UConn senior forward Tyler Olander has been suspended indefinitely from the men’s basketball team after a DUI arrest Saturday night.

According to the state police in Tolland, Olander was pulled over on Rte. 195 on Saturday at 10:49 p.m. He failed a field sobriety test and was charged with operating under the influence, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and operation of a motor vehicle in violation of license classification.

The latter charge, according to a source, stems from Olander not having a driver's license at all. Not a suspended license or a misplaced license -- no license at all. Olander was driving a friend's car.

A court date will likely be held in a couple of weeks.

It’s the second time in the span of six months that Olander has run into trouble. The Mansfield product was arrested while on spring break last March in Panama City, Fla. on trespassing charges. The charges were eventually dropped and he was accepted into a diversionary program, but he was stripped of his captaincy by coach Kevin Ollie and barred from the locker room and team activities for a month, Olander told the Register last month.

“Basically, all the UConn people were staying in two hotels,” he said of the March 21 incident. “You needed a wrist band to get in the hotel. My girlfriend was in the hotel, I wanted to get up there with her and it was past the hour, so they wouldn’t let me up.”

Olander said Ollie had told him he could win back his captaincy at some point. Safe to say, that's not going to happen now.

Olander is the second UConn player to be suspended indefinitely from the team in the past seven months. Enosch Wolf was suspended last February after a domestic incident with his girlfriend. He missed the remainder of the season, and his suspension was eventually lifted in June. However, he would have had to come back as a non-scholarship player, and Wolf elected to play professionally in Germany instead.

*** Anyway, I was on my way to Storrs at the time when UConn first sent out its email about Olander's suspension. My plan had been to watch some players and talk to them about the upcoming season (practices start in a little over two weeks!), but obviously got side-tracked.

To hold you over, here's some video of the team in pick-up games. Here, Kentan Facey takes the ball outside and doesn't pass to Amida Brimah, despite his pleas. Terrence Samuel winds up getting the ball and taking it to the hole, missing the layup. Brimah grabs the offensive board but is rejected by Phil Nolan:



And here, Lasan Kromah hits a lane fallaway jumper:

It appears Enosch Wolf's days as a UConn Husky are over.

According to Sportando, Wolf has agreed to terms with Telekom Baskets Bonn. An official announcement is expected soon.

Wolf had been given the option to returning to UConn, but only as a non-scholarship player. The cost to the 7-foot-1 German would have been prohibitive: upwards of $50,000. The coaching staff has long assumed Wolf would not be returning.

Had a great interview with Kevin Ollie this morning. His enthusiasm knows no bounds, and he is truly excited about this upcoming season. Ollie really believes this team has the chance to be very good, and it's hard to disagree.

One thing I wanted to ask him about is whether or not next year's team can keep it's "edge", so to speak. Last year, with no postseason eligibility and nothing to "play for," the team rallied around the idea that they were playing for themselves, for their university, etc. Will they maintain that next season, even though they'll now have very tangible goals to reach?

"I hope so, because that's the Level 5 team that I want, where we're playing for the love of basketball, for getting the opportunity to get out and play," said Ollie. "I call that a Stage 5 basketball team, and that's what I want. We can't be just, 'I'm good, and everybody else is bad.' If we have that mentality, we might win some games, but we're not going to be the team that I aspire our cast of players to be ... Hopefully they have that same mindset, especially with all the talent we have coming back. If everybody comes back with that level of unity, playing for one another, I think everything else will take care of itself."

Ollie broached a whole lot of other subjects. Here are some:

*** Shabazz Napier is at full-speed and is with Ryan Boatright at the Point Guard Skills Academy in Newark, N.J. UConn may well be the only program with two players at that camp.

*** Tyler Olander is getting back to full recovery and may play in one of the several summer tours set up for college basketball players, specifically the Athletes in Action Tour in South Africa.

"With Tyler, it's just mental," Ollie said. "You learn from negative things in your life, from positive things in your life. I think he's learned from this. He did help us in tremendous ways, so I wouldn't call his whole season a disappointment. He did some great things: his practice, his work ethic, trying to change his body. He's been doing great academically, also ... I wouldn't consider it a disappointment, but I think it was a learning experience for him. I know he's going to bounce back and be a great facilitator for us to go forward and be a person that we can count on, night-in, night-out."

*** Rodney Purvis showed his competitiveness while he was on campus for three weeks recently, earning three credits.

"When he was working out with Ryan, you could see the competitiveness coming out of him: Ryan was pushing him, he was pushing Ryan. It's going to be tough for him to sit out this year."

*** DeAndre Daniels leaves for Kevin Durant's camp in a couple of days.

"I'm not expecting him to come in and average 25 (next season), we're going to let the game dictate that. But I do want him to put his imprint on the game, which he is starting to do. Just being a stat-stuffer in every category. For DeAndre, just seeing Otto Porter, how he made other people around him better, is the next part of his evolution."

*** It's really looking like Enosch Wolf will not return to UConn next season as a non-scholarship player. But he's got a good reference in Ollie.

"If he decides to transfer, anybody who calls me, I'm going to give them great remarks about him as a young man and how he grew up from that situation."

