A Man Among Boys

Connecticut did to Rutgers what they should have done to Villanova, feed the big men. Adrien and Thabeet took 22 shots, while Price, Austrie, Wiggins and Dyson had 21. UConn is an inside-outside team and should not rely on three. In this game, they were determined to get the ball inside and did so. That collapsed the defense and led to open shots for the guards, and they hit from outside consistently, going 6 for 11.

This game came at the right time for the pups. After coming off a tough loss, a win on the road by double digits helped right the ship. It wasn’t a perfect game and even through the winning streak, UConn hasn’t played their best ball yet. They still let one of the league’s worst 3-point shooting teams hit 8 for 16 from beyond the arch, and the game never felt in UConn’s control until late in the second half. But they closed it out and put Rutgers away, something they couldn’t do in their previous games against comparable opponents.

Price wasn’t as assertive on the offensive side like he was during Dyson’s absence. He only shot the ball 6 times, way to little. He needs to get that number around 10 a game. He did have 6 assists to 1 turnover, but he went 0 for 3 from the arch and didn’t have a free throw. Austrie played excellent, hitting jumpers, going perfect from the arch, having 3 assists to 1 turnover, and ending with 18 points. Wiggins had a better showing, but Dyson is eating at his minutes. He hit a three and played with energy. Dyson looked a bit rusty and didn’t want to takeover the offense. He picked his spots and got to the line but was tentative out there.

Stanley had a monster game and showed he isn’t all about dunks. His mid-range game is blossoming. He went 8 for 13 from the field, 13 boards, 6 of those were offensive, and had a spectacular put back. Its great to see him play with confidence and not shy away if he gets his shot blocked. His pull up jumper is nearly unstoppable and he is so athletic that he can create a shot any time he wants.

I had been looking forward to seeing Thabeet versus Ndiaye. Thabeet had his issues on offense and hasn’t found a hook shot all year, but he was more then effective on the defensive end. He had 6 blocks, 10 boards, 6 of those offensive, and changed countless shots. Ndiaye only had 3 boards, 2 blocks and 4 points. Adrien on the other hand was a man among boys. He shot 10 for 15, 11 boards, and 2 assists, but the most incredible stat was his 7 for 8 from the line. If he can shoot like that from the stripe, then he will be a force.

Mandeldove played an incredible game and had 4 blocks and 1 board in 5 minutes! Gavin came in and fouled twice in his 2 minutes. With Thabeet and Adrien out of foul trouble, the bench wasn’t needed.

This was a perfect get right game for the Huskies before they play a tough game against a potent West Virginia team. If UConn doesn’t stop teams from pouring in points from the arch, then it will be a tough night. They aren’t playing to the level that they can and that is an encouraging sign if they can play their best ball leading into the tournament. They just need to avoid those slow starts and stop teams from hitting 50% from behind the arch. With the guards knocking down shots and the big men controlling the paint, they need to shore up their weaknesses and get on a roll like they were and who knows where this team can go.