As you likely already know, the Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Game will be held on Friday, Aug. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena. As an added twist this year, women's players will also join the fun in some co-ed competition.

Here's the press release:

Hall of Fame Coach Jim Calhoun is hosting an NBA sanctioned alumni all-star basketball game this summer – the Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Game presented by Cigna – as part of the Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic.

Many of Coach Calhoun's greatest players will return for the eighth Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Basketball Game. NEW THIS YEAR, many of Connecticut's top women players also will join us for some coed competition. It will be a special night in Connecticut basketball history when stars from our national championship teams take the floor and compete against each other. 

Ray Allen, Kemba Walker, Ben Gordon, Rip Hamilton, Caron Butler, Andre Drummond, Donyell Marshall, Khalid El-Amin, and Rudy Gay among others, have played in past charity games at Mohegan Sun. On the women's side, we have 2016 event commitments from Connecticut stars Nykesha Sales and Svetlana Abrosimova among others.

The game will be played at 7:30 p.m. at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, Aug. 12. Proceeds from the game and the entire Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic will benefit The Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at UConn Health.

“I'm excited about bringing many of the top men's and women's players from the Connecticut Basketball family together for this game for the first time this year. It should be a tremendous evening as we all reconnect with these stars and I know they look forward to gathering together and playing in front of their longtime fans. As important, I'm so pleased that proceeds from the game will go to fight America’s number #1 killer – heart disease,” said Calhoun.

Since 1999, the Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic has raised more than $8 million for cardiology research and life-saving care at The Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at UConn Health.

Tickets are $12 to $25 and go on sale Friday, June 10th at 10:00AM. To purchase game tickets, call Ticketmaster at 800.345.7000, go to Ticketmaster.com, or visit the Mohegan Sun box office.

Caron Butler has made a donation to the Werth Family UConn Basketball Champions Center. Here's the press release sent out by UConn this morning:

The UConn Foundation is excited to announce that former Husky men’s basketball All-American Caron Butler and his wife Andrea have made a gift in support of the Werth Family UConn Basketball Champions Center.

Butler earned All-American honors and was the Big East Conference Player of the Year and the Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2001-02 and led the Huskies to the NCAA Elite Eight.  After that season, Butler was an NBA Draft lottery selection with the 10th pick by the Miami Heat. He is a two-time NBA All-Star, 2011 NBA Champion as a member of the Dallas Mavericks and is in his 14th season in the NBA, currently as a member of the Sacramento Kings.

Butler returned to campus in February and was inducted as a member of the Huskies of Honor, which recognizes the great players in UConn history.

“Andrea and I met at UConn, and it has always held a special place in our hearts,” said Butler. “Being recognized in the Huskies of Honor event brought back so many incredible memories and emotions. Coach Jim Calhoun and all the coaches—Karl Hobbs, Dave Leitao, George Blaney, and Tom Moore—played a critical role in my life and we are blessed to be able to give back in this small way.”

“We are extremely grateful to Caron and Andrea for their support. We have raised more than $33.5 million in private support toward this project with another $3.5 million needed to complete it. Caron and Andrea’s commitment is meaningful as we work to complete the fundraising for the Center and hopefully provides an example that others will follow,” said Joshua Newton, UConn Foundation President and CEO. 

Butler, whose gift amount remains private, hopes that his act of giving inspires others. “I want everyone who values UConn and its student-athletes to understand that every gift matters, small or large,” Butler added.

“Any time a former student-athlete makes a gift we are grateful, as it shows how much UConn still means to them,” said Rachel Rubin, Interim Director of Athletics.

Butler’s Husky pride does run deep. In fact, he recently said that he is “elated that UConn has been loyal to the Husky Brotherhood” by hiring former UConn and NBA player Kevin Ollie as head coach of the men’s team. 

“We truly appreciate Caron and Andrea’s commitment to the project,” said Rubin.

The 75,000-plus square-foot Werth Family UConn Basketball Champions Center facility features two separate wings for the men’s and women’s basketball programs. It includes common areas for academic support, sports medicine, and strength training areas, as well as separate practice gyms, locker rooms, coaches’ offices, meeting rooms and video analysis theaters.

