Shabazz Napier on Providence Friars

Rudy Gay Traded to Toronto

Andre Drummond with a monster double-double

Rudy Gay Game Winner vs. 76ers

Big East Commissioner Mike Aresco on UConn

Knight and Day

This was a huge game for UConn.  Coming off of two straight losses and wanting to hold home court against a middle of the pack team, UConn needed a win to stay within striking distance of the front of the pack in the Big East standings.  Rutgers got off to a hot start with Seagears hitting some early 3-pointers, but UConn struck back quickly, pushing the ball down the court for easy baskets.  They mixed up their defense, throwing in a two-three zone, full court press, and their standard man-to-man.  It stifled Rutgers early on and Daniels and Napier began hitting jumpers to pull ahead early, but they soon hit a wall at 18 points. Both teams struggled to find points and the game slogged along.  Luckily Napier's jumpers came alive and carried the team into halftime.  UConn came out sluggish in the second half, scoring only 1 point in the first six minutes and Rutgers took advantage, attacking the offensive glass and knocking down some jumpers to seize the lead.  At last Boatright and Napier heated up and they grabbed the lead and never looked back even though Rutgers made a few more attempts at the lead.

Napier’s shoulder wasn’t much of problem and he was aggressive early on with some solid rebounding and knocking down an elbow jumper.  He hit a deep 3-ball, a mid-ranged jumper, and a step-back jumper in the first half.  He finally got his offense going 12 minutes into the second half with a 3-pointer and immediately knocked down another. Other than a few bad 3-pointers, he played a great game, getting others involved and wasn't shying away from the offensive end.

Boatright struggled getting lay-ups to drop and didn’t hit a jumper until 11 minutes into the ballgame.  He then picked up his second foul in the middle of the first and had to ride the pine the rest of the first half.  He finally got UConn going in the second half with a dunk in transition and started getting to the line.  Finally a 3-pointer dropped for him and he hit an up and under jumper. It wasn't his night and he needs to take better care of the basketball which has been an issue for him all season. Calhoun dropped an early corner three but was quiet throughout the first half.  He got to the line early in the second half and hit a baseline jumper.  He's been up and down these last couple of games which will happen if you are primarily a 3-point shooter.

Daniels had an early offensive foul but remained involved the game, hitting an 18-footer, a 3-pointer, and a dunk in transition.  He had a quiet start to the second half, but made some noise late with a put-back, a steal that he dunked and lay-up that sealed the game.  He did an excellent job on the boards and needs to keep it up.  Giffey had a nice dunk in transition and landed without breaking his neck.  He also had a couple of nice steals and made some plays around the basket. When he provides this team a lift they usually win. Evans had a quiet game.  He contributed on the boards, filled in for Boatright when he was on the bench, and made some hustle plays but he has been in a rut offensively for the last couple of games now.

Olander battled hard and wasn’t getting any calls to go his way, but he rebounded well.  Wolf had an early block that led to points but struggled to get rebounds.  He did have a nice dunk in the second half but the frontcourt struggled to get anything going on the post and failed to establish position and demand the basketball.  The rebounding was better, but it is still a work in progress.

With the Big East in flux at the moment, it leaves the door open for UConn to make ground. Which makes this stretch of games important for UConn.  They’ll need to take care of business against these middle of the pack teams like Providence if they want to have a shot at the Big East Title.  They’ll need to bring the same defensive intensity and focus on rebounding like they did in this game and they should get a win in the hostile confines of Providence where they’ve had problems in the last couple of years.

Shabazz Napier on Shoulder Injury

Ryan Boatright Dunk vs. Notre Dame

Kevin Ollie On Jim Calhoun

View more videos at: http://nbcconnecticut.com.

Kevin Ollie's Early Years

View more videos at: http://nbcconnecticut.com.

