The UConn Fast Break - 11/18/2022
Football is (probably) going bowling!
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Bowl. Eligible. UConn.
UConn football won its sixth game on Saturday, upsetting Liberty 36-33. Just 11 weeks ago, such a phrase was unfathomable. Husky fans carried mixed opinions and expectations for Jim Mora’s first season as head coach, but the Huskies’ win total in Vegas was 2.5 and they’ve more than doubled that mark.
At this stage in building the program, 6-5 is 6-5 and it does not matter how they got there. Randy Edsall’s second tenure started off badly and had an okay first season but collapsed into the worst a football program could be for three years. One year after losing to Sacred Heart, UConn has captured meaningful wins over the likes of Boston College, it also beat a ranked team, and it has a chance to end this season with eight (!) wins.
The way this team has played has shown some aptitude for closing games in key moments. If the Huskies top Army, the four-game streak would be the longest since 2010 and the highest win total since then as well. For all this to be happening, along with the joys that will come in the (seemingly likely) event of a bowl invite, makes for a remarkable season for UConn football this year.
Weekly Rewind
Men’s Basketball
Huskies take down Buffalo - One day after earning a No. 25 AP ranking, UConn notched a 20-point win over Buffalo featuring an impressive triple-double from Tristen Newton.
Big win over Boston University - Down three starters, UConn topped the Terriers, 86-57, behind an impressive performance from Adama Sanogo.
Women’s Basketball
Fudd leads Huskies to win over No. 3 Texas - The sophomore scored 17 points in the fourth quarter as part of a career-high 32 points in the win.
Chasing Perfection Podcast - Azzi Fudd steals the show
Homecoming - Paige Bueckers will play in her home state next year
Men’s Hockey
Wild Weekend with PC - In a top-10 battle, No. 7 UConn and No. 9 Providence battled to two very different ties. Friday ended 1-1, but Saturday was a frenetic 6-6 affair.
The Forecheck - This week’s men’s hockey newsletter looks at Vermont transfer Andrew Lucas, who has been crucial to UConn’s hot start.
UConn Hockey Hub Podcast ($) - It was an entertaining weekend between two teams that look like the class of Hockey East.
No. 13 UMass Lowell preview ($) - Previewing the home-and-home with a tough River Hawks team.
Football
Huskies are bowl eligible - Takeaways from win no. 6 and the path ahead for the program.
UConn likely to be invited to bowl - While not definite, the Huskies’ chances appear to be pretty good.
Bowl math - A look at how many teams are eligible to play in a bowl.
UConn Football Pod - The latest episode of the podcast looks back at Liberty and forward to the season finale and a potential bowl.
Liberty upset - UConn earned bowl eligibility Saturday with a 36-33 upset of Liberty.
Future opponents - We check in with Army.
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Highlights
Excellence all around.
Donovan Clingan made the block, Tristen Newton pushed the pace in transition, and Alex Karaban drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing. UConn showed its quality on Monday night and this play was a great example, capped off with a great celebration from Andrew Hurley.
Memory Lane
Fourteen years ago this week, UConn women’s basketball embarked on a record-breaking run. The Huskies opened the 2008-09 season with a battle against Georgia Tech at Gampel Pavilion. The Yellow Jackets were tied with their hosts at halftime, but UConn pulled away for an 82-71 win.
Maya Moore led the way with 20 points and 14 rebounds, adding six assists. While not notable on its own, this win was the first in a string of 90 straight wins over three seasons, which broke UCLA’s previous streak of 88 games.
Look back at UConn’s win over Georgia Tech that started it all with ESPN’s Gamecast and recap.
UConn, Great Pic
On Monday, Swin Cash’s No. 32 went into the rafters at Gampel Pavilion, joining Ray Allen’s No. 34 and Rebecca Lobo’s No. 50.
Ian Bethune had some great shots of the ceremony.
Parting Thoughts
Men’s and women’s hockey are having a tremendous start to the season. The women’s hockey team is 10-4-2 coming off of two-game sweeps of Boston College and PC. Nice. They’re led by senior Coryn Tormala and junior Jada Habisch, two forwards with 11 points each through 16 games.
Mike Cavanaugh’s squad has lost just once through 13 games, on the road to Boston University. Ranked No. 7 in the USCHO poll, the Huskies have the best goal differential in Hockey East (plus-18) and currently lead the conference standings, though they are two points ahead of Merrimack, which has two games in hand.
Sixteen players have lit the lamp for UConn and Ryan Tverberg has been a point-per-game player, while freshman phenom Matthew Wood has 11 points (5-6—11) in 13 games. In net, both Logan Terness and Arsenii Sergeev have performed at a high level and have split starts relatively evenly so far.
The Huskies played a tremendous series against then-No. 9 Providence last weekend and will face another highly-ranked team in No. 13 UMass Lowell this weekend. Hockey East play is a slog but the first half of this season has been the best in the Cavanaugh era by far.
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