It’s About Time To Win Again For UConn Men
The Story: Get hyped. Get pumped up. The UConn men’s basketball team opens its season tonight when it hosts Morehead State at Gampel Pavilion in the Regional Round of the Empire 2K Classic. It will be the first game of the Dan Hurley era as the Huskies begin a campaign that is full of hope and optimism.
This will be about the first game for Hurley and the Huskies are acting like old times selling out the opener at Gampel for Morehead State in November. That’s impressive and shows how hungry the fanbase is. Expectations are high, and should be.
WHAT DOES HURLEY HAVE TO SAY? “New coach, new blood, a great fan base that’s re-ignited … there will be enough excitement,” Hurley said. “But if we want the games to get bigger and better, we have to go out and perform. It’s important for us to play well.”
EARLY INDICATORS: Style of play. The Huskies were running in the exhibition game. Will they also run and play uptempo this season? That’s what fans want to see and when you have athletes, which UConn does, that’s the best way to exploit it. Slowing the game down wastes what gives UConn the advantage.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Alterique Gilbert is a highly recruited guard who lost two years to injury. If he can live up to his talent, that will allow Jalen Adams to play more off the ball and become a scorer, not a distributor. Adams is a scorer and needs to focus on putting the ball in the basket. The Huskies have always thrived with a two-point guard-style lineup (think Khalid El-Amin and Ricky Moore) and that ability to break down and create from both guard spots is what we want to see. And, please hit 3-pointers.
MOREHEAD STATE?: Six of its top seven scorers return … but no one cares. This is about the Huskies. UConn scored 129 points in the lone meeting between schools in 2005. Once every 30 years is acceptable (not really) to lose at home to Wagner and Northeastern types.
WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT IN 2018-19?: Complete and utter domination. Expect, or want? It’s been a long time since UConn made the NCAA Tournament as it missed back-to-back tournaments for the first time in decades. (Rutgers feels like this every year?) This is the first time the Huskies also are coming off a firing of their coach since the mid-1980s as Hurley begins his third head coaching job. Hurley led Rhode Island and Wagner to the NCAA tournament and that is the minimum expectation for Connecticut fans this season.
Morning Read
SEASON PREVIEW FROM TALKIN’ HUSKIES: Love Talkin’ Yanks? Yes? No? Well, now we can all agree that Talkin’ Huskies is something we will all love. Check out the season preview here on Android and iPhone. Katie Sharp and Jake Storiale discuss.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: UConn is out to make a good first impression tonight against Morehead State. (Hearst Connecticut Media)
WILSON STILL OUT INDEFINITELY: Don’t expect a surprise debut of redshirt freshman Sidney Wilson tonight. Wilson remains out indefinitely for a violation of school policy, according to Hurley. (Hartford Courant)
MMM, BETTING: We love betting, and here’s your guide on how to bet UConn from the staff at SB Nation. I’m taking over on 10.5 conference wins. (UConnBlog.com)
CALHOUN ON A PODCAST: We saw this before we launched the Daily, but it’s always great to hear Jim Calhoun talk hoops. Calhoun talks of hoops, health, and Hurley. Go St. Joe’s! (Hearst Connecticut Media)
SUPERSTAR TRIO: There is no Diana Taurasi or Breanna Stewart, but plenty of star power for the UConn women this season. (Hartford Courant)
STEVENS SEEKS 500 WINS: Field Hockey makes its 30th NCAA tournament appearance on Friday against Rutgers. Head coach Nancy Stevens seeks her 500th win. (UConnHuskies.com)