Kentan Facey's Journey

Andre Drummond Makes It Look Easy

Cliff Robinson on UConn

Kemba Walker With Career 35 Points

Rudy Gay Runs Out Of Time

Remember the Name: Wayne Selden

Andre Drummond Slams Door on Celtics

Expectations

UConn started this game like it finished its previous one.  They turned the ball over, gave up easy baskets around the rim, 2nd chance opportunities, and their jumpers weren’t dropping.  They did remain aggressive and were getting to the line early, but weren’t making the most of those opportunities.  Pittsburgh was able to get 18 points in the paint and 14 points on second chance shots, which gave them a comfortable double digit lead heading into the first half.  As we have seen all year, this UConn team doesn’t quit.  They came out of the gates scorching hot, hitting numerous jumpers that weren’t falling previously.  Unfortunately their defense couldn’t get stops and to Pittsburgh’s credit, they answered every basket that UConn could produce early in the second half.  The Huskies scratched and clawed their way back to tie up the ball game, but failed to make plays in the final two minutes to pull off the victory.

Napier was questionable with a sore shoulder that he suffered against Louisville, but it didn’t seem to effect him early, hitting a transition 3-pointer, but after that he struggled for much of the game.  He had numerous bad passes and turnovers and rode the pine for much of the second half.  When he came back in he made another 3-pointer but that was about it.  It is amazing that this team was still in this ballgame with the sub-par play of Napier.

The main reason for UConn’s ability to remain in this game was the play of Boatright.  He got to the line early when jumpers weren’t falling, something he has failed to do in previous games, took a charge, and hit a 3-pointer, but other than that his first half was a struggle with horrible turnovers with bad passes and he settled for deep 3-pointers.  He was a different player in the second half though and hit an early floater, had a steal and dunk, and four lay-ups.  He was able to probe the Pittsburgh defense and find ways to put the ball in the basket.

With Napier struggling, Omar Calhoun stepped up and played well.  He hit the offensive glass early with a nice put-back, but he did most of his damage in the second half hitting three 3-pointers and getting a lay-up.  It was nice to see him a bit more judicious with his shots and not shy away from his jumper when it wasn't dropping early.  Evans struggled in this game, getting a bit too deep in Pittsburgh’s defense and turning the ball over.  He did have a nice steal but it has been awhile since he has been able to get to the rim for lay-ups we were used to seeing from him.

Olander’s offense was working for him, hitting a floater and a nice jumper from the wing, but he was getting carved up by the pick and roll game and also was being pushed out of position on the glass.  Wolf did worse on the glass, getting zero rebounds which is unacceptable.  He did pick up two quick fouls that had him out for much of the first half, but his major concern is rebounding and even though he hit an elbow jumper, a 15-footer, and a turnaround, he is playing to far from the basket.

Daniels was aggressive early and was rewarded with trips to the line, but his jumpers weren’t falling for him and he was in foul trouble throughout the game.  The major concern with Daniels is his inconsistency on the glass.  He again couldn’t muster a single rebound.  Giffey had problems holding onto the ball but did rebound well.  He really needs to work on his landings on dunks.  That’s twice he has nearly knocked himself out on dunking the basketball.

For the past two games, this team is struggling on consistency.  The defense and offense only come together in stretches and for much of the game they are searching for effectiveness.  It is still surprising that this team was in this game with Napier hitting only two shots, Daniels and Wolf getting zero rebounds, and taking 22 3-pointers.  It is a testament to this team’s spirit.  They aren’t going down without a fight and even though they aren’t a team that resembles a UConn squad of old, they have the same expectations, to win.