Mark Wahlberg and Caron Butler are teaming up to produce a film version of Butler's autobiography. Here's the press release:

NBA Champion and Sacramento Kings Forward Caron Butler and actor/producer Mark Wahlberg and his partners at Leverage Entertainment, Inc., Music for the People, Inc. and Closest to the Hole Productions have officially entered an agreement for the future financing and production for the film version of Butler's autobiography "Tuff Juice: My Journey from the Streets to the NBA."

The two parties, which also includes Butler's agent Raymond Brothers of IAM Sports & Entertainment, signed on to work together to officially begin the process of turning the book into a motion picture.

"I wanted to tell my story because I'm living proof that it is possible to overcome adversity and make a better life for yourself and your family," said Butler. "The response from the book was overwhelming and when someone like Mark Wahlberg tells you that your life could be a movie, you listen.

"I'm excited to take the next step towards sharing my story with an even larger audience and it's a blessing to have someone as well-known and respected as Mark Wahlberg by my side."

Butler met Wahlberg while playing for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2011 and became friends. They have stayed in touch as Butler has attended Wahlberg's movie premieres and sent him a book when Tuff Juice was published.

"[Caron is] a perfect example to all the young kids growing up in tough neighborhoods to never give up on your dreams," said Wahlberg.

The memoir, which chronicles Butler's troubled youth in Racine, Wisc. to his 14-year career in the NBA and burgeoning businessman, was released in early October to high praise and significant support from fans, athletes and celebrities - including Vice President Joe Biden, Floyd Mayweather, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and Wahlberg.

While Butler has seen much success on and off the court during his basketball career including an NBA Championship, two trips to the All Star Game and an Elite Eight run at the University Connecticut, the idea of seeing the movie version of his life is hard for even him to believe.

"There hasn't been a true NBA story told on the big screen like this," continued Butler. "We have some actors and writers in mind. I can't wait to see how it unfolds on film and be a part of the process. It is a dream come true."

"Tuff Juice: My Journey From The Streets To The NBA" is currently available in stores and for purchase and download through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million and IndieBound. A paperback version of the book will be released September 1.

Zach Brown is no longer enrolled at Putnam Science Academy, and is in fact back in Miami right now with his biological family. Whether or not he ever plays basketball for UConn is the furthest thing from anyone’s minds right now, as he deals with a “personal health issue.”

Here's what PSA coach Tom Espinosa wrote in an email on Wednesday morning:

"I wanted to pass this along to all of you regarding Zach Brown. Its official that Zach Brown is no longer enrolled at Putnam Science Academy. Unfortunately, Zach Brown had an incident and was asked to leave the school."

Brown has spent about a week in Miami before flying back up to Connecticut on Saturday night and had planned to meet with officials from Putnam on Monday, according to a source. But it never materialized, and after spending the past few days in Connecticut, he flew back to Miami on Tuesday.

Brown was involved in an altercation between PSA and Montverde Prep in the locker room after a game on Feb. 6 at Rhode Island College in Providence. He returned to Miami for what had been a pre-planned trip the next day, and stayed a few extra days to try to sort out some personal issues before flying back to Connecticut on Saturday night.

He never made it back to Putnam, however. It’s unfortunate he didn’t get a chance to meet with Caron Butler, a shining example of a young man from a troubled background who turned his life around at UConn.

At this point, Brown isn’t looking at any other colleges, or even prep schools. The No. 1 priority is for him to get healthy.

After spending the past week in his hometown of Miami to deal with some "personal issues," Zach Brown, the 7-foot-1 Class of 2017 center, was scheduled to have returned to Putnam Science Academy on Saturday night.

Brown left Putnam Science Academy on Sunday morning to deal with something that was already on his docket. Brown had been involved in a confrontation involving several players from both PSA and Monteverde Prep after a game last week, but his return to Miami had nothing to do with that.

Brown's chief goal upon his return to PSA is to improve upon his academics.

Brown committed to UConn last month. He is one of the top-rated centers in the Class of 2017, and he has stated a desire to re-classify to 2016.

