Huskies Deliver the Whoopin’ … CFP Expansion Dead?

So … What’s Left for UConn in AAC Play?

The Story: The women’s basketball team will face another AAC opponent when they somehow play only their third game at Gampel Pavilion this season tomorrow against Cincinnati.

The Huskies fell to No. 3 in the Associated Press poll yesterday after their loss to now-No. 4 Baylor, yet still earned three first-place votes. They opened AAC competition with an 81-61 victory at Houston on Sunday. They’ve never lost an AAC game since it was established in 2013 and, with the win over the Cougars, they pushed their regular-season win streak to 85 consecutive games.

BEASTS OF THE EAST: UConn has won its 85 regular-season conference games by an average of 44.9 points. (Yes, you read that right.) The Huskies have won 31 of those games by 50 or more points, including last year’s 124-43 shellacking of Wichita State, and have only won one game by fewer than 10 points.

UConn isn’t as good this year as it has been in the past — ask Geno Auriemma and he’ll be quick to tell you that — but there’s no reason to expect this season will be any different.

BUT HUMOR US: OK, OK, sure. Let’s pretend that the Huskies will be challenged in the conference. Which opponents will not be run off the court?

That distinction may go to UCF (12-2, 1-0), which is the only other team receiving a vote in the AP poll — and this week, that’s one solitary vote, its first in program history. The Knights have four wins over teams that were in the NCAA tournament last season and are led by junior guard Kay Kay Wright, who is averaging 18.9 points per game.

USF (10-5, 1-0), which faces UConn on Sunday and again in March, was the conference runner-up in three of the last five seasons. The Bulls figured to hold that spot again this year until senior wing Kitija Laksa tore the ACL in her right knee on Nov. 15.

Other teams you might find somewhat entertaining are Tulane (10-3, 1-0), which has a talented group of underclassmen led by sophomores Krystal Freeman and Sierra Cheatham and freshman Erin Gutierrez, and Cincinnati (9-5, 1-0), which fired UConn legend Jamelle Elliott in March after nine seasons.

As for the really lopsided games, keep an eye on SMU, Temple, Wichita State and Memphis, which ranked No. 294 in the RPI out of 351 teams as of last night. Those could get out of hand.

SILVER LININGS: Just because UConn has begun conference play doesn’t mean there aren’t marquee games remaining. As is usually the case, the Huskies have scheduled a pair of quality opponents to keep them sharp, with new No. 2 Louisville (14-0, 2-0 ACC) hosting them on Jan. 31 and No. 21 South Carolina (10-4, 2-0 SEC) visiting the XL Center on Feb. 11.

Those will be the games to circle. Don’t feel bad if you fall asleep at halftime of the rest.

The Fans Have Spoken on CFP Expansion…

The Story: …and the presidents, conference commissioners and everyone else in the college football cartel decided to ignore the popular will and keep the playoff at four teams.

WHAT HAPPENED? “Los Jefes” of college sports got together and patted themselves on the back, releasing a statement that there is a “unanimous agreement that the playoff has been a tremendous success.”

If you need help deciphering the statement, it means the playoff has made a lot of schools a lot of money (but none went to the players). College administrators are some of the most slow-moving executives in all of bureaucracy and have decided that only four teams should make the playoffs in a sport with 130 schools competing. In the NFL, 12 teams make the playoffs among 32 teams.

WHY YOU SHOULD CARE: Until there is improved access to the CFP from the Group of 5, there remains a two-tiered system in college football. The Power 5 gets all the money and the ability to dominate the conversation and gives the Group of 5 just enough scraps to hold off an antitrust suit. College football remains the straw that stirs the drink in college athletics and what happens with this playoff, the money that goes with it, is going to have a big effect on the future of UConn sports from not only football but to men’s and women’s hoops and even baseball.

OUR TAKE: Way to listen to your customers. I hope none of them teach in their business schools. There isn’t a split just yet in college football officially, but there is such a money disparity now that it is already here. Remember, the Group of 5 is not an NCAA designation.  It’s created by the CFP cartel. Keep an eye on this even if you detest football and are a college basketball person. This is where every sport’s future will be decided, at a place called the Fairmont Hotel. It sounds like it should be on the Berlin Turnpike.

Morning Read

BACK TO BASICS: It was a return to normalcy for the women’s basketball team on Sunday with their 20-point win at Houston. (Hearst Connecticut Media).

WALKER RESPONDS: After taking a team-high 13 shots against Houston, Megan Walker said she wanted to be more aggressive. Mission accomplished. (Journal Inquirer)

GENO SPEAKS: Geno Auriemma opens up about leadership, his family and politics in a 40-minute sitdown interview. (Fox 61)

BABY STEPS: The men’s basketball team still lags behind the best of the AAC, but that it’s challenging opponents again is a positive development. That still doesn’t make us feel any better about three straight losses. (Journal Inquirer)

NOTHIN’ AKOK-ING: Incoming recruit Akok Akok has yet to enroll at UConn with the spring semester beginning two weeks from today. (Dave Borges on Twitter)