Huskies’ Class a Blast from the Past

The Story: Randy Edsall addressed the addition of seven more players this week, saying that they help complete an incoming class that “reminds me of the kind of classes that we had here before — long, athletic, with speed, from good programs, [with] guys that know how to work [and] want to be good.”

ATHLETES WANTED: We went through the Huskies’ additions yesterday morning, but Edsall took the opportunity to address their attributes at a press conference later in the day. He said he sought players who could help stretch the field, leading to the addition of graduate transfer Ardell Brown from Seton Hill, and provide length on the defensive line, which freshmen Eric Watts and Jeff Woods and graduate transfer Michael Hinton, from Columbia, will be able to do.

EXPERIENCE NEEDED: Edsall is not a fan of the graduate transfer system, but acknowledged that as long as it’s in place, UConn will use it to its advantage. Hinton, Brown, quarterback Mike Beaudry and running back Art Thompkins were welcomed into the program to provide experience at key positions.

“You’ve got more maturity,” Edsall said. “You’ve got a guy that’s proven he can play. And again, I think if you have a need at a position, you can go and find somebody who can fulfill that position. As we continue to grow and continue to get better, you might not take that many grad transfers, because hopefully, if you’re doing what you’re supposed to, you can fill spots.”

Edsall also said the Huskies have five scholarships open, and that if an appealing defensive end or tight end enters the graduate transfer portal, he wouldn’t hesitate to reach out and try to get them in. For now, though, he just wanted to add athletes, and he believes UConn is at least a year away from being able to go back to recruiting players on a position quota.

MAKING CONNECTIONS: In addition to procuring Myles Bell, who signed because he was the son of a former teammate of former running backs coach Terry Richardson, Edsall explained that the Huskies reached back to their past to add other players. Woods knew Kendall Reyes from growing up in New Hampshire, wide receiver Cameron Ross is the brother of two of Edsall’s players at Maryland and wide receiver Kevens Clercius knew about UConn because of the success of former players Shawn Mayne, O’Neil Wilson and Martin Bedard.

AS FOR THE SCHEDULE: The AAC released each team’s schedule yesterday afternoon, and here’s how UConn’s breaks down:

Edsall wasn’t pleased that UConn will have to play two games, take a week off, play eight games, take a week off, and then play two games, believing that the schedule should be more balanced for the players’ safety. As he feared, the Huskeis are the only team in the conference with such an arrangement, though they and Tulsa are the only teams without Thursday night conference games and several teams will play seven consecutive weeks.

Huskies Hope to End Road Struggles

The Story: The men’s basketball team (13-10, 4-6) will hit the road again when it plays at Memphis on Sunday (2 p.m., CBS Sports). UConn is coming off an 18-point defeat at Temple and is winless on the road this season.

ROADKILL: UConn is 0-5 on the road this season and 2-14 over the last two years, one of the worst records in all of high-major basketball. The Huskies are 12-2 at home and only 1-3 at neutral sites. That is a cool 1-8 away from the friendly confines of Connecticut.

SHORTHANDED AGAIN? We do not have any definitive updates on Jalen Adams‘ left knee or Alterique Gilbert‘s left shoulder, so their availability for Sunday remains unknown. The Huskies could potentially be looking at guards Christian Vital and Tarin Smith for 35-plus minutes once again. Brendan Adams also came off the bench and played 15 minutes against Temple and figures to do that again if the Huskies are shorthanded.

CAN CARLTON CONTINUE RISE? One of the bright spots of the last week is the production of Josh Carlton, who has had 38 points and 29 rebounds in his last two games. Carlton has a lot of talent and is beginning to harness it inside for the Huskies.

WHERE’S POLLEY? Without Adams, UConn is going to need scoring and desperately needs Tyler Polley to be productive. Polley played 29 minutes against Temple and had zero points and took only four shots with one rebound. That’s not enough production for a player getting that many minutes. Dan Hurley doesn’t have any other options to go to, so the onus will be on Polley to produce.

