A few notes 'n quotes from the JW Marriott in Houston, where UConn got in after a long flight from Hartford at around 7 p.m. local time. The Huskies, of course, face Houston on New Year's Eve at 9 p.m. on ESPN2.

Kevin Ollie is excited about beginning play in a new conference -- and a lot of other things.



Shabazz Napier knows that, as perhaps the cream of the AAC, UConn will get the best shot from every opponent it faces from here on out:



*** Don't expect a big crowd at Hofheinz Pavilion: Houston is averaging just 2,904 per game in the 8,000-or-so seat arena, with a season-high of 3,123. And an 8 p.m. New Year's Eve game isn't likely to attract a whole lot more fans.

The days of Phi Slamma Jamma are long over.

*** DeAndre Daniels was asked about UConn dropping two spots to No. 17 in the AP poll, despite winning its lone game of the period.

“I saw someone tweet me that we went back, but I don’t really know what we are,” said Daniels. “I don’t know what it is. I guess people don’t like UConn. But we’re not trying to pay attention to that kind of stuff.”
*** Just a hunch: Ollie gets Phil Nolan and Omar Calhoun back in the starting lineup Tuesday night. Again, just a hunch.

*** Also, with Houston so heavily reliant on TaShawn Thomas, would it behoove the Huskies to throw a little box-and-one on him? Who guards him? Daniels? Nolan? Or maybe Lasan Kromah or Niels Giffey? Thomas is a 6-8 horse who dominates the boards. Tough guard for the Huskies. Worth noting, however, that he shoots barely over 50 percent from the foul line.