Who is Hurley’s Top Player? | UConn to Conference USA?

Who Will Be UConn’s Big Man On Campus?

The Story: The men’s basketball team is ranked in the top 25 and is picked second in the Big East, yet, you won’t find any of its players on any all-conference first team or all-American lists or among the top 100 players in college basketball.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: You are not alone or seeing the game through blue-tinted sunglasses — UConn doesn’t have one of the top 100 players in the country? Then how on earth in a game in which one player can elevate a team to national title status can it be ranked in the top 25? Where is the disrespect coming from? We don’t know, but we suspect it’s the fact no one stands out on the stat sheet. Here are our suggestions:

• Adama Sanogo should be on the list. In the year of the big man, the sophomore is ready to break out in a big way. Sure, he averaged a little over seven points per game last year, but practice should help him break out. Sanogo’s touch and offensive footwork are advanced for a big man. We expect his scoring to nearly double as Dan Hurley will make him the center of the offense.

• Speaking of big men, Isaiah Whaley was the co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Big East last year and was essentially treated like an also-ran. He isn’t anywhere near the top 100 players in the country and didn’t even make the Big East first team. Whaley’s a versatile defender who can guard on the perimeter as well as defend the rim. That is the kind of player who is worth a mention in a top 100 list.

• R.J. Cole averaged more than 20 points per game in his first two years at Howard before he tried to become more of a facilitator in his first season at UConn and averaged 12.2 points per game. Expect more touches and scoring from Cole this year, and maybe he can break into the top 100.

• Anyone else? Hurley regards Samson Johnson as a future NBA player and perhaps even sophomore Andre Jackson or freshman Jordan Hawkins could pick up the slack. It is nearly impossible for the Huskies not have a top-100 player if they are so highly regarded as a team. Our prediction? The Huskies’ depth will show and the thought that someone like Sanogo wasn’t a top-100 player will be laughed at come March.

Didn’t UConn Just Leave Conference USA?

The Story: The Athletic reported late last night that Conference USA is in talks to add UConn in football only as it tries to reshape its future following the loss of eight schools (and counting) to The American and the Sun Belt.

ONE ZOMBIE LEAGUE TO ANOTHER: It seems to be a bit of a reach that UConn would give up everything it has gained as an independent in order to join Conference USA, which has been decimated by the loss of Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA to the AAC and Southern Miss and Old Dominion to the Sun Belt.

• Conference USA isn’t just looking to add UConn. The Athletic reported Liberty and New Mexico State are among the teams also talking to the conference. It’s also rumored to be considering adding several FCS schools, including Sam Houston State, McNeese State and Tarleton State. (No word, yet, on Oklahoma Panhandle State.)

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? Uh, none. We honestly cannot see a way this would be beneficial for UConn. Let’s look at why.

• What does it gain? It gains access to a bowl game, which UConn doesn’t have right now. And let’s be honest: UConn isn’t in position to worry about that. When it starts winning some games, it shouldn’t be hard to call ESPN and ask for a backup slot to whatever they’re calling the bowl game in Mobile these days.

• The money doesn’t make sense. UConn’s TV contract with CBS Sports runs through 2023 and pays it $500,000 a year. Conference USA, meanwhile, has a patchwork arrangement of TV deals that pay each school $400,000, according to the Virginian-Pilot, and that’s before all the defections. (That contract also runs through 2023.)

• UConn has jettisoned games against East Carolina and Tulsa for games against Syracuse, Buffalo, Temple, Army, etc. What would be gained by turning around and playing games in New Mexico and El Paso each year?

OUR THOUGHTS: Someone, mostly likely Conference USA, is floating out a (lead) trial balloon to show it’s trying to remain proactive. Cue the UConn response/outrage in three, two, one …

Huskies Take Steps to Exorcise Georgetown

The Story: The women’s soccer team made a hell of a statement yesterday afternoon with a 1-0 win over No. 21 Georgetown, which had not lost a game in almost two years. That means it earned a spot in the six-team Big East tournament.

A LONG, HARD FALL: The Huskies (9-7-1, 5-4-1 Big East) scored in the 58th minute when Jaydah Bedoyah controlled a pass in the penalty area and sent a cross toward Lucy Cappadona on the edge of the goal box. Georgetown keeper Allie Augur lunged to break up the pass, but when she missed, Cappadona was there to slot it home.

• It was Cappadona’s second goal of the season. Bedoyah, who has scored a team-high six goals this season, had her fourth assist. The Hoyas had nine shots, but Kaitlyn Mahoney turned away their only shot on goal for her third clean sheet of the season.

• The win ended a 31-game unbeaten streak for Georgetown (11-1-6, 7-1-2 Big East), which had not lost since it was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament by West Virginia on Nov. 16, 2019. And if you’re wondering how the Hoyas did not lose last year but did not win the national championship, it’s because they were knocked out of the NCAA Tournament by TCU on penalties, which officially goes down as a tie. Soccer!

• Up next for UConn is a first-round Big East tournament game on Sunday against either Butler or St. John’s. The Huskies lost 3-0 to both schools earlier this season, but hey, we now know anything is possible, right?

Morning Reads

• Azzi Fudd enters her freshman season with significant hype and expectations, but her best friend and teammate Paige Bueckers can help her navigate it all considering she did so last season. (Hearst Connecticut Media)

• The women’s hockey team (7-0, 3-0 Hockey East) looks to remain undefeated this weekend with a pair of home games. Winless Merrimack is up first tonight, followed by Vermont tomorrow. (Hartford Courant)

• The volleyball team (15-7, 7-3 Big East) will head back to the Midwest for the final time this season when it faces Xavier tomorrow and Butler on Sunday. (UConnHuskies.com)

• The No. 20-ranked field hockey team (9-9, 5-1 Big East) can secure either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the conference tournament this afternoon when it faces Temple on the road. It’ll then wrap up the regular season on Sunday against No. 21 Delaware at home. (UConnHuskies.com)