Meanwhile, here's a nice piece by Caron Butler on The Players' Tribune. Butler will have his number retired to the Huskies of Honor at halftime of Saturday's game with Tulsa at Gampel.

The annual Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Game will be held on Friday, Aug. 8 at Mohegan Sun Arena. Many of the stars from UConn's national championship teams are expected to attend, including Ray Allen, Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier. The only marquee name that might not be able to play as of now is Emeka Okafor, who is dealing with a neck injury.

Here's the press release:

NCAA Champion and Hall of Fame Coach Jim Calhoun is hosting an NBA sanctioned alumni all-star basketball game this summer – the Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Game presented by Milestone Wines – as part of the Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic.

Many of Coach Calhoun's greatest players will return for the seventh Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Basketball Game. It will be a special night in Connecticut basketball history when stars from four national championship teams take the floor and compete against each other. Ray Allen, Kemba Walker, Emeka Okafor, Ben Gordon, Rip Hamilton, Caron Butler, Kevin Ollie, Donyell Marshall, Khalid El-Amin, Doron Sheffer, and Rudy Gay among others, have played in past charity games at Mohegan Sun.

The game will be played at 7:30PM at the Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, August 8, 2014. Proceeds from the game and the entire Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic will benefit The Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at UConn Health.

“Once again, I'm excited about bringing the Connecticut Basketball family back together for this game. It is a great way for me to reconnect with many of my former players, and I know they look forward to gathering together and playing in front of their longtime fans. As important, I'm so pleased that proceeds from the game will go to fight America’s number #1 killer – heart disease,” said Basketball Hall of Famer and Three-Time National Champion Collegiate Coach Jim Calhoun.

Since 1999, the Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic has raised more than $6.5 million for cardiology research and life-saving care at The Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at UConn Health.

The charity game’s title sponsor is Mohegan Sun and it is presented by Milestone Wines in association with XFINITY.

Tickets are $12 to $25 and go on sale Friday, June 13th at 10:00AM. To purchase game tickets, call Ticketmaster at800.345.7000, go to Ticketmaster.com, or visit the Mohegan Sun Box Office.

For more information about the 2014 Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Basketball Game presented by Milestone Wines and the Mohegan Sun / Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic, please call the event’s organizers, Gold, Orluk & Partners, at 860.674.1500 or visit the event website at www.calhounallstargame.com.

Here's something UConn fans may find interesting: The NOC, one of YouTube's new sports content partners, just released a new piece starring Caron Butler and his "very competitive" family.

In the video, Butler is pitted against family members in a range of household competitions -- from Hungry, Hungry Hippos to backyard hoops. An interesting look at Butler's beautiful home and family, all in the name of fun.

As Rod Sellers, Jerome Dyson and just about every other former UConn basketball player has learned, it pays to have Jim Calhoun on your side.

Sellers recently got a job, thanks in no small part from a phone call from Calhoun to Sellers' interviewer. "The guy came in and he was so happy," Sellers recalled. "He was saying, 'Man, I can tell all my friends I got a personal call from Jim Calhoun.'"

Dyson, of course, ran into some trouble during his four years at UConn, including a 30-day suspension for a positive drug (marijuana) test. But Calhoun stuck by his side.

"A lot of times, Coach could have easily looked the other way and forgot all about me," Dyson noted. "There were some incidents where he could have just given up on me, and he didn’t. I think the opportunity he’s given me was big for me."



Dyson and Sellers will be among the many UConn alumni at Saturday's Mohegan Sun/Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Game. Kemba Walker, Ray Allen, Caron Butler, Rudy Gay, Jeremy Lamb, Khalid El-Amin, Hasheem Thabeet and Jake Voskuhl are among the many other ex-Huskies expected to play and/or participate.

Here's the info:

What: The Mohegan Sun/Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Game

Where: Mohegan Sun Arena

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Why: To raise money for the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at the UConn Health Center

Who: Kemba Walker, Ray Allen, Caron Butler, Rudy Gay, Jeremy Lamb, Khalid El-AMin, Ricky Moore, Jake Voskhul, Hasheem Thabeet, Kevin Ollie, Travis Knight, Rod Sellers and Scott Burrell are among those expected to play and/or participate.