*** On Amida Brimah:

"The first time I walked in the gym and saw him, I maybe got there late, they took him out and he was just clapping and showing so much passion about the game. Once he checked in, he blocked a shot from behind, made an absolutely great dunk, got a rebound, got double-teamed and passed it out. It was like, man, that's what you want a big man to do. Because he was the most passionate, but also the best player on the court. You add those two elements together, that's a recipe of a successful person. That's what we're trying to identify here -- high-character individuals."

"He's got some improvement that he's got to do skill-wise, on the blocks, which all our big men have to do -- getting in the weight room with Coach West, getting his strength up where he has confidence in his base, being able to withstand the bumps and still scoring and making plays for his teammates. I think he'll do that."

*** On Kentan Facey:

"Kentan is the same way. I'm not gonna have to coach hard work and effort with these guys. He has a relentless motor, getting up and down the court. He's an energy-giver, not an energy-taker. He's developed more on his jump shot where he's got more range now. He's probably a little bit more polished in that area going forward. I just think he's going to be a person that can come in and give us major minutes as a freshman. I think all our freshmen can."

*** On Terrence Samuel:

"From a scoring standpoint, from a leadership standpoint, from a facilitator standpoint, I think all our guards have gotten better. Then, to add Terrence Samuel - someone who has size, who's a push guard, a pass-first guard -- it's really going to help us, not only in games but in practice, too."

*** Lasan Kromah will likely arrive for the second summer session in mid-July.

"He's Mr. Versatility. I can put him at the 3, the 2, if we go small put him at the 4. He's going to give us a lot of advantages there, with his length, his defensive prowess. He's not a ball-stopper, which is great. He moves the ball. He can get the ball off the break, push it and be a facilitator. And he's a good person, too."

*** Omar Calhoun is free of crutches, braces, etc. and is rehabbing his way back, working on his strength and flexibility in his legs. Calhoun believes he'll be 100-percent by the start of classes in September.

Kevin Ollie said he believes he beat Warde Manuel by a stroke in their pro-am round on Wednesday. Here's some of what he had to say about his UConn team:

"We’ve got a great team coming back. Guys are working tremendously hard, doing a great job in first-session, second-session summer school. I feel good about our freshman class. We’ve just got to come back with that same attitude."

(on Ray Allen's huge 3-pointer Tuesday night)

(on how he's handling his first off-season as head coach)

"I'm still trying to figure it out. I learned a lot from Coach (Calhoun). After we won the championship, I was about to book my trip to Tahiti and everything, and he said, ‘Monday, we’ve got a meeting.’ He said this is where you grind and do your grunt work and prepare for next season."

(on next year's schedule)

"We think we’ve got it close to last year, with the scheduling we have, with possibly playing Indiana, possibly playing Washington twice, we have Stanford coming here, playing Maryland, playing Florida. We think we kept it about the same. Then, getting to conference play, we want to play very well. It’s going to be different for us: different hotels, different flights, different states we’re going to. It’s going to be an adjustment."

Ollie said he hasn't heard from Enosch Wolf yet, and that there's no timetable for his decision:

"I wish him the best of luck. We’ll have him come back if he wants to come back. He did everything we can ask for. He did very, very well with his sessions, that he chose to do on his own. I wish him the best of luck, and when he gets back in that predicament, I know he’s going to make a better decision."

He added that the decision to allow Wolf back as a non-scholarship player was "a collaborative effort, coming from Susan, Warde and myself. We worked together on that."

Ollie said Shabazz Napier should be back on the court this week, Tyler Olander is still about a month away and Omar Calhoun is about 1 1/2 months away. Napier will head to the Point Guard Skills Academy camp in Newark and Chris Paul's camp, and DeAndre Daniels is heading to Kevin Durant's camp in Washington, D.C.

"I called KD and told him to take care of him, give him a couple of secrets there," said Ollie, Durant's former teammate.

Helps to have a head coach who's a longtime ex-NBA player and is so well-respected in the league, isn't it?

Three of the scariest letters in UConn basketball lore – APR – come to the forefront again as Academic Progress Rate scores will be unveiled on Tuesday.

But Husky men’s basketball fans have nothing to fear this year. While the hoops team won’t be honored with an NCAA Academic Progress Rate Public Recognition Award like the UConn men’s golf, men’s cross country and women’s tennis teams were, it will post a strong enough APR to avoid any penalties.

Scores announced on Tuesday are based on the four-year cycle of scores from 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12. Teams must have either a 900 four-year average or a 930 two-year average to earn postseason eligibility. UConn will be eligible, thanks to the latter two years.

The Huskies notched a 978 in ’10-11 and should get about the same score for ’11-12. They would fall short on the four-year average, thanks to the 844 from ’08-09 and the grisly 826 from ’09-10, but it doesn’t matter.

And UConn’s 2012-13 score could be even better. In fact, it appears that the only point UConn stands to lose at this juncture would be that of Enosch Wolf, if he decides not to return to the team and doesn’t sign a pro contract. He’s in good academic standing, so if he goes pro in Europe or whatever, UConn wouldn’t lose a point.

