Huskies Get Well Against Lafayette
THE STORY: UConn rode its outside shooting as it bounced back from Sunday’s loss to Arizona with a 90-63 win over Lafayette on Wednesday. Jalen Adams scored a game-high 21 points and Tyler Polley was one of four other players to reach double figures in scoring with a career-high 16 points in the win.
WHAT WE LIKED: The shooting touch returned, so maybe we should put to rest those worries about shooting on XL Center rims while practicing at the Werth Center (we are all for excuses, but come on!). The Huskies (7-2) were 12-of-28 from 3-point range and 10-of-13 from the free throw line. Polley and Christian Vital were both 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. Adams went 3-of-6 and continued his remarkable efficiency, scoring his 21 points on only 15 shots.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: This one goes to a man who only scored two points — Alterique Gilbert. Why, you ask? He had 11 assists and zero turnovers and only took four shots. Gilbert has the ability to get his own shot, but he isn’t a scorer just yet. In the loss to Arizona, he played poorly, dribbled too much and tried to create offense, not run it. It was just Lafayette out there, but we really liked that he didn’t force things on offense and didn’t try to “get his” against an overmatched team.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE: It was another 90-point game for the Huskies, who are at least taking care of business against the teams they should beat. We like the fact they took 74 shots, including 28 3-pointers. That’s excellent pace with 17 assists on 34 baskets (we would still like more assists, but that will come), and they had only 10 turnovers. And, since we all love when the walk-ons play, here’s a tip of the cap to Daniel Brocke for his two points.
DR. CARLTON AND MR. COBB: They did it again. Josh Carlton had a decent game with 11 points and seven rebounds while Eric Cobb had two points and five rebounds. Can we get them each to make an impact in the same game? We would start Cobb against the Golden State Warriors. He might go for 20 and 20 since he seems to play to the level of the competition.
UP NEXT: The Huskies get another shot at a possible tourney team when they play No. 11 Florida State on Saturday in Newark, New Jersey.
Notre Dame’s Petty Temper Tantrum
THE STORY: Notre Dame head coach Muffett McGraw blocked former UConn star and current WNBA superstar Breanna Stewart on Twitter. Yes. You read that right.
WHAT HAPPENED? The treatment of UConn on Sunday — well, let’s just say it wasn’t the Irish’s best moment. At the tip, UConn was introduced as the University of Kentucky.
It only gets worse.
During the game, Arike Ogunbowale received a technical for arguing with UConn coach Geno Auriemma (seriously) and then received a flagrant foul for hitting UConn’s Crystal Dangerfield with an elbow (for which she should have been ejected). At the end of the destruction, Ogunwabale went into the locker room and did not engage in the postgame handshakes (sour grapes).
She wasn’t the only one to throw a temper tantrum. The game recap on the Notre Dame website, a No. 1 vs. No. 2 affair, was laughable. There was no mention of what UConn did nor how many points Christyn Williams scored. It was the Baghdad Bob of game recaps.
WHERE WERE THE APOLOGIES? Ogunbowale apologized to Notre Dame’s fanbase in a tweet, saying emotions got the best of the players. McGraw also apologized “to the best fans in the country” about the team’s behavior. Do you know what was missing? Any mention of UConn or a public apology to the Huskies. We would hope Geno doesn’t wait by his phone for a private apology.
OUR TAKE: We admit, Geno is a great heel. He wins, is never rattled and is sarcastic and opinionated. We get that teams hate losing to him. But, the fallout of UConn’s 89-71 win on Sunday in South Bend is downright petty.
It was an embarrassing performance for Notre Dame on the floor and after the game and continued with a silly gesture by McGraw. Imagine John Calipari blocking Kemba Walker on Twitter? Stewart is one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time. Block a generational talent at your own risk.
It can’t get any pettier than this. We can’t wait for the rematch.
Morning Read
UCONN-FLORIDA SCHEDULING SERIES? UConn and Florida are close to agreeing to a home-and-home series in men’s basketball that would begin next season in Connecticut. The two teams have had some epic battles each time they’ve met. (Jon Rothstein on Twitter)
HOOPS RECRUITING CLASS UPGRADED: The Huskies rose to No. 16 in the recruiting rankings with the commitment of Akok Akok. Though Akok will enter school early — at least that’s the plan — he is considered part of a 2019 class that also includes guards James Bouknight and Jalen Gaffney. (247Sports.com)
WILSON’S GROWING PAINS: Sidney Wilson is finally getting into the swing of things for the Huskies. (Journal Inquirer)
DELANEY TAKES SHOT AT RUTGERS: When asked about if he regretted adding Rutgers and Maryland, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney said the two schools don’t belong in the same category competitively. We agree. Why, then, is Rutgers in the Big Ten and UConn in the AAC? (John Ourand on Twitter)
G-LEAGUE HUSKIES: What happened to Marcus Williams and Daniel Hamilton? The pair are two of a half dozen UConn players pursuing their NBA dream in the G League. Hamilton is on a two-way contract with the Atlanta Hawks while Williams, 33, is still plugging away, incredibly. (The UConn Blog)
HUSKIES PREP FOR BC: The men’s hockey team will close the first half of the season with a home-and-home series against Boston College beginning Thursday at the XL Center. (UConnHuskies.com)
