Hawkins was also shooting himself in the foot by missing open shots and assignments and committing turnovers at the worst time. It was a no-one situation for Hawkins, Hurley and the team, one that Hawkins could only escape from.

And that he did. Hawkins scored 14 points in just 18 minutes, going 4-5 inside the arc and 3-4 at the free throw line. While the guard continued to struggle with his deep shot, going 1-4 from three, all of Hawkins looks were of high quality. Instead of settling for threes like he has demonstrated a tendency to do at times, Hawkins used his athleticism to attack the basket and get open mid-range and layup opportunities while also forcing contact. He showed better handle than normal and the ability to get himself open for teammates instead of standing around and watching. Hawkins also showed more defensive intensity than fans have been accustomed to, a trait that will earn him a lot of points in Hurley’s book.

Hawkins reverted back to his previous struggles in seven minutes on Thursday, missing both shots he took while picking up two fouls. However, if Hawkins can have two or three games in a row where he shoots and handles the ball effectively, particularly if he is making shots from behind the arc, I can see him experiencing the late freshman year development as the last star recruit the Huskies brought in, James Bouknight. He can start by learning from his mistakes and not getting down when he commits one, as all great players are able to do.

Gaffney did not put up a highly impressive line in Thursday’s away win, scoring six points and going 4-5 at the line, grabbing three rebounds and dishing two assists in 17 minutes. What stuck out to me however, was how he did this.

Gaffney appeared disengaged on offense recently, not scoring more than four points since December 11^th, and the 3-point shot that was such a big weapon last season had almost disappeared from his arsenal. With Gaffney at the paint instead of Cole, the offense had been looking very methodical and uncreative, and the junior himself seemed to always spend way too much time dribbling around instead of setting himself or teammates up for good scoring opportunities. Alongside the inefficient offense Gaffney had been playing uninspired defense and consistently beaten off the dribble by quality guards despite his height. After a long period where Dan Hurley continued to play Gaffney heavily despite fans’ protests, he began to call out Gaffney for his performance, urging him to step up as a primary ballhandler and secondary scorer, and reduce his minutes and instead give more ballhandling duties to Jackson. Hurley made it clear that it was on Gaffney to be more dynamic and efficient on both ends of the ball to become a primary member of the Gaffney again.

Against Butler, Gaffney finally did not shy away from the challenge of picking up minutes when Cole was struggling with shooting the ball. When running the offense, he clearly pushed the tempo more than normal and began running plays earlier in the clock then we’ve seen before. This helped Gaffney find the UConn bigs and Martin for quality looks right at the basket. Gaffney also seemed to avoid dribbling with his back turned more than normal, a tendency that I just hate to watch and makes it take longer for him to either find teammates or avoid defensive traps. With the ball in his hands, Gaffney attacked the basket more than he has in a long time and earned the most free throw attempts he has had since December 11^th, ultimately upping his percentage to a 78.3%. Finally, Gaffney demonstrated improved footwork on defense and helped teammates out effectively, earning a block and steal in the process.

I would really like Gaffney to get his 3-point shot going again even if he is used less as a scorer this season. If he can do this and then run the offense efficiently when needed wile playing improved defense, then there is no reason Gaffney can’t become a reliable backup guard again and put himself in position to take on a bigger role next season. We’ve all seen flashes of Gaffney’s talent. Now he just needs to demonstrate it more frequently.