The UConn Fast Break - 12/2/2022
The Huskies are in the top 10, in many sports.
Welcome to this week’s Fast Break, and thank you for being a subscriber. Did any of you think that both hoops teams would be undefeated going into December?
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Hurley’s Huskies’ coming-out party
Headed into the Phil Knight Invitational, UConn men’s basketball had zero trouble defeating its first five opponents, with an average margin of victory of over 30 points through a 5-0 start.
It was nice to see Dan Hurley’s squad thriving, but Husky fans know better than to get their hopes up too quickly.
Now, after four comfortable wins over solid-to-good teams, it’s getting impossible to rein the expectations in.
Oregon, Alabama, and Iowa State were no match for the Huskies, who beat all of those teams by 15 points or more and did it in different ways each night. They jumped from No. 20 to No. 8 in the AP Poll, with some voters ranking them as high as No. 4.
In KenPom, UConn is ranked 4th overall after beating Oklahoma State and is the only program with a top-10 adjusted efficiency rating both offensively and defensively. KenPom projects UConn to go 16-4 in Big East play and win the league.
Hurley and the Huskies won’t be able to sneak up on anyone anymore, because right now they look like a Final Four contender. Oklahoma State’s coach said as much after the game last night.
Up next, the Huskies visit Florida on Wednesday, December 7th. They’ll open Big East play at Butler on December 17th.
Weekly Rewind
Men’s Basketball
Phil Knight Invitational - The Huskies took down Oregon, Alabama, and Iowa State on their way to a title. We learned a lot from this weekend.
Ranked No. 8 - Dan Hurley’s team moved from No. 20 to No. 8 in the AP Poll.
Walker signs in Dallas - The former UConn star will join the Mavericks.
Cruisin’ past the Cowboys - No troubles getting win #9.
Women’s Basketball
Phil Knight Legacy - Geno Auriemma’s squad went 2-0 in Oregon, defeating Duke and Iowa.
Men’s Hockey
No. 12 Warriors vanquished - A nice win at Merrimack.
Special teams save the day ($) - The UConn Hockey Hub’s premium content includes a deeper analysis of Tuesday’s win.
Cornell crushes UConn - It was 2-0 in the blink of an eye in Madison Square Garden.
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Highlights
It’s crazy to say because he was already so good. But Adama Sanogo has taken a big step forward this year, especially after developing an outside shot.
Enjoy 22 seconds of the big man blocking shots, putting the ball on the floor, and running the court for a breakaway, all against Alabama.
Memory Lane
Let’s go all the way back to 1986, when a certain gentleman from Braintree, Massachusetts had just taken the helm of the UConn men’s basketball program. The Huskies began the Jim Calhoun Era by playing UMass to open the season on November 29 and escaped with a 58-54 victory.
That first roster featured a pair of freshmen guards you may have heard of: Tate George and Steve Pikiell, in addition to future NBA-er and marijuana magnate Cliff Robinson (RIP). The 1986 team finished 9-19 and 3-13 in the Big East, but Calhoun’s squad won the NIT the following year and was in the Elite Eight just two years after that.
Check out this 1987 local news interview with Calhoun, it features tremendous shots of campus and some fun quotes from the legend himself. Also, the tribute video UConn made of his career has some great footage from the early years.
Photo credit: ESPN
UConn, Great Pic
The men’s hockey team rebounded from an absolutely horrid performance against Cornell to beat No. 12 Merrimack on the road Tuesday night.
From the camera of Ian Bethune:
Parting Thoughts
After spending our Thanksgiving with family and/or friends, probably with lots of food, we should all give thanks to the college kids who are playing these games for our entertainment on these days. No hotel meal can replace a family dinner over the holidays.
I know my Thanksgiving week was a lot better because of the great run we’re seeing across UConn football, hockey, and hoops, and have high hopes for December and January. With a bowl game, the start of Big East play, the opening of the new hockey arena, and maybe some worthwhile road trips on the horizon, this is an unbelievably fun time to be a UConn fan.
By the way, for no reason in particular, the women’s Final Four is in Dallas. The men’s Final Four is in Houston.
Wouldn’t that be something?
The Frozen Four is in Tampa.
Okay, I’m done.
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