How: Tickets are $12 to $25 and can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 800-345-7000, going to Ticketmaster.com or visiting the Mohegan Sun box office.

Many of the regulars -- Ray Allen, Caron Butler, Rudy Gay, etc. -- are expected to be at the annual Mohegan Sun/Jim Calhoun Charity All-Star Game on Saturday, Aug. 4 at the Mohegan Sun Arena. But there will be some new blood there, as well.

Kemba Walker will make his first appearance in the game. Jeremy Lamb, a Houston Rockets lottery pick just a month ago, is also expected to play, along with Hasheem Thabeet, Jerome Dyson and Gavin Edwards.  (Andre Drummond doesn't appear too likely, since his new employer, the Detroit Pistons, apparently would like him to attend a big man's camp around the same time).

Other likely participants include Kevin Ollie, Khalid El-Amin, Ricky Moore, Rod Sellers, Jake Voskuhl and Travis Knight. Of the big names, Rip Hamilton and Ben Gordon don't seem too likely to appear. Neither do Josh Boone, Hilton Armstrong and Stanley Robinson.

Allen, who underwent surgery last month to remove bone spurs from his ankle, will dress, but will only play depending on how his ankle's feeling. (He is, however, expected to play in the event's two golf outings, on Aug. 5 at the Mohegan Sun Golf Course and the following day at the Golf Club of Avon).

The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Ticketts are $12 to $25 and are now on sale at the Mohegan Sun Arena box office. To purchase game tickets, call Ticketmaster at 800-345-700 or go to Ticketmaster.com or visit the Mohegan Sun box office.

Proceeds from the game and the entire Mohegan Sun/Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic will benefit the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center at the UConn Health Center.

"I am excited to be able to once again bring so many of my former players back together for what should be a special reunion for them and for the fans of Connecticut," said Calhoun. "I am also pleased that proceeds from the game will go to fight American's No. 1 killer -- heart disease."

Since 1999, the Mohegan Sun/Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic has raised more than $6 million for cardiology research and care.

Jim Calhoun was at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington this evening to present Dee Rowe with the Community Service Award at the 2012 Franciscan Sports Banquet and Silent Auction.

New York Giants Chris Snee, David Diehl and Kevin Boothe were also there to receive the Saint Francis Award.

Calhoun had plenty to say about the status of both himself and the UConn program right now. Here's some of what he had to say:

(What will UConn be playing for next year?)

“There’s a lot to play for … Every game that we’ve ever played, in it’s own way, has had some special importance.

(Warde Manuel said he had no doubt you'll coach team next year. Is it even worth us asking you that question anymore?)

“It’s really not worth asking … right now, everything we’re doing is planning on next year. Last year, quite frankly, after the championship, there was time to pause. ‘OK, you’re at this particular pinnacle, what do you do from here?’ But right now … I really donm’t start thinking about the road trips, etc., until August or September ... The important thing is how I feel as a coach, and am I able to give my kids everything I possibly can. The fact that I have two years on my contract doesn’t mean anything … there’s really nothing to talk about, in my mind. If I decide it’s not the year, it’s not the year.  I love the staff, love the kids coming in, love the guys coming back.”

“The first thing Warde Manuel told me was, 'I played for Bo Schembechler, who made all his decisions on how he wanted to do it.' Dean Smith did it the exact same way. He retired on Oct. 1 … My point being, I never feel rushed. I knew we had to get through the semester, we did exceptionally well, I know we had to get a few more players to add to the roster, and I know I’m talking on the phone to a lot of recruits.”

(How's recruiting going?)

“Couple kids coming up in June, I would think August would be a very big month for us. Quite a few kids scheduled for unofficial visits.”

(What's the most important thing to incoming recruits?)

“Three letters: N-B-A ... If you say to a kid, ‘I remember going down to Dalzell, S.C., No. 34 – the number (Ray Allen) wore at that time – and now we’ve got two kids in the draft, both probably lotteries, and Rudy Gay, Caron Butler, the whole thing. That seems to be the best advertisement we have going, particularly because not a lot of those kids were McDonald’s All-Americans."

