Justice Served: Temple Comes Crawling Back
The Story: Yes, we’re dusting off a joke that will be nearly 20 years old by the time they meet again, but UConn signed a four-game, home-and-home football series with Temple that begins in 2024. Games against FIU and Wyoming have also been scheduled.
THE DETAILS: UConn will play Temple at home in 2024 and 2027 and travel to Philadelphia in 2026 and 2028. The Huskies will play FIU in Miami in 2022 and at home in 2023 and host Wyoming in a one-off game in 2021.
A WIN-WIN … NOW JUST WIN: The agreements are good for the Huskies, who continue to fill their schedule with the types of games they need to succeed as an independent. In those contracts, publicized Thursday, they have a mix of home and away games against (theoretically) beatable opponents in crucial recruiting markets, which is shaping up to be their approach to scheduling. Plus, we’ll make a trip to Miami in October.
PLAYING MATCHMAKER: Clemson, which already has UConn on the schedule for 2021, gets the assist for pointing Wyoming in the direction of East Hartford. The Cowboys were supposed to play Clemson in 2021 as well, but that game was canceled when the Tigers were strongly encouraged to face Georgia instead. Wyoming still gets its cool $1.1 million from Clemson and will fill its opening with a school that has plenty of them. (Just don’t tell ’em UConn’s getting $100,000 more.)
WHO ELSE IS ON TAP? Glad you asked. We’ve been keeping track here.
Sanogo Signs, Completing Class
The Story: Adama Sanogo, a 6-foot-9 post player from Mali via The Patrick School in Hillside, N.J., has signed his letter of intent.
ROSTER SET: Sanogo fills the roster spot vacated by Alterique Gilbert, who decided after last season that he would transfer to Wichita State. He won’t fill Gilbert’s shoes — they’re likely too small, for one — but should give the Huskies a lift in the frontcourt. It also means the Huskies have the No. 17-ranked recruiting class according to ESPN, so while championships aren’t won in the offseason, we’ll take it.
WHAT DID DAN HURLEY SAY? “Adama completes an outstanding recruiting class that we expect will put us in a position to compete at a championship level. We are looking forward to the time when we can finally bring everybody to campus.”
A BIG DEAL: UConn expects to have Sanogo, classmate Javonte Brown-Ferguson, who is 7-foot-1, and redshirt freshman Richard Springs, who is 6-foot-9, eligible in the fall. Combined with senior Josh Carlton and sophomore Akok Akok, who is recovering from a torn Achilles, the Huskies won’t likely need to recruit a big for a while — and that’s important, given who they’re still recruiting.
Geno to Stewie: ‘Get to work!’
The Story: After bragging about her collection of championship rings earlier in the week, Breanna Stewart was served a little bit of humble pie by Geno Auriemma, who’s kind of got the Instagram thing … well, mostly figured out.
WHAT DID GENO SAY? Let’s just say it’s a little bit better if you watch this one for yourself.
REQUIRED ANALYSIS: What can we say? Game recognizes game.
Huskies Taking Over WNBA
The Story: As if it wasn’t obvious enough, we now have the math to prove it: UConn has built a pipeline to the WNBA, with Megan Walker and Crystal Dangerfield giving the Huskies a record 19 players in the league.
A BIT OF A PINCH: Because of salary crunches related to the COVID-19 pandemic, WNBA teams had to make cuts before training camp was even allowed to begin. It’s not fair for many players — Katie Lou Samuelson‘s sister, Karlie, was among those released, preventing the sisters from teaming up in Dallas — but Walker and Dangerfield made their teams. Besides, being from UConn should be enough of a guarantee at this point, right?
Morning Reads
TWO MORE TO STORRS: The football team landed two more commitments this week when offensive lineman Yakiri Walker, from DeSoto, Texas, and wide receiver Aaron Turner, from Washington, accepted scholarship offers. (The UConn Blog)
ABSOLUTELY DOMINANT: The Huskies have won plenty of national championships, but which season was the most dominant in women’s college basketball history? (The Athletic)
A KIND GESTURE: Former UConn star Andre Drummond left a generous tip for a waitress at a Miami restaurant earlier this week, leaving her a $1,000 tip. (Che Delray on Instagram)
FUEL THE BUS: The men’s hockey team has put 2020-21 season tickets on sale, with the lowest-price ticket available for $10 per game. (UConnHuskies.com)
TEST YOUR METTLE: Who knew UConn has two fight songs? Waste some time by testing your knowledge of the greatest university in the history of the earth. (Sporcle)