For the 2014-15 season, teams must have either a four-year average of 930 or a two-year of 940. UConn will be fine thanks to three straight strong years (overcoming the 826 from ’09-10).

Confusing? A little, but the bottom line: UConn will be postseason-eligible again next season and likely for several seasons to come.

Just got back from the UConn baseball team's viewing of the NCAA Selection Show, where the Big East-champion Huskies learned they'll be playing Virginia Tech in Blacksburg in their opener. It's a great story, really, not only because UConn swept to a Big East Tournament title as the No. 8 seed, but because the team is truly representative of Connecticut: Many of its key players hail from the Nutmeg State. And a lot of those players hail from the New Haven area.

It's also ironic, of course, that the Huskies win the final true Big East tourney of any sport. The same program that is "stuck", so to speak, in the new American Athletic Conference while the "Catholic 7" keep the Big East name and the league's other darlings (Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Louisville) all run off to different power conferences.

The baseball team's run sort of reminds me of the 1998 Providence baseball team, which learned earlier in the season that it would be cut after the season was over thanks to good ol' Title IX. All the Friars did was storm to a Big East title and NCAA tournament run. UConn's situation is different, of course, but has a similar feel.

It's also ironic that, while things look so good for UConn athletics right now (baseball team is Big East champs, women's hoops are national champs, men's hoops looking very strong for next year), the exact opposite can be said for Rutgers, whose athletics program is now a national embarrassment. Yet Rutgers gets to run off to the Big 10 a year from now, while UConn is stuck in the AAC. Doesn't seem right.

*** As for the men's hoops team, it appears the Huskies will indeed travel out to Seattle this season to face the University of Washington. That looked like it might be shelved for another year or so, since it's possible the two teams could meet in the 2K Sports Classic in November at Madison Square Garden. But it now appears the teams may simply "get it out of the way" this season, so to speak, and risk the chance of playing each other twice in the same season.

*** UConn president Susan Herbst talked about the AAC's "very good meeting" in Florida last week.

"Everybody's like-minded, everybody wants it to work very well, so it's very collegial," she said.

She doesn't think it'll be awkward to have Louisville and Rutgers in the league just for this one season.

"They're all professionals, the coaches and AD's," she said. "And Louisville's been a class act, heading out of the Big East. They've really been great to work with."

*** As for the new practice facility, Herbst said it could be at least partially operable by March or so, noting that some people on the construction site have said that this year's senior players (Shabazz Napier, Niels Giffey, Tyler Olander) "might be able to play a little bit at the very end. It might not be tricked out with all the equipment and everything, but the courts may be (ready to go)."

*** Herbst also noted that she had nothing really to do with the decision to allow Enosch Wolf back on the basketball team next year, only without a scholarship. The decision was a collaborative effort between Kevin Ollie, Warde Manuel and members of the student affairs committee.

"Obviously, Kevin knows the kids the best, he's closest to them, he understand the team," she said. "Warde was definitely involved, and people outside of athletics who work with the students. We'll see how it pans out."

According to multiple reports, Lasan Kromah, a fifth-year senior-to-be, is transferring from George Washington University. He'll be able to play immediately.

Kromah missed his entire sophomore season due to a left foot sprain, hence the year of eligibility. He was second on the Colonials in scoring last year at 10.1 points per game.

Kromah would take the scholarship of Enosch Wolf, whose suspension is over and has been invited back to the team -- as a non-scholarship player.

Not sure if I like that. I guess you could say UConn is still giving Wolf the chance to play, and that he made his own bed by getting arrested in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend in February.

Still, it seems UConn is finding a way to open up a scholarship for a player at the expense of another player. 

Enosch Wolf's suspension is over and he can return to the Huskies team -- as a non-scholarship player. Interesting.

Here's UConn's press release:

Junior Enosch Wolf’s suspension from the University of Connecticut men’s basketball program has ended and he is eligible to return to the team for the 2013-14 season as a non-scholarship player.

Wolf, a 7-1 center from Goettingen, Germany, played in 22 games for the Huskies last season, starting three, and averaged 3.4 points and 3.4 rebounds, while shooting 59.0 percent, in 13.7 minutes per game. His highest-scoring games of the season were 12-point efforts against Wake Forest and North Carolina State.

Wolf had been suspended from the program on Feb. 11, 2013, and he did not participate in the final eight games of the season.

Wolf returned to his home in Germany following the end of the second semester and is expected to make his decision about coming back for his senior year within the next few weeks.  

It was Husky Day at the State Capitol on Wednesday. Members of the men’s and women’s basketball teams and football team were on-hand, along with coaches from all three teams. And before that, next door in the legislative offices building, Jim Calhoun and Geno Auriemma joined the likes of Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Noah Webster in the Connecticut Hall of Fame.

"I think Noah Webster would be very upset with me because I've bastardized so many of the words (in the dictionary)," Calhoun quipped. "Harriet Beecher Stowe probably wouldn't be pleased with the words I use all the time."

Yeah, but who's sold more books?