Jim Calhoun needed a cane to walk around for several days before his back surgery a little over a week ago, but that had to end once he returned to the bench.

“I can’t walk with a cane on the sidelines, because two officials might get hit,” he quipped after Tuesday’s 81-67 win over DePaul.

Cane or no can, Calhoun’s presence has certainly given UConn a lift the last two games – at just the right time.

“Having him there on the sidelines is great,” said freshman center Andre Drummond. “Just hearing his voice brings us a joy, even though he screams a lot.”

Added Alex Oriakhi: “He puts a fire in our belly. We know Coach Calhoun is no slacker out there, so we’ve got to go out and play with a sense of urgency.”

Calhoun didn’t accompany the team on its bus ride to New York after practice on Monday, instead coming down on his own. But that’s what he normally does, and had nothing to do with his back and being on a bus for three hours.

He opened up a little more about his surgery, how he feels right now and what he must do to keep feeling better.

“The pain is a different kind of pain, it’s a muscular pain,” Calhoun said. “Thank God it’s no longer a nerve pain … To alleviate that pain was incredible. It took us three weeks to find the right solution, which wasn’t to put rods and fibers and fuses and all that stuff. We had a 3 ½-hour procedure that was pretty intricate ut not transforming in the sense that it’s a hole in my back and it’s sore, but nothing like a win or two wins now to make that (better).

“But without question, I will definitely try to get more rest than I normally do.”

*** Believe it or not, there was a time not long ago when UConn couldn’t win a Big East tournament game.

From their four-point loss to Syracuse in 2005 to an embarrassing beatdown at the hands of St. John’s in 2010 – and with a certain six-overtime loss in between – the Huskies lost six straight conference tournament games.

Then came last year’s unprecedented five-wins-in-five-days run. Suddenly, the Huskies can’t lose at Madison Square Garden in March.

UConn has now won six straight Big East tournament games, the fourth-best streak in the event’s history. Ir has also won 12 consecutive postseason games overall.

“When we get into tournaments, obviously it’s a new season,” said Jeremy Lamb, who popped in a game-high 25 points. “All year we’ve been finding ourselves and everybody on the team has been stepping up. We’ve been preparing all year for this time. Now that it’s here, we just want to give it all we’ve got and don’t look back.”

*** Drummond finished with 12 points, five rebounds and four blocks in his Madison Square Garden debut.

“It’s been great, a dream come true,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to play here.”

Drummond has also been displaying some improved low-post moves lately, including a few nifty spin moves for hoops on Tuesday.

“I’ve been working on that a lot, just trying to get myself better with my back to the basket, because I’m more of a face-up person,” he said. “Getting the basic spin move and trying to finish on somebody, I’ve been working a lot on that move.”

He even unveiled a nifty behind-the-back crossover in the lane, something not seen prior to Tuesday.

“I can’t show ‘em all, can’t show ‘em everything,” he quipped.

The lowlight: Drummond missed all six of his free throw attempts. He is now 4-for-26 from the charity stripe in his last seven games.

*** Less than five minutes into the game, Oriakhi was hit with a flagrant technical foul after shoving 5-foot-11 guard Worrell Clahar on the low post.

“I just got hit in my mouth and I reacted,” he said. “When anybody gets hit in the face, you just react. It was a dumb mistake on my part, but you’ve got to learn from it.”

Indeed, he did learn his lesson in the second half: “I got hit again (by Cleveland Melvin) but I just kept calm.”

*** Ryan Boatright, who hails from suburban Chicago (Aurora, Ill.), didn’t play well in his first bout against his hometown team a few weeks ago, shooting 1-for-9 with five turnovers. He rebounded on Tuesday, though, with 19 points and seven assists.

“The first time we played them, I felt like I pressed a little too much and just missed a lot of easy shots and (had) a lot of careless turnovers,” he confessed. “Coach talked to me more, said I didn’t play very well the first time but said at practice, ‘You’re going to have a great game.’”

*** Lamb’s layup with seven seconds left in the opening half made him the 46th player in UConn history to go over the 1,000-point mark for his career. He has also scored in double figures in all six of his Big East tourney games.

