UConn Gears Up for AAC Play
The Story: The men’s basketball team will emerge from its holiday slumber when it plays at USF tonight. The Huskies are 9-4 on the season and have an 18-game conference slate ahead.
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION? TAKE CARE OF THE BALL: UConn has tried to push the pace at all costs in the early season and that has led Dan Hurley to question the chaos as turnovers are coming at a high rate of nearly 17 per game. Hurley said he may want his guards to slow down just a bit and take care of the ball more, especially after made baskets. The Huskies are running after makes and Hurley called some of the shot attempts and turnovers “embarrassing”. The Huskies have a 1:1 assist-to-turnover ratio and poor ballhandling and distribution. Just please, don’t slow it down too much — it’s been much more exciting to watch this year.
WHO MANS THE MIDDLE? UConn has had great games from Josh Carlton and Eric Cobb. They have also disappeared in games for long stretches. Hurley continues to play it by ear with Carlton, Cobb and Kassoum Yakwe all figuring to get their chance. Game management inside has sort of been like darts — Hurley throws a center into the mix and sees what happens. Carlton has the best combination of size, defense, and offensive potential, but remains inconsistent in averaging 7.6 points per game. Cobb, who mysteriously didn’t play against Villanova, is a good offensive player and offensive rebounder but struggles defensively. Yakwe is the opposite of Cobb — an excellent positional defender but mechanical down low.
ARE THE BULLS FOR REAL? The Bulls are 10-2, but they have played a soft schedule and are not ranked in the top 100 as of yet (they’re 102nd in the NET ratings and 175th in KenPom). Rebounding is USF’s strength as it holds an advantage of 9.5 rebounds per game. Forward Alexis Yenta, who played at Putnam Science Academy, is averaging 11.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. USF was picked last in the preseason poll by coaches and UConn has a 20-2 all-time record against the Bulls, including wins in each of the last 10.
BOTTOM LINE: UConn has to get off a good start in the AAC with a showdown against preseason favorite UCF on Saturday at the XL Center. Hurley believes the AAC is a potential five-bid NCAA tournament league. We are skeptical and think it’s a three-bid league max. Regardless, if UConn is going to be in that mix, it can’t slip up tonight. Get Jalen Adams going on offense, limit the turnovers and put the Bulls away.
UCF’s Loss Is Also The American’s Loss
The Story: UCF had to act like that annoying outsider because, in reality, it is that annoying outsider who no one would talk about if it wasn’t annoying. The danger of talking and talking is what happens when you lose the game. Well, the Knights didn’t deliver, losing 40-32 to LSU in the Fiesta Bowl last night.
NOT A BAD LOSS, BUT TERRIBLE FOR AAC: UCF was supposed to be the team to crash the party and change everything — or, at the very least, help legitimize the AAC’s “Power 6” campaign. While UCF has an excuse as quarterback McKenzie Milton was out with a leg injury, LSU was also without six defensive starters. At the end of the day, it was a decent game and the Knights showed they belonged on the field with one of the SEC’s best. For the league, however, it was the end to a dreadful bowl season. The silly “national champion” talk that followed UCF last season, when it went undefeated, won’t happen again this year and will dampen the discussion of expanding the College Football Playoff to eight teams.
BELLY UP IN BOWL SEASON: The AAC went 2-5 in bowl games following last night’s loss. How bad was the bowl season for the AAC? Houston, the West Division champion, gave up 70 points to Army and then fired coach Major Applewhite after just two years. Temple lost its coach to Georgia Tech, lost a blowout to Duke, then lost its new coach, Manny Diaz, who instead accepted a promotion at Miami. Losing two coaches and giving up 56 points in a bowl game was Temple’s December. Let’s hope for a better January. That still isn’t as poor as USF, which was blown out by Marshall in a home game in the Gasparilla Bowl.
COACHING CAROUSEL: Temple is once again on the prowl for a coach with former UConn assistants Todd Orlando (Texas) and Don Brown (Michigan) both being mentioned. Greg Schiano might also be an option for Temple. For Houston, Dana Holgorsen is leaving West Virginia for a $20 million deal with the Cougars. We actually like that move for Houston long term, but Temple? When did that become a launching pad for coaches, with Al Golden, Steve Addazio, Matt Rhule and now Geoff Collins getting big jobs? It’s been a long time since the Big East kicked Temple out so UConn could join.
Morning Read
FRESHMAN FRIGHT NO EXCUSE FOR GENO: Freshmen are now required to play major minutes in all of college sports and Geno Auriemma doesn’t accept youth as an excuse. Why not? Look at college football. (Hartford Courant)
HAYES IN SHADOWS NO LONGER: Former UConn guard Tiffany Hayes was one of the bright spots for the Atlanta Dream last season and should no longer be overlooked as one of the WNBA’s best. (SB Nation)
HUSKA CITED FOR PLAY: Goaltender Adam Huska was superhuman in UConn’s 3-1 win over No. 15 Yale on Monday and was named Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week. (UConnHuskies.com).
WOMEN’S HOCKEY PAIR LAUDED: Sophomore Natalie Snodgrassand junior Morgan Fischer were named Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, by Hockey East. (UConnHuskies.com)
KAPP GETS CALL: The Connecticut Soccer Hall of Fame will induct Erhardt Kapp, who played for the Huskies from 1977 to 1980, later this month. (The UConn Blog)