Anyway, here are some notes and quotes from the day:

*** Kevin Ollie on Enosch Wolf: “It’s a university process, we’re just going forward. We’re still evaluating him as a person. But I think he’s really turning it around, on and off the basketball court. He’s been working out on his own. Off the court, I’ve been hearing some great things about him. I’m not really concerned with basketball right now.”

“I want him to continue to get better, so when he’s in that situation again, he knows how to handle it a little bit better. That’s what he’s doing, and I’m very happy for him.”

Translation: If it was up to Ollie, I'm guessing Wolf will be back for his senior season. But ultimately, it's not Ollie's decision.

*** Regarding next year's schedule, Ollie said the Huskies are "trying to have the same RPI as we’ve had in recent years … That means, going out and getting some games. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

It looks like Stanford, Maryland and the 2K Classic (Indiana, Washington, Boston College) will be UConn's top non-conference matchups next season. The slated game at Washington will likely be pushed back a year, since the teams could meet at MSG in the 2K Classic, and continuing the series with Texas seems unlikely this season, as well.

And don't expect any former Big East mates on the docket, at least for next season, though there has been contact with Providence and Notre Dame.

Said Calhoun: “I think we can be very good next year … I can’t decide if it will be less difficult or more difficult. This year we played the bottom teams … and did a very good job."

*** Shabazz Napier's decision should come either Thursday or Friday.

“I’m in the same boat as you," Ollie joked with reporters. "I’ve got my tape recorder, too. I’m waiting for him, too, I’m right there with y’all. I know he’s reached out to a couple of people, I had him in my office … Hopefully, he makes the right decision at the end, with his heart, with his mind.”

On how Ollie has helped Napier with the process, he said: “The general managers call me, I give him feedback. I imagine other people in his circle know people in the NBA that he’s getting feedback from, too. Hopefully, he gets all the information and makes the right decision.”

Nothing's etched in stone with Ryan Boatright and DeAndre Daniels, either, but both are leaning on returning.

*** Calhoun loves incoming freshmen Kentan Facey, Amida Brimah and Terrence Samuel.

“(Brimah's) got a chance to be really good. He’s dynamic, long. Facey’s just a machine – 100 MPH on every play. And Terrence Samuel is what Kevin really wants. He’s a point guard. Kevin has a viewpoint on point guards that others may not have … I think Terrence would be happy defending, playing the fast break, and he’s strong and tough.”

Calhoun also noted that Facey and Samuel both committed to him and really want to be Huskies. He noted that Samuel "called me while I was laying in bed in late August, saying, ‘Coach, I really want to come to Connecticut.’"

*** Don't be shocked if UConn shows interest in Alabama's Trevor Lacey, a 6-foot-3 guard who led the Crimson Tide in assists and 3-pointers this past season but announced today that he'll be transferring after two years with the team. 

*** Ollie is happy to get Ricky Moore on board to get on the road for the July recruiting period, and glad George Blaney is sticking around in an advisory role, as well.

"He's someone to lean on," Ollie said of Blaney. "He always has the right thing to say, so I’m glad he’s staying onboard, too.”

Charges against UConn basketball player Enosch Wolf related to an on-campus domestic dispute in February were dropped on Wednesday.

In a brief hearing at Rockville Superior Court, Judge Sheila Huddleston agreed that Wolf had completed his counseling and other measures ordered through a diversionary program by Family Court.

“I’m happy that the court part is resolved,” he said.  I still have to focus on my schoolwork, get all my finals done. I will keep staying in the counseling for myself, just because it has a positive effect on me.”

Whether Wolf, a 7-foot-1 center from Germany, is allowed to return to the Husky hoops program is still in question. Head coach Kevin Ollie said last week that a decision will be made around the end of the spring semester, which is a few weeks away.

Wolf has been on indefinite suspension since being arrested in a UConn dorm room on Feb. 11. He was charged with burglary in the third degree, criminal trespass in the first degree and disorderly conduct after an incident with his girlfriend. According to a police report, Wolf refused to leave his girlfriend’s apartment when he was asked to and grabbed the hair of the victim and pushed her head.

Wolf also knocked the glasses off her face with his hand and continued to remain in the apartment until he was arrested.

“Enosch has learned how to address alcohol, which was an important part of the equation,” said his attorney, Rob Britt. “What I’ve seen in him is a decision-making process that involves prolonged thought. It’s much less spontaneity, there’s more of a contemplation of what’s in front of him, and what his actions have cost him. I don’t think he wants to make any mistakes like that in the future.”

Britt added that he “can’t give you a more positive remark” than the fact that Wolf has decided to stay in counseling on his own accord.

Wolf, a junior, said “it hurts” that he had to miss UConn’s final eight games of this past season due to his suspension.

“I’m here to play basketball, my passion is to play basketball,” he said. “I love basketball. When I can’t be out there to play with my teammates, it’s painful. I did this to myself, and it’s a big lesson learned.”

Enosch Wolf makes his latest visit to Rockville Superior Court today, stemming from a domestic incident with his girlfriend in a UConn dorm room back in February.

This will be his third court appearance and, possibly, his last, if he has been in full compliance with the counseling and other steps he's been ordered to take since the case was diverted to Family Relations.

