Wally World

Notice who's refereeing the game tonight? It's Wally Rutecki, subject of one of Jim Calhoun's more memorable rants of the last few years. We believe this is the first UConn game Rutecki has reffed since ejecting Calhoun from a game against Northeastern on Dec. 6, 2007 at Gampel.

Noooow we see why Calhoun isn't here tonight ...

After Rutecki ejected Calhoun with 6 1/2 minutes left in that Northeastern game, Calhoun called the ref "incompetent."

"(Rutecki) is not very good. The other two guys actually weren't bad, but that official was a bad official. I'm sure I'll hear about this, but he's a bad official."

Calhoun did hear about it: he was reprimanded (but not suspended by) the Big East the next day.

George Blaney took over and UConn played much better over the final 6 1/2 minutes.

"They loosened up and played much better under George," Calhoun admitted.

UConn isn't playing appreciably better tonight under Blaney. The Huskies do hold a 31-28 lead over a St. John's team that's not too bad.

Some more gems from that Dec. 6 postgame:

(on getting T'd up for laughing at an official's call)

"I think laughing should be banned," Calhooun said sarcastically. "He said, 'I interpreted that as making fun of the official' … I could have been laughing, I might have had gas."

(more on Rutecki)

"He's not advancing to the NCAA Tournament," Calhoun said. "If he's practicing to do that, he's wasting his time right now."