ABOUT MEMPHIS: Penny Hardaway is in his first year, has a big-time recruit coming in next year and has the Tigers at 13-10 and 5-5 in the conference after falling 69-64 to Cincinnati last night for their fourth loss in five games. Jeremiah Martin leads the Tigers in scoring with 16.3 points per game and Kyvon Davenport is scoring 14.4 points per game.

Women Prepare for Temple (Again)

The Story: Fresh off its largest rout of the season, the women’s basketball team will host Temple at Gampel Pavilion tomorrow afternoon (1 p.m., SNY). The Huskies (20-2, 9-0) won the first game, 88-67, in Philadelphia earlier this month in a game that was moved ahead a day because of a snowstorm.

WILLIAMS BOUNCES BACK: UConn benefited from a significant first-half lead to rest its starters for much of the 118-55 win over ECU on Wednesday. Freshman Christyn Williams played a team-high 31 minutes and was really able to get into a groove for the first time in weeks, finishing with 15 points, her most since Jan. 9, and six assists.

She said she felt much more comfortable creating her shot than she had as of late — a game against the Pirates seems like a fitting bridge between high school and college — and Temple isn’t much better, meaning the confidence that Williams gained two days ago could very well carry over against the overmatched Owls.

STICK WITH IT: So much has been made of Katie Lou Samuelson‘s shooting struggles (yes, we’re guilty of that, too), but the senior broke out of a six-game slump with a 31-point performance against ECU in which she made 11 of 13 attempts. Perhaps no game better illustrated her struggles than the first meeting against Temple, in which she went 4-of-13, and 1-of-7 from 3-point range, for 10 points. Consistency is key, and if she’s truly starting to put things back together, she can show it tomorrow.

ABOUT TEMPLE: The Owls (8-14, 4-5) have answered a seven-game losing streak with a four-game winning streak even though they’re still struggling to make a basket, having shot 42.6 percent and 32.6 percent from 3-point range. Alliya Butts and Mia Davis are still their standouts, with at least one of the three cracking the 30-point mark in three of those four wins (they had 17 points and 15 points, respectively, in the first game).

Morning Reads

KEEPING THE BROTHERHOOD ALIVE: Incoming freshman Jalen Gaffney is the next link in the chain that connects the Huskies to the New York City hoops scene. (Hearst Connecticut Media)

RIP COMING HOME: Richard Hamilton will return to Storrs for the 20th-anniversary celebration of the team’s first national championship. Yes, it was two decades ago. (UConnHuskies.com)

SERIES SIGNED: The women’s basketball team will host Maryland and Texas in 2020-21 with return games set to happen the following season. (Journal Inquirer)

STILL MORE FOR MOORE: Geno Auriemma believes Maya Moore‘s basketball hiatus is only temporary and that she’ll be back after sitting out the season. (Hartford Courant)

ALL-STAR TAKEOVER: Ray Allen and Stefanie Dolson will participate in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, with Sue Bird set to coach one of the teams. (Hartford Courant)

PAYUSOV SCORES UPSET: Alexander Payusov scored in overtime as the men’s hockey team defeated No. 13 Northeastern 3-2 at the XL Center last night, ending a six-game winless stretch. (The UConn Blog)

TWO FOR ONE: The women’s hockey team will play Vermont in a pair of games this weekend. Tomorrow’s game, at 1 p.m., will be played at the XL Center, and fans who attend will be admitted for free and get a free ticket to the men’s hockey game at 5 p.m. (UConnHuskies.com)

TRANSFERS THRIVING: Former UConn players Vance Jackson, Steven Enoch and Juwan Durham are all thriving this season with their new teams.  (The UConn Blog)

STEP UP TO THE PLATE: The softball team will open its season today in Miami with games against Bryant and Michigan State. (UConnHuskies.com)