Whether Wolf returns to the UConn basketball team is another issue, of course. Kevin Ollie told reporters last month that the decision will be made at the end of the spring semester, which is still a few weeks away.

The college basketball season is over (save for that pesky women's game tonight). No more talk of postseason bans and APR. It's all about moving forward now for UConn after this year's season in limbo, and the vibes coming from Storrs these days are very positive.

The buzz of construction trucks are a constant reminder of work on the new practice facility, which UConn officials hope will be done by the start of the 2014 season. Most, if not all, of this past season's team will return for next season (nothing official on Shabazz Napier yet, but all signs point to his return). Rodney Purvis, a talented and likeable kid, is transferring from NC State -- a very nice get for Kevin Ollie and his staff.

And while the Huskies aren't in the ACC or Big 10 like they want to be (yet), they'll be in a new league next season that won't be half-bad. The American Athletic Conference, after all, will feature the defending national champion (Louisville, for one season anyway), as well as good programs like Memphis and Temple and potential up-and-comers like SMU, Houston and Central Florida. For a year, at least, it will be at least as good (if not better) than the "new" Big East/Catholic 7 league.

Throw in three good recruits (so far) for next season and the Era of Good Feeling has begun in Storrs.

The addition of Purvis, the McDonald's All-America, for the 2014-15 season is a big coup for the Huskies. Purvis, who will complete his classes this semester at NC State before transferring, can play both guard positions at a very high level. If he wants to be a point guard, as has been written, he should be able to flourish in a UConn system that doesn't necessarily have a defined "point guard," per se.

In NC State's more controlled offensive system, Lorenzo Brown (who, ironically, recently declared for the NBA draft) was the point guard this past season, no if's, and's or but's. But in the Huskies' more run-oriented system, several different players can put the ball on the floor as point, or fill the lanes as two-guard. Purvis can flourish in either role.

And, as a well-liked kid who's well-connected on the AAU circuit, it's not unreasonable to think that Purvis could attract other top players to Storrs.

As for other guards UConn is recruiting for 2014, the program is still looking for players who can handle the ball. Assuming Ryan Boatright goes pro after next season, the Huskies would only have one true point guard in Terrence Samuel for '14. So while Purvis's transfer means the program may not need to recruit two new ballhandling guards, UConn is still on the lookout for one.

The Huskies apparently have interest in Bronx point guard Shane Rector, who de-committed from Rutgers today in the wake of the Mike Rice fiasco. UConn is one of several schools to reach out to Rector, according to Kelvin Jefferson, his coach at South Kent School.

It's not all wine and roses for the Huskies just yet. No doubt, they'd still like an invite to one of the BCS conferences. The Enosch Wolf situation still has to be resolved. Inevitably, other issues will crop up.

But the page is turned on this past season in limbo. No more postseason ban talk, which is a relief to everyone (writers included!). The program is moving forward, and things are looking positive in Storrs.

UConn announced yesterday what the Washington Post had reported last week -- that the Huskies will open their 2013-14 season at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn against Maryland on Friday, Nov. 8.

A lot of people have noted that UConn's press release regarding the game had the following words:

“We are looking forward to opening our 2013-14 basketball season in such a wonderful way, playing a great program like Maryland in a beautiful facility like Barclays Center,” said UConn Coach Kevin Ollie, who expects to return his top six scorers and top five rebounders, including All-Big East first team pick Shabazz Napier. “I know all our student-athletes, but especially the ones from the New York City area, are very excited about the opportunity.”

While it would appear that the Huskies are expecting Napier (and Ryan Boatright and DeAndre Daniels, not to mention Enosch Wolf) back in uniform next season, it's important to point out that those weren't Ollie's words. Nothing is set in stone yet.

That said, it looks highly likely that UConn will have no NBA draft defections this year. Napier is still in a walking boot, so even if he did get the chance to work out for NBA teams, he'd be extremely limited (if able at all to do so).

*** UConn does not currently have a game scheduled with Texas next season. In November, 2008, the schools signed a four-game contract over six seasons, with games schedule for 2009-10 at UConn, 2010-11 at Texas, no games in 2011-12 or 2012-13, 2013-14 at UConn and 2014-15 at Texas.

This year's game isn't a certainty yet, but that's not to say it won't happen. Right now, all we know for sure is that the Huskies will open the season with Maryland, then play either Boston College, Washington or Indiana on Nov. 21-22 at Madison Square Garden in the 2K Sports Classic.

UConn will play two of those three teams, though it's not known which ones yet. It will also play two prior 2K Classic games in Storrs against yet-to-be-determined opponents. Even if UConn (or BC, Washington or Indiana) lose one of their opening two games, all four of those teams will still go to the Garden. Apparently, the tournament is trying to avoid a situation like it had a few years ago, when Gardner-Webb popped Kentucky in Lexington and the Wildcats didn't get a chance to go to MSG.

UConn was supposed to play Washington in Seattle next season, after hosting the Huskies on Dec. 29 in Hartford. But because the teams may meet in the 2K Sports Classic, that game is likely to be put off for another year.