*** Calhoun has now won 34 Big East tourney games, passing John Thompson for sole possession of second place on the all-time list.

*** The win may also have punched the Huskies’ ticket to the NCAA tournament.

“We played, I believe, the most difficult schedule in the country, if not the second most difficult,” Calhoun pointed out. “Secondly, we played the most difficult schedule in the Big East. And third, only three teams in the country – Villanova, Vanderbilt and Connecticut – played 21 top-100 teams. So out of 31 games, we had 10 breathers. And who are those breathers? UNC-Asheville? Oh, by the way, they’re in the tournament, and I can keep on going.”

Still, it might behoove them to beat West Virginia (19-12) this afternoon to remove all doubt.

*** Caron Butler was in the house, and paid a visit to the UConn locker room after the game.

*** I’m not sure what this Calhoun quote means: “Someone said I only have two years left on my extension. I don’t know if I can make two more minutes. For them to think, I’m grateful about that. I don’t know if I have two more years in my contract, now it’s like I’m calling the shots. Someone better pay me for two more years. That’s what I’m saying.”

OK.

He did, however, thank (most) of the media for respecting his privacy during his medical leave and covering the process the right way. Hey, I only called him at home once.

*** Oh, and speaking of me, I predicted UConn would win the game, 82-68. You can check it on Twitter (@DaveBorges).

Providence College hasn't won much over the past decade, though the Friars have had surprising success against UConn in recent years on the basketball court.

Now, for the first time in memory, the Friars have beaten the Huskies off the court, as well.

PC has received a commitment from Kris Dunn, the highly-touted guard out of New London High. Per this espn.com article, PC has signed just three McDonald's All-Americans in its history (though I'm not sure I'd include Delray Brooks, since he was a transfer from Indiana).

This also beats the Ryan Gomes situation, since few (including then-PC coach Tim Welsh) knew that Gomes would blossom into such a great player at the time. Jim Calhoun famously recruited Emeka Okafor and Caron Butler ("They're not bad!") instead.

Credit new PC coach Ed Cooley, who started recruiting Dunn while Cooley was still coaching at Fairfield and had never let up. Give some credit to ex-UConn assistant Andre LaFleur, too.

And the good news could keep coming for the Friars ... Ricky Ledo will make his college decision next week, according to a source, and PC appears to be in very standing for Ledo's services.

Jim Calhoun and George Blaney played in today's Travelers celebrity pro-am with Michael Bolton. For those who think Bolton is simply a balladeer who remakes R&B standards and keeps winning Grammies, it may interest you to know that he's got a heavy metal past.

(For what it's worth, Bolton apparently can really kill the ball off the tee).

Caught up with Blaney after their round with pro Ryan Moore was rain-shortened after 14 holes. Blaney spoke about what he envisioned for Kemba Walker in tomorrow night's NBA Draft.



"Every pro team that I've talked to couldn't get over the stories about what a good kid he was," Blaney said. "Jim had told a story at one of the dinners about how when Kemba won the MVP of the Maui tournament and won the MVP of the Big East tournament, after each of those tournaments, he was the last guy on the bus going back to the hotel. And he had the trophy both times. Both times he got on the bus and the team stood up and gave him a standing ovation. I told that to a bunch of general managers and they were blown away by that, I thought."

Where will Walker wind up, and what teams seem to like him the most?

"When you're in the top 10, it can be three as well as 10 in a heartbeat, because it just depends on who gets picked before you. It changes quickly. I'm hoping he goes anywhere from three to seven."

"I thought Utah and Sacramento and Toronto showed the most interest, in my conversations with them. But you don't know until the guy ahead of you picks, and who's left on the board at that time. Caron (Butler) was supposed to go four, and somebody got picked ahead and he wound up going 10. Those things can happen."

I grew up in Rhode Island rooting for Providence College and URI (sorta like rooting for both the Yankees and Mets, I suppose, but possible), so my knowledge of UConn basketball history was only cursory when I took over the beat four years ago. Sure, I knew of the Huskies' accomplishments and followed them as they happened as a fan of college basketball, but in no way can I pretend to have detailed knowledge of Husky history pre-2007.