DeAndre Daniels Dunk on Louisville

Tyler Olander on playing Pitt

All Eyes on Pascal Chuwka

All eyes on Fairfield Prep's Pascal Chuwka

Kemba Walker injures ankle

Outclassed

It was a tale of two halves.  UConn did all the right things in the first half.  They took care of the basketball, found points in transition, moved the basketball that found high percentage shots, and played solid defense which earned them a lead heading into halftime.  Then they came out in the second half and after an early Olander lay-up, UConn began turning the ball over and their pick and roll  and transition defense was getting carved up for easy shots.  In the blink of an eye that three possession lead evaporated and UConn’s once prolific offense shriveled up.  Sure fingers can be pointed to the rebounding margin and turnovers, but this game was lost on poor offensive possessions, UConn took 22 three pointers which is way too many, and horrible defense, giving up twelve dunks and lay-ups in the second half alone.  Louisville only had five more shot attempts at the basket than UConn, they had only had 3 more offensive rebounds, and they had 3 less turnovers.  This was more than a winnable game for UConn, but they failed to finish out the game plan that they played to perfection in the first half which is a shame.

Napier’s night started out great with a lay-up, 3-pointer, jumper, and a trip to the line.  He was playing aggressive and had his way with Peyton Siva on the bench in foul trouble, but he was a totally different player in the second half and was out played by Siva.  He had an early turnover that led to a dunk on the other end, missed a lay-up on a steal, and then missed four 3-pointers in a row from there.  He settled for jumper after jumper instead of attacking the basket and putting pressure on the defense or getting to the line.  Credit needs to go to Louisville's defense, but Napier settled far too much in this game and it cost them dearly.

Boatright struggled all night to find his offense.  He didn’t get his first points until ten minutes into the ballgame and he had problems all game in taking care of the basketball, turning the ball over 5 times. That's putting fuel to a fire with Louisville.  Like Napier, he settled for jumpers that just weren’t falling and he failed to get to the line once, which should never happen with his dribbling skills and his speed.  He should be focused on attacking the defense each and every time he has the ball. Instead he took 7 of his 10 shots from deep.  That is a recipe for disaster.

Omar Calhoun was the only bright spot of an overall ugly showing by the backcourt.  His jumper was dead on, hitting 3 of 4 from deep and 5 of 5 from the line.  His 6 turnovers marred his otherwise great night.  That is way too many turnovers and ignited Louisville’s second half run.  UConn found its third scorer but squandered it with poor performances by Boatright and Napier. Evans played seven minutes and struggled to get the ball through the basket, missing his free throws and his only shot.

Daniels had an otherwise good game despite the score.  He had couple of blocks, steals, assists, rebounded well, and scored in a variety of ways. He's really turning into an all around player and becoming reliable.  When he adds a bit more bulk, he should be a double-double machine.  Giffey had two lay-ups, 5 rebounds, but struggled to defend without fouling.  His improvement on the glass has made a major difference in the last four to five games.

Olander couldn’t find the magic that he had in his previous two games.  He reverted back to the Olander of old, making only one field goal and only mustering a measly one rebound. That isn’t going to cut it in a huge home game against an elite team like Louisville, especially considering that he played 30 minutes.  Wolf only had 10 minutes but had 2 rebounds,  1 block, and 1 assist, far outplaying Olander.  The lack of any front court presence allowed Louisville to have a 44 points in the paint and UConn's big men had problems hedging on the pick and roll again, leading to easy looks around the basket.

There is no good way to paint this picture.  It was ugly.  This team doesn’t have the offensive balance to counteract a poor outing by both Boatright and Napier.  They also had no answer to the pick and roll offense which killed them against Marquette, but there is no shame in this loss.  They were outclassed by an elite team.  They need to dust themselves off, learn from this loss, and know that they aren’t that far off despite being short handed.  If they play aggressive, defend the paint better, and not turn the ball over, then they can play with anyone.  Unfortunately they did none of those things in the second half of this game.

Cooley and Atkins on UConn win

Oh My Olander

This was a good ole fashioned Big East slugfest.  Notre Dame used its great passing to get excellent looks in the paint, moving UConn’s defense to draw defenders and then hitting the open player.  The Huskies used a resurgent rebounding game and a dominating backcourt performance to keep them within arms length by the end of the half.  UConn then turned the tables in the second half and lived in the paint and getting contributions from Olander and Daniels to add to the consistent contributions of Napier and Boatright to take the lead.  Notre Dame fought back to tie it up but unlike the Marquette game, there wasn't any miraculous shot to steal this game away from UConn's grasp.

