Hurley On Edge as Huskies Face Auburn
The Story: Dan Hurley has the men’s basketball team 4-0 and in the top 25, but when it takes on No. 19 Auburn today in the opening game of the Battle 4 Atlantis at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN, he’s a little unsure how things are going to play out.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Auburn is the first real test of the season. After wiping out CCSU, Coppin State and LIU by an average of 40 points per game, the Huskies struggled at times against Binghamton on Saturday in an 87-63 victory.
• Hurley was unhappy with the defense and said he was “scared” by what he saw on film.
• Is Hurley lowering expectations? Probably not. Is it hyperbole? We think Hurley would be a great Boneyard poster as he overreacts to every game. What he is really doing is putting his players on notice that the defensive play has to be at an elite level every game. There are no off days when it comes to playing defense at UConn.
WHAT TO EXPECT: The Huskies, despite their dominance, have only moved up two spots in the AP poll, from No. 24 during the preseason to No. 22 now.
• The questions about how good the Huskies are, at least in the early season, are set to be answered over the next three days.
• UConn will play Michigan State or Loyola-Chicago on Thanksgiving.
• On the other side of the bracket are potential games against Syracuse, VCU, defending national champion and No. 6 Baylor and, of course, Bobby Hurley and Arizona State.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM UCONN:: UConn’s bread and butter is its defense, regardless of how scared Hurley is about the 24-point win over Binghamton. UConn is holding opponents to 33 percent shooting and has forced 89 turnovers while holding teams to 51.3 points per game.
• The Huskies are led by Adama Sanogo, who is scoring 15.8 points per game, and Tyrese Martin, who is averaging 13.5 points per game.
• We don’t expect UConn to score in the 90s against defensive-minded Auburn, but the Huskies’ balanced attack has five players averaging in double figures. Nine players are averaging 10 or more minutes per game.
• WHAT CAN HAWKINS DO? Freshman Jordan Hawkins played his first significant minutes against Binghamton. He scored 11 points and showcased his athleticism and shot-creating ability.
• UConn can score and shoot, but with the loss of James Bouknight, it needs that one-on-one scorer who can create a shot when the offense breaks down. We like what we saw out of Hawkins in limited minutes, and while it is too much to ask against Auburn, we think he has that kind of game to be that go-to scorer. We don’t know how much he will play today, but we have a feeling if Hurley wants someone to get buckets, Hawkins may get the early call.
ABOUT AUBURN: The Huskies are said to have one of the top front lines in the country and we’ll find out if that’s true.
• Auburn’s 6-foot-10 freshman forward Jabari Smith is averaging 13.3 points per game and shooting 46.7 percent from 3-point range.
• Auburn is fifth in the nation with eight blocks per game.
• The backcourt is paced by K.D. Johnson, who is averaging 15 points per game and making 47.1 percent of his 3-pointers, and Wendell Green Jr., who is scoring 11.3 points per game.
• Auburn is 3-0 and is coming off a rock fight with a 58-52 win over USF.
• Auburn is holding teams to 37.9 percent shooting overall and 28.6 percent from 3-point range. Opponents are scoring only 57 points per game.
• Auburn is averaging 76 points per game but isn’t shooting particularly well at 43 percent.
THE LINE: You can bet on UConn to win the Battle 4 Atlantis in Connecticut (it isn’t a game, it’s a tournament). The Huskies are +550 entering the tournament and have the third-best odds behind Baylor and, somehow, Syracuse. If you are headed out of state and want to bet the game, the Huskies are -3.5.
BOTTOM LINE: We’ll find out if UConn is destined for the top half of the Big East over the next three days or if Hurley has work to do. UConn’s preseason is over and a game away from home against a ranked team is exactly the kind of test the Huskies need.
Morning Reads
• UConn’s loss to South Carolina in the Battle 4 Atlantis final on Monday will provide lessons that will reverberate throughout the season. (Journal Inquirer)
• That being the case, the Huskies still dropped to No. 3 in the Associated Press poll yesterday, but is there any doubt they’re not one of the two best teams in the country? (Associated Press)