*** Andre Drummond was back in Storrs on Tuesday. Drummond's Pistons play the Celtics tonight.

Greetings. Just back from a nice, family vacation to Florida. Did Busch Gardens, then headed down to Marco Island for four days. Real nice. Went to a Red Sox game. Didn't realize how close I was to Florida Gulf Coast University, which (like the Red Sox' spring training facilities) is located in Fort Myers. Stayed away from Panama City.

Now we're back, and we've got our mind on UConn and its future. No doubt, there are plenty of questions to be answered. First and foremost, of course, is whether Shabazz Napier (and Ryan Boatright, and DeAndre Daniels) elects to stay in school or go pro. Napier recently told the Boston Globe that it's a "tough decision," and that nothing's been decided yet. He's still got a few weeks to decide, but with NBA scouts I've talked to nearly unanimous in agreeing he should stay, coupled with the fact that his injured foot could limit him in the harsh NBA workouts he'd be going through, there seems a very good chance he'll remain in Storrs.

Boatright and Daniels seem near-certainties to stay in Storrs at this point. Then there's the Enosch Wolf situation. Nothing has been determined yet, as UConn awaits the outcome of Wolf's case. He's not scheduled for another hearing for a few weeks. While Wolf wants to remain at UConn, Kevin Ollie has a tough decision on his hands, and with UConn already reeling from the APR situation that kept it out of this year's postseason (did you hear?) -- not to mention angling for a better conference and, with that, a better image -- it's not inconceivable that Ollie could come down very hard on Wolf.

There's also the Tyler Olander situation, but it appears his transgression (while embarrassing for him and the university) was far more minor than Wolf's. In fact, according to Neill Ostrout of the Journal-Inquirer, Wolf has been accepted into a Pretrial Diversion Program and his trespassing charge is likely to be dropped.

As it stands, UConn has nine current scholarship players -- Napier, Boatright, Daniels, Wolf, Olander, Omar Calhoun, Phil Nolan, Niels Giffey and Leon Tolksdorf. Former walk-on Brendan Allen was awarded a scholarship this past season, but it was made clear to Allen and his family that that was a one-year situation and, almost certainly, he won't be on scholarship next season.

The Huskies have three incoming players -- Kentan Facey, Terrence Samuel and Amida Brimah. That would take up 12 scholarships, leaving UConn with just one more to give -- again, assuming Napier, Boatright or Daniels don't leave, Wolf isn't booted off the team or some other unexpected transfer happens.

The Huskies will be looking for the best available player, preferably someone that can put the ball on the floor and score the ball, to fill that remaining skolly. Doesn't have to be a point guard, but with really just two ballhandlers (Napier and Boatright) returning (along with the addition of Samuel), UConn could use someone else who can take the ball up the floor. With most Class of 2013 prospects already committed, the Huskies will be scouring for de-commits from programs that went through coaching changes, etc., as well as JUCO players.

As for 2014, the Huskies are in on seemingly dozens of recruits. It's a key recruiting class, as Napier, Olander, Wolf, Giffey, probably Daniels and maybe Boatright will all be gone.

UConn is definitely interested in former Seton Hall guard Aaron Cosby, who recently left the Pirates' program. What's that, you say? Don't players have to sit out two years when transferring from one conference school to another? True, but, of course, Seton Hall (Big East) and UConn (Conference To Be Named Later) no longer reside in the same conference.

Still, Cosby would have to sit out one season, so he's not on the scope until 2014-15.

Three of the Class of 2014 players highest on UConn's wish list are L.J. Peak, a 6-5 small forward out of Chicago; Khadeen Carrington, a 6-3 shooting guard out of Brooklyn who visited UConn on First Night back in October and is making an unofficial visit to Storrs on Thursday; and Ahmed Hill, a 6-5 shooting guard out of Georgia.

The Huskies also have interest in Abdul-Malik Abu, a 6-7 forward who plays at Kimball Union, and his AAU teammate Jared Terrell, a 6-4 shooting guard up at Brewster Academy.

UConn has some peripheral interest in Jacquil Taylor, a 6-9 forward out of Beaver Country Day in Brookline, Mass. Taylor, who transferred from Cambridge Ringe & Latin two years ago and just turned 18, is an athletic forward who could fit in very well in Storrs.

At 210 pounds, Taylor needs to add some muscle. He also fractured his foot midway through this past season, had surgery and just got out of his cast. He's in a walking boot right now, is slated to get his final screws out in a little over a week and is expected to make a full recovery. However, he'll miss the entire spring and (possibly) summer AAU season.

Maryland is very high on Taylor, and VCU, Providence and St. Joseph's have also offered. Stanford and Purdue have recently gotten in on his recruitment. UConn assistant Karl Hobbs (a Ringe & Latin product himself) has come to see Taylor play and has been inquiring about him quite a bit, though Taylor has yet to hear personally from Ollie. According to Taylor's dad, Maurice, they were slated to make a visit to UConn this winter but a snowstorm, then Jacquil's injury, intervened. Maurice said they're hoping to sit down with Ollie and the coaching staff at some point in the near future.

And, of course, there's 7-footer Pascal Chukwu at Fairfield Prep.

