As Vets Go, So Go the Huskies
The Story: Alterique Gilbert and Christian Vital are supposed to be the calming veteran influence for the Huskies, but as evidenced by their play on Tuesday, the senior guards remain as mercurial as ever.
INCONSISTENCY THE KILLER: In the biggest game so far, Gilbert and Vital combined for 3-of-17 shooting with 10 turnovers and 10 points in a loss to Indiana. The shooting and lack of scoring in the backcourt remains a concern for the Huskies heading into a week off for finals.
UGLY NUMBERS: Gilbert is looking to pass more than he did early in the season, with eight assists Tuesday, but he is struggling to score even more so than a year ago. Gilbert is shooting 24-of-89 — 27 percent — and is 11-for-41 from 3-point range. Vital is the team’s most prolific shooter, but in nine games is 38-of-196 (35.6 percent). He’s OK from 3-point range at 33 percent, but that 13.8 points per game could desperately use more efficiency.
WHAT’S THE BENCH OPTION? James Bouknight and Brendan Adams were a combined 0-for-5, while Jalen Gaffney played only two minutes against Indiana. That is the crux of the problem for Dan Hurley. What do you do when the seniors don’t play well? The bench managed only five points on Tuesday and Bouknight and Adams didn’t look ready for primetime at Madison Square Garden. (After his explosion in Charleston, Bouknight has just two points in his last two games combined.) Hurley is still forced to play his inconsistent veterans.
OUR TAKE: It’s not possible to win in modern college basketball without a robust 3-point shooting team and good guards. UConn is shooting 41.5 percent as a team and is only 33.7 percent from 3-point range. Hurley is going to have to find some consistent and efficient scoring on the perimeter outside of Tyler Polley, who is a low-volume shooter. Unless Bouknight fulfills the promise he showed in his first three games, the onus is going to be on Vital and Gilbert to provide consistent and efficient scoring from the perimeter. If they don’t? Expect more nights like Tuesday.
Who Were The Best Players of the 2010s?
The Story: With the decade drawing to a close, we wanted to take the opportunity to spotlight the best basketball players UConn has had in the 2010s. That’s why we’re naming an all-decade team for the men’s and women’s basketball teams — and we need your help!
WHAT ARE THE DETAILS? With a few thousand readers, we feel like we can truly identify who made their mark on UConn over the past 10 years. All you have to do is click the links below to vote, which takes just a few seconds. We want you to consider the 10 best players each team has had, keeping in mind their positions and the impact each made while in Storrs. (The goal is to put together a team that could actually take the court; five big men won’t cut it.)
Later this month, we’ll combine the public vote with our votes and come up with a starting five, a bench and two all-decade teams.
- To vote for the men’s team: Click here
- To vote for the women’s team: Click here
Remember, you can only vote if you subscribe, so if a friend has forwarded this email to you or you’re reading on UConnDaily.com, well, sign up now!
Morning Reads
SCOTT TO TRANSFER: Sophomore running back/wide receiver Zavier Scott has become the 17th football player to announce his intention to transfer. He played in four games this past season but did not have a catch after accounting for 438 yards and a touchdown in 2018. (Zavier Scott on Twitter)
EMBRY DECOMMITS: After committing to UConn on Nov. 24, wide receiver Jhaylin Embry, from Jacksonville, Fla., wrote on Twitter that he will instead sign with Bowling Green on Wednesday. (Jhaylin Embry on Twitter)
MUTUAL RESPECT: Before the Pacers played the Celtics, Jeremy Lamb praised his longtime teammate, Kemba Walker. (Fox Sports Indiana on Twitter)
CASHING IN: The Rockies have signed pitcher and former UConn standout Scott Oberg to a three-year, $13 million extension. (Rockies on Twitter)