Napier was masterful.  He had his shot dead on right from the tip-off. His three 3-pointers in the first half kept them close and he carved up the Notre Dame defense.  Even though he was on fire from deep in the first half, he remained aggressive in the second and made some nice plays in the paint which shows a maturity to his game.  His defensive pressure also caused havoc for a normally sure handed Notre Dame backcourt.  This was a great performance on the road and he displayed true leadership in this game by his hard play on both sides of the ball.

Boatright had a slow start, hitting a 3-pointer as his only real offense in the first half, but it didn’t take him long get going in the second half.  With most of his family in the crowd, he had every aspect of his game on display from a floater, a massive slam, took a charge, and sealed the game at the line. He has an uncanny ability to dribble the ball in traffic and find that sliver of sunlight to get the ball off the glass on a reverse.  Once his jumper has started sinking, in early December, his game has reached epic status.

Calhoun had a freshman like game.  Other than an early jumper, his shots were way off.  He did have a nice tie-up that gave UConn the possession but that was about it. He did play some good defense and caused some difficulty for Notre Dame's guards.  Evans played a good chunk of this game, but other than a lay-up, he struggled to find points.  Giffey had a nice lay-up early, but didn’t contribute much other than that and he needs to do better than two rebounds.

What a game by Tyler Olander!  He backed up his solid performance with a career game on the road and against one of the best rebounding forwards in the country.  He started the game out with a baseline jumper, defended without fouling and had a nice tip-in. But he was just getting going.  In the second half, he lived in the paint getting fourteen points from five feet and in.  He knew this was his day when he hit a step back jumper and when blocked shots dropped right into his lap. His defense was just as impressive as his offense getting a few blocks late in the ballgame to shut Notre Dame's comeback hopes down.  There is no one that needed this type of performance more than Olander.  His confidence was at an all time low but now he has put back-to-back solid showings and hopefully this carries on because this is a totally different team when the frontcourt makes plays.

Wolf had a quiet game, getting into foul trouble early and could only muster up a couple of rebounds.  He never got into the flow of the game in the second half with Olander’s outstanding outing and only played in a few spurts.  Daniels also had a slow start, missing all three of his field goals in the first half, but came out strong in the second half.  He attacked the offensive glass, had three lay-ups, a couple of blocks, and played great defense.  He flirted with a double-double which is exactly what this team needs from him.

This was a statement game by these Huskies.  They are playing swarming defense, hitting jumpers, getting third and fourth scoring options and finally rebounding.  It is great to see this team come together.  They are playing as a team and overcoming some obvious deficiencies, unlike a year ago where they couldn’t enforce their strengths.  They’ve put the rest of the Big East on notice because this team and coach are trying to prove not only to their peers but to themselves that they belong and with this win,they've proved that not only do they belong with the elite of this conference, but they are also giving a nice homecoming gift for their opponent's new conferences, a loss.

Preview of UConn vs. Notre Dame

Kemba Walker on Coach Jim Calhoun

Mike Brey on UConn

UConn vs. Notre Dame Preview

Giving Back: Caron Butler & Bike Nation

Hasheem Thabeet Left Hanging

Hasheem Thabeet Arrives

Bottled Up

There isn’t must wins this early in the season but UConn certainly didn’t want to head into Big East play with two losses and no wins.  So it was a priority that the Huskies held home court advantage, especially against a team like DePaul who is much improved but isn’t the elite of the conference.  It didn’t take long for Connecticut to assert themselves. They surged out to an early nine to nothing advantage on the backs of DeAndre Daniels and Ryan Boatright who combined for thirty-one first half points.  The second half was a little reminiscent of the Fordham game where UConn’s large lead was whittled down to a nervous twelve points, but they kept up their aggressive mentality and found enough lay-ups to extend the lead again. The biggest surprise was UConn’s improvement on the boards.  They did a great job of boxing out and securing the ball when they had two hands on it.  No one saw this team winning the battle on the boards and for them to out rebound DePaul by twenty is simply astonishing.

Napier hit an early 3-pointer but unlike other games he didn’t become three happy and only took three of his thirteen shots from deep.  He was aggressive throughout the game and was rewarded with three lay-ups and six trips to the charity stripe.  He was making contributions everywhere from snagging 8 rebounds, dishing out 7 dimes to 0 turnovers, to causing havoc on the defense end with 4 steals.  This is the type of performance this team needs from their captain heading forward.

Boatright kept up his torrid pace.  He had everything going in this game from his jumper, his fancy dribbling , dunking, to dropping three 3-pointers.  He’s turned the corner on his game and is playing at such a high level right now and it has allowed Napier to pick and choose his spots without forcing to much.  The only knock on his game was his poor free throw shooting, 3 of 5, and his turnovers, 3, but that is nit-picking a fantastic showing.  Omar Calhoun had a rough outing.  His outside shot is hitting the back of the rim and he isn’t being aggressive enough to get to the rim which is important when your shot isn’t falling.  He also had a hard time controlling the basketball, having a team high 4 turnovers.  These next couple of games are going to be important for him to get some confidence back.

UConn is a much different team when Daniels is making an impact on the game and he was everywhere against DePaul.  He got out to a fast start, getting a lay-up and a 3-pointer in the first three minutes but he was just getting started.  He made a couple of jumpers, got to the line 8 times, had a dunk, rebounded the ball and did a masterful job on Melvin, dominating that battle.  Giffey did a much better job on the boards than he has shown previously but he is struggling to find when and where to assert himself into the offense though he wasn't really needed in this game, but it would’ve been nice to see him take some jumpers.  R.J. Evans didn’t have much of an impact offensively but did the little things like pass the ball, contribute on the boards, and he found ways to get to the line.

Olander got the start and played well, getting an early jumper and had some early offensive rebounds.  He was active throughout the game and it was by far his best game of the season.  Hopefully he can build on this because it has been a tough season for him.  Wolf did a great job in his limited minutes and made some great plays around the basket, rebounded the basketball, and gave UConn some points in the paint.  He did have an awkward traveling call and missed some easy shots, but he has been playing some consistent basketball lately.  Brandon Allen, Phillip Nolan, Watts, and Lammi all got playing time and Tolksdorf got the stare down from Ollie as he ignored the stop sign his coach put up and drained a jumper in the closing seconds.  Not a smart thing to do if he wanted more minutes.

This was by far the best game UConn has put together.  It was a solid forty minutes of basketball and even though DePaul made a run, UConn remained aggressive and never let the momentum swing in the other direction.  This team is playing well and at just the right time, heading into a tough stretch of games.  If they can just bottle this game up and take it on the road with them then this team could do some major damage this month and put themselves into position for their ultimate goal, the Big East regular season trophy.

Kevin Ollie on DePaul

DeAndre Daniels interview on DePaul, Boatright, & Practice

Ray Allen drops 20 on Washington

Kevin Ollie Giving Thanks for New Contract

Andre Drummond Dunk & Block vs. Atlanta

December 2012

December started out with UConn taking on a talented North Carolina State team in Madison Square Garden.  It was a tight ballgame but in the end NC State’s frontcourt was too much for UConn to handle and pulled out the victory.  After that UConn took out their frustrations on a Harvard squad that stuck around  for a little bit but was totally out gunned by the Huskies backcourt.  Next up was Fordham.  It was a strange game where UConn dominated most of the game, going up by more than 30 points, but Fordham went on a tear and scored 17 straight points to put a bad spin on an otherwise great performance.  After the Christmas break, they took on the Washington Huskies.  It was the first time in awhile that UConn was able to win the rebounding battle and the backcourt dominated the game, taking control of the game in the second half and keeping Washington at arms length.

Napier had a great month of basketball and was aggressive right from the start versus North Carolina State but disappeared in the second half, causing UConn to flounder offensively.   He had his best overall performance of the month against Harvard, dishing the ball, getting steals and being the floor general fans are used to seeing.  He continued to become that pass first point guard, but had some turnover issues.against Maryland Eastern Shore. He put forth a stellar performance versus Fordham, rebounding, not taking a ton of 3-pointers, and finally got his turnovers under control that plagued him for much of the month.  In the Washington game, he reverted back to his 3-point heavy performance and had way too many turnovers, 7.  It was his only poor performance of the month and he has shown tremendous maturity in the month of December.

Boatright’s jumper came to life in December.  He displayed his mid and long ranged jumper against N.C. State and carried it over into the Harvard game, though he took too many deep shots.  He had his best game of the season against Maryland-Eastern Shore where he had everything working from his first dunk of the year to rebounding the basketball.  He followed that game up with a solid first half against Fordham, but had too many turnovers.  He ended the month with a sub-par game against Washington where he again turned the ball over too many times, but made some clutch shots down the stretch to pull out the win.  He was UConn’s best option on the offensive end throughout the month of December but needs to work on ball control, getting to the line more, and not settling for contested jumpers.

Omar Calhoun had a bad start to December, coming up with only 5 points against N.C. State.  His horrible shooting continued, missing all his shots against Harvard.  He finally bounced back with a stout game versus Maryland-Eastern Shore where he was more assertive in the offense and he was able to carry over his play into the Fordham game where he was finally making plays in the second half.  He finished the month with his best performance against Washington where he had his mid-ranged game on display and also found ways to get easy buckets which is something he hadn’t done earlier.

Daniel’s month started out slow with a tough game against N.C. State where he had numerous turnovers that marred his night and only had one rebound.  He bounced back though and had his best game of the month against Harvard, getting lay-ups, hitting deep jumpers, and getting to the line.  Then he backed it up with another good game against Maryland-Eastern Shore by making plays around the rim.  His next game was a let down and struggled to rebound and make plays against a Fordham team in which he should have dominated.  He has been the X-factor throughout the month and when he is playing well, the team usually wins.

Giffey had a rough start to the month, struggling to guard C.J. Leslie but had a good game against Harvard, even dunking twice.  He backed that up with key contributions against Maryland-Eastern Shore.  The Fordham game was a disappointment and so was the game against Washington.  His rebounding has been lackluster in December and he needs to do more there to warrant more playing time.

Olander has had a December to forget.  He lost his starting job, got it back, but has done little to deserve significant playing time.  His rebounding numbers are way down from where they should be, his elbow jumper which should be an asset is non-existent, he’s being out muscled to spots on the court, and he is fouling on defense.  Not good.

Wolf has been the bright spot for UConn in the month of December.  He had an amazing game versus North Carolina State, disappeared late against Harvard, played sparingly against Maryland-Eastern Shore, struggled against Fordham, and was a catalyst in the game versus Washington.  He just needs to keep himself out of foul trouble, play within his game, and rebound, rebound, rebound.

R.J. Evans had a tough month, dealing with a shoulder injury but he made the little plays that this team is getting used to him making which is lay-ups and hustle plays on loose balls.  He even hit a rare 3-pointer against Fordham, but he is still adjusting to a step up in competition.

Tolksdorf has had little to none playing time and Nolan has gotten in sparingly but has shown the ability to finally get the ball through the basket and rebound.

All in all UConn is playing well despite its obvious deficiencies.  They are going to be tested in the next month while heading into Big East play.  The wings need to focus more on making plays around the rim, the back court needs to get to the line more, and the frontcourt, well they need to make some plays every once in awhile.  If they can do those things then this team will surprise some of the big boys.  They need to because with all the uncertainty surrounding the Big East, they need to make a statement on where this program is heading.

Alex Oriakhi's Workout Success

UConn vs. Marquette Highlights

Charlie Villanueva Hard Foul

Running Out of Magic

It didn’t start out as an instant classic but it sure ended that way. Right from the tip, UConn was getting beat on the glass early and often. The frontcourt struggled matching up with Marquette’s talented and deep group of big men.  Wolf, Nolan, Daniels and Olander were all in foul trouble and had problems clogging driving lanes, defending without fouling or stopping post moves around the basket.  Marquette deployed the zone that frustrated an already lackluster halfcourt offense and UConn settled for jumpers that weren't dropping. They shortly found themselves down by double digits but then those elusive jumpers started to fall.  On the backs of Napier and Boatright, UConn soared ahead with only seconds left on the clock.  But then Marquette found a little magic, knocking down a deep 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded and sending the game into overtime.  The game only got crazier from there and both teams lined up at the wrong side of court so when Napier’s shot was goal tended, they were the ones penalized for the referees' mistake.  From there the momentum was in Marquette’s direction and UConn couldn’t make the plays to seize it back, seeing Marquette take a two to three possession lead to the finish line.

Napier had his Kemba Walker mojo going right from the start.  He had two lay-ups, fouled 7 times, hit four 3-pointers, had a floater, played great defense, made a pretty up & under move and made some nifty passes.  There isn’t much to criticize him for other than a few bad 3-pointers and passes.  Kevin Ollie is going to need this type of performances on a nightly basis from him in Big East play to compensate for a lack of a post presence.

Boatright was effective, making some early jumpers and some pretty assists in the first half.  He did a majority of his damage in the second half though.  He hit a 3-pointer, a floater, an elbow jumper, a tear drop jumper, and a sweet turnaround jumper in the waning seconds of regulation.  He did miss an one & one opportunity in overtime, but it is hard to fault him for the loss in this game.  Calhoun was a no show for much of this game other than a few attempts at the line and a 3-pointer in overtime.   Evans also struggled to make his usual impact and only had a trip to the line, missing both attempts, as his only contribution.  UConn desperately needs Calhoun and Evans to find some consistency so that they don't rely so heavily on Boatright and Napier.

Daniels got the start but that only lasted one minute.  He was quickly pulled for Giffey on a poor defensive possession.  When he came back in, he made an instant impact with a lay-up & 1, had a few nice box outs, sank a sweet fade away jumper, and was fouled a couple of times and sank his free throws.  Other than a dunk, and a lay-up in the second half, he disappeared down the stretch.  This team needs more from him late in ballgames, be it rebounding, second chance points or blocking shots.  Giffey had an early 3-pointer, but struggled from there to get anything going offensively. He rebounded much better in this game though and needs to continue to chip in there.  Nolan got some early minutes but found himself in foul trouble early and never got an opportunity to make an impact.

Olander got the start but struggled mightily.  He had trouble on helping out with the dribble penetration and guards were driving right by him for lay-ups on his help defense.  He did have a nice lay-up and was fouled on a put-back, but overall it was a rough night for him.  Wolf again outplayed him.  He wasn’t muscled out of a spot, and held his own when posted up.  He battled through 2 touch fouls early and made a major impact in the second half.  He had 2 put-backs, a sweet lay-up on a post play which is a rare sight, and had a couple of blocks.  He did have a bad miss on a dunk attempt where he held onto the rim too long, but he was the best of the frontcourt for UConn.

UConn is used to playing these tight ballgames.  They really are a resilient bunch and even in their first true road game of the year, they hung in there and put themselves in position to pull out the win.  Marquette just made a fantastic play and road that momentum to the win.  The start of overtime was bizarre but didn't cost them the game.  Marquette made more plays and UConn's jumpers, which got them back into the game, stopped falling.  Overall it was a great showing for this team and they can leave feeling that they had a shot at the win against some long odds.  They need to bounce back and not let this loss carry over into their next game and knowing Kevin Ollie, he's going to have this team ready to go.

Ray Allen Post Game vs. Orlando Magic

Kemba Walker Post Game Interview after Win

Rudy Gay Nice Pass To Gasol vs. Pacers