UConn also has shown some mild interest in Bonzie Colson, a 6-6, Class of 2014 power forward in the Jeff Adrien mold out of St. Andrew's School in Barrington, R.I. Colson has offers from Seton Hall, Rutgers and George Washington, among others. UConn has only shown slight interest to this point.

A third straight loss for UConn, which is banged up and battered beyond recognition at this point. One more game and the season's over.

Saturday’s season finale vs. Providence is a rare advance sellout at Gampel. Plenty of fans will be there, but how many able-bodied players will be suiting up for the Huskies?

We know Niels Giffey (finger) is done for the season. Enosch Wolf (indefinite suspension), too. Logic would dictate that Shabazz Napier (foot), who’s missed the last two games, won’t return for one more fairly meaningless (at least for the Huskies) game. (Though I have a sneaky suspicion that Napier will give it a go).

Now, Tyler Olander and Omar Calhoun are question marks.

Olander left the game late in the second half with an injured left foot, and was seen leaving the Sun Dome on crutches, his foot in a walking boot.

Calhoun played, but his sprained right wrist obviously hampered him. He shot 1-for-14, even embarrassingly missing a wide-open dunk late in the first half. A UConn source told me before the game that, ideally, Calhoun would need about a week or so to rest his wrist before returning to action.

After Wednesday’s loss, Calhoun was asked if he’d give it one more go Saturday vs. PC.

“We’ll see what happens, see if I’ll be able to go,” he replied. “Right now, I don’t know.”

So how does a lineup of Ryan Boatright, DeAndre Daniels, R.J. Evans, Phil Nolan, Brendan Allen and Leon Tolksdorf look on Saturday? Not too good for the Huskies, though the Friars – who have played their way back to near the NCAA tourney bubble – probably would love to see that.

My guess is Olander is done but Calhoun gives it one more go. And again, I have no idea why, but I think Napier will be out there, too. Just a rather illogical hunch.

A few of the more interesting quotes following UConn’s disappointing, 70-61 loss to Villanova on Saturday:

I could be very wrong, but Kevin Ollie seemed to be directing this specifically at a player or two without naming any names:

“We need effort. We need to hit people. We need to have an attitude that it’s my rebound, nobody else is going to get it. I’m willing to knock people over. I told them, they’ve got to see it.

“And it just doesn’t start in the game, it starts in practice. It starts as you walk. When you get to the scorer’s table, when you walk for a jump ball, they should see that intensity on your face. ... You’ve got your chest out.

“It starts more than just talking, it starts with your body. How you’re talking to yourself. I’m getting 10 rebounds today. that’s the key to life. I don’t think we were in that state of mind today. We have to get back there.”



Shabazz Napier, on the team’s chances of a Big East regular-season crown taking a big hit with the loss:

“We’ve just got to understand that we’ve still got a lot of games left. We’ve got to go out there and play with the toughness we didn’t play with today. It’s always hard to play in the Big East, you can lose on any given day. Our goal is to try to win the Big East season championship. You never know, that’s still maybe up in the air. If we continue on the travel we’ve been going on, I think we’ll be OK, we’ve just got to sharpen some edges up.”

Napier on how tough it is for UConn to win when he and Ryan Boatright combine for six points and 10 turnovers:

“Especially when we don’t find other ways to help the team. Offensively, we weren’t there today. We’ve got to find other ways to help the team.”

Napier did have 10 assists, but just two points. All four of Boatright’s points came in the final 51 seconds, when the game’s outcome had been determined.

Niels Giffey:

“We missed Enosch (Wolf) out there. He’s just a big body, getting a couple of rebounds for us, gives us good minutes. He changes shots – he might not block too may shots, but he changes shots just by his presence.”

Jay Wright (who's as classy as Jim Boeheim isn't):   "I don't know if it's the last time around for the Big East or not, but it's been great coming up here. This is special basketball country up here. We've had some great games against UConn I I have so much respect for Coach Calhoun, I got to see him before the game, and I really appreciate that he came to say hello. I think he's one of the all-time greats. Kevin Ollie is doing a really good job here. That's why this was a very good win for us, because I think we beat a very good team."

Here's the video of Jim Boeheim berating ESPN's Andy Katz, then talking about the UConn-Syracuse rivalry:



And here's Boeheim's explanation as to why he went off on Katz Wednesday night.

*** Anyway, quite a win for UConn on Wednesday in its final meeting with Syracuse as dual members of the Big East. Maybe the Huskies' best win since the national title victory in 2011? Here are the three best quotes of the night:

Shabazz Napier:

“Coach Blaney always tells me don’t ever throw an alley-oop to a white guy. A lot of people don’t realize it, but Niels has by far the best athleticism on the team. He does a lot of things that guys never see because he doesn’t have the opportulnity.”

Kevin Ollie:

“They can ban us from the postseason, they can ban us from the Big East tournament, but they can’t ban us from getting better and loving each other. That’s one thing I can say about this team: they really love being around each other. And it shows.”

Omar Calhoun:

"They've got to leave with the taste of UConn in their mouth (going) to the ACC."