Last night, I asked a couple of fellow scribes -- one of whom has been on the beat since there were just 13 colonies -- if this remarkable UConn run to the Elite 8 compares with the Impossible Dream team of 1990.

Not even close, I was told. That run came completely out of nowhere, took the entire state by surprise and took everybody on a magical ride.

Fair enough, but is that any different from this season? I mean, who saw this coming? Who even saw the Huskies making the NCAA tournament back in October? And even after their great run in Maui, who saw UConn doing much of anything in the Big East and NCAA tournaments after their 9-9 conference season? Don't lie.

I suppose the main difference is the fact that this year, as opposed to 1990, at least the program has "been there, done that" before. Heck, the Huskies were in the Final Four just two seasons ago. Still, it's hard to believe this run is much more out of the blue than 1990.

Phil Chardis of the J-I compares this run more favorably to 2002, when, behind Caron Butler's incredible play, the Huskies reached the Elite 8 before bowing to eventual champion Maryland.

I'd like to know from you: How does this UConn run rank with others in the program's past? Please feel free to leave comments below.

Elswhere:

Here's my notebook off last night's game, leading with San Diego State's two technical fouls that really hurt the Aztecs.

And here's a chance for you to rate the different aspects of the game for UConn in its Sweet 16 victory.

Kemba Walker swished the second of two free throws just 20 seconds into tonight's game to notch the 1,000th point of his career. He's the 45th player in Husky history to do so.

Perhaps more impressively, Walker is well on his way to a triple-double with 12 points, nine rebounds (!) and five assists here at the break.

Here are the only triple-doubles in UConn history:

Hasheem Thabeet 1/31/09 vs. Providence 15p, 11r, 10b
Marcus Williams 2/21/06 vs. Notre Dame 18p, 10r, 13a
Ben Gordon 12/20/03 vs. Iona 17p, 16r, 11a
Emeka Okafor 12/6/03 vs. Army 18p, 15r, 10b
Caron Butler 12/26/00 vs. URI 14p, 12r, 11a
Doron Sheffer 12/30/95 vs. Hartford 10p, 10r, 11a
Donyell Marshall 1/17/94 vs. Hartford 23p, 11r, 10b

Only seven. I don't know, I figured there would be more, but it shows they're tough to get and truly special. Let's see if Kemba can notch one. His biggest obstacle may be playing time, if the Huskies open up their current 44-32 lead.

If we're extolling Kemba Walker's vocal leadership virtues in March as the Huskies head to the NCAA tournament, we can look back on today at the Husky Run as perhaps the first example that this is very much Walker's team.

Prior to the start of the Husky Run, Walker stepped up on to a stump and addressed the crowd of about 50 fans/runners.

"On behalf of the team, I want to thank you for coming out and doing the Husky Run with us," he said.

A small gesture of gratitude, to be sure, but still unique. George Blaney can't recall any great UConn player from years past -- not Ray Allen, not Caron Butler, not Khalid El-Amin, not A.J. Price, certainly not Jerome Dyson -- ever doing something similar.

"It's nice that your best player is also a great person," director of basketball administration Glen Miller said.

No sign of Gilbert Arenas here at Verizon Center ... literally. The building apparently is doing its best to remove any traces of Arenas (pictures, etc.) as he sits out his suspension for bringing guns into the locker room.

At least one of Arenas's (former?) teammates will be in the house tonight: Caron Butler will be sitting behind the UConn bench. And Donyell Marshall will be seated there, too.

The UConn athletic department would like to get the word out that seven of the 13 former UConn players currently in the NBA are on this year's NBA All-Star ballot: Rudy Gay (Memphis), Ray Allen (Boston), Emeka Okafor (New Orleans), Charlie Villanueva (Detroit), Richard Hamilton (Detroit), Caron Butler (Washington) and Ben Gordon (Detroit).

Fans can vote for all-stars at NBA.com until Jan. 18. The rosters will be announced on Jan. 22.

***Speaking of the NBA, we're hoping we don't run across Gilbert Arenas's personal arsenal on Saturday at the Verizon Center, when UConn faces Georgetown in what should be a good one. Guns among NBA players (and basketball players in general) is a topic on people's minds these days, including some clown on today's Big East coaches conference call.

A guy identifying himself as an Associated Press writer (who was apparently from a radio show out in Portland) asked Jim Calhoun if his players "still have guns in the locker room." Calhoun appeared flustered, perhaps not understanding what the guy said or whether he was serious or not, and eventually the caller was cut off.

***Not a terribly lot of information on the call. Calhoun was asked about Georgetown.

"It's a little different kind of Georgetown team. You're not going to see a lot of bodies, they're basically playing seven people. Greg Monroe is incredibly skilled. He's unselfish, he can score, rebound, block shots. I know they lost a tough one to Marquette (on Wednesday), but we're going to say that, I think, all throught he league season."

***Georgetown coach John Thompson III also spoke:

(on UConn)

"They still are big and imposing on the boards. At the end of day, between Jerome and Kemba, they kind of make the team go It's easy to say, 'let's stop UConn's transition,' that's something they stress. 'Let's keep them off the boards, try to limit their easy baskets.'"

(on the Hoyas' success vs. UConn in recent years)

"I think we’ve been lucky. I don’t know that there’s any one particular thing. We've probably caught them at some times when they’ve been off. You know it’s going to be an extremely intense, physical game. If you can make them work at both ends of the floor, that’s what we try to do."

(on Georgetown's season thus far)

"We’ve gotten a lot better since the season began, but I think we still have a long way to go. I think our guys have done a great job supporting each other at both ends of the floor. That has to be a premium for us. The thing I like, that’s a positive, is that we’ve seen growth."

(on Monroe's development)

"His biggest growth is something the casual fan doesn’t get an opportunity to see. Last year he's gone from a freshman that came in under a lot of scrutiny and performed well, and now he's a leader on this team. He's a leader, he's vocal in the locker room, at the dorm, on campus, in practice every day. He’s standing out with our team."

"... but what does Abromaitis do now that blows you away that maybe no one saw ..."

Can you imagine Jim Calhoun being asked that question on Saturday if Tim Abromaitis, the Farmington High product whose father starred at UConn in the 1970's, burns the Huskies for 30?

Actually, it would be a far less fair question to ask than it was when colleague Dave Solomon broached the Ryan Gomes subject back in 2004, leading to one of Calhoun's most famous blow-ups. Abromaitis was hardly a top recruit out of high school, with Northwestern and William & Mary his only other major suitors besides Notre Dame. (Still, Calhoun can't use the "I took Emeka Okafor and Caron Butler. They're not bad!" excuse. The only player UConn got in Abromaitis's 2007 recruiting class was Donnell Beverly).

For his part, Abromaitis hardly holds a grudge that his father's alma mater and hometown team didn't give him a sniff in high school.

"Not at all. Not really. I went through the whole process, they never really looked at me, so I was just taking it as what were the best options for me. I'm glad I ended up here."

He added that he didn't grow up dreaming about one day being a Husky.

"I never really thought about playing in college. I didn’t know if I'd be capable or not. Once I started getting recruited, they really didn’t come after me."

Abromaitis, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound junior with two years of eligibility left, is averaging 16.2 points per game. He's hit 40 of 77 3-point attempts for a 51.9-percent clip, third in the Big East (Stanley Robinson is second, though he's made just 12 of 21).

Can't say the Huskies couldn't use a shooter like that. Just sayin' ...

"He came along slowly," said Notre Dame coach Mike Brey. "He's the youngest kid we ever signed, he was stacked behind older guys. He absorbed our system, watching the older guys, and when he got an opportunity he took advantage of it."

Brey added that Abromaitis has a steady, calm demeanor, and that will help him control his emotions playing in his hometown on Saturday.

"He is who he is, and that really plays into his hands in a situation like this. I think that will really be helpful. His personality and demeanor will be helpful in this."

Oh, by the way, Abromaitis will graduate from Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business a full year ahead of schedule in May and has already been accepted in the school's MBA program.