And let's not forget the good play of Phil Nolan, thrust into 14 minutes of action with Enosch Wolf suspended and contributing five rebounds, a resounding blocked shot and some strong defensive play:

UConn center Enosch Wolf was apologetic on Wednesday after a hearing on charges of burglary in the third degree, criminal trespass in the first degree and disorderly conduct.

“I’m sorry for what I put the university through, what I put the coaches through, the people of the university, my teammates and my family,” he said after a brief hearing before judge Edward Mullarkey at Rockville Superior Court.

Wolf, who was represented by attorney Rob Britt, had his case continued until March 20. A partial protective order was also granted to Wolf’s alleged victim.

Wolf, a 7-foot-1 junior from Germany, was arrested by UConn police at 5:55 a.m. Monday. According to a police report, officers were called to the LaFlesche building, a residential building on UConn’s campus. Upon arrival, police discovered that Wolf had been in a physical altercation with a female resident of the building. Wolf refused to leave the apartment when he was asked to and grabbed the hair of the victim and pushed her head, according to the report.

Wolf also knocked the glasses off the victim’s face with his hand. He continued to remain in the apartment and was subsequently arrested.

The partial protective order allows Wolf communication with the alleged victim, as opposed to a full protective order, which would bar him from any kind of contact. He is still living in his dorm and taking classes at UConn, but has been suspended indefinitely from the basketball team.

Kevin Ollie didn't have much to say about the Enosch Wolf situation at practice today, as the Huskies prepared for Wednesday's bout with Syracuse. In fact, he seemed a bit perturbed about any questions on the subject:



When asked if Wolf would play again for the Huskies this season, and if he's barred from all team activities, he added: "He's suspended indefinitely ... He's not around, so you can make your own conclusions."

Ollie added that he talked to his team about "just representing the university and making sure you make wise decisions.”

He offered more on how other players have to step up. Tyler Olander "has got to get himself involved – get rebounds, play harder, play with more energy and effort. He’s giving it to us, but it’s got to be another level. We want him to get rebounds, to get double-doubles. I believe he can do it.”

Olander knows he has to.

“I think there is some pressure, just to produce, get more out of the minutes I’ve been getting and the minutes I’m going to get now.”

He added: "I’m still playing my same role. It’s up to Phil Nolan and Leon (Tolksdorf) to step up, other guys like Niels (Giffey) to continue to play well and just fill that spot.”

As for Phil Nolan, Ollie said: "He's gonna have to (step up). There's no more waiting, he's going to learn through experience. I have full faith and confidence that he'll come in, give us a spark and play with effort and energy. That's the only thing we want to coach around here."

Nolan got a little extra work with ex-Husky Donny Marshall today:



*** As to the fact that this is the final time UConn and Syracuse will face each other, at least as Big East rivals, Ollie said: “I grew up watching Syracuse and Connecticut playing. The reason why I came to Connecticut is because Stevie Thompson was from my high school and he chose Syracuse. When I was at Crenshaw, I was a fan of Syracuse. Seeing Connecticut, the Big East, seeing Georgetown, you hate to see it come to an end. But, it’s part of life, you’ve got to move on. I know our AD and our president are going to put us in a good situation going forward.”

*** And, the inevitable question on beating Syracuse's zone: “Just moving the basketball, getting the ball from side to side, making sure the ball’s not sticking in one guy’s hands," Ollie said. "When we passed like we did against Seton Hall and the ball was popping, everyone was moving, we were getting it to the open man. It makes any zone look vulnerable.”

Enosch Wolf was arrested early Monday morning after a domestic dispute and has been suspended from the team indefinitely.

Wolf was arrested by UConn police at 5:55 a.m. Monday and is being charged with burglary in the third degree, criminal trespass in the first degree and disorderly conduct.

According to a police report, officers were called to the LaFlesche building, a residential building on UConn’s campus. Upon arrival, officers discovered that Wolf had been in a physical altercation with a female resident of the building. Wolf refused to leave the apartment when he was asked to and grabbed the hair of the victim and pushed her head, according to the report.

Wolf also knocked the glasses off the victim’s face with his hand. He continued to remain in the apartment and was subsequently arrested.

 “We are aware of the situation concerning Enosch and we are taking the matter very seriously,” UConn head coach Kevin Ollie said in a statement released by the university. “He has been suspended from the team indefinitely, until the legal and university process is finalized.

“I have spoken to the players on the team previously, and will continue to speak with them, about their conduct both on and off the basketball court. We have high expectations of our student-athletes at UConn, and I expect my players to live up to those standards.”

Wolf, a 7-1 center, is averaging 3.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game for the Huskies.

Wolf’s bond was posted at $500.

Obviously, there are two sides to every story, and Wolf will have his day in court (his initial hearing is on Wednesday). But this sounds all too similar to the Nate Miles incident back in 2008 (although, as Neill Ostrout of the J-I points out, Miles was eventually expelled for violating a restraining order, not the assault charges that led to that restraining order).

As it stands now, it doesn't appear any protective order would have been taken out against Wolf yet, since those are done through the court system and the courts were closed Monday. In fact, Rockville Superior Court is closed Tuesday, too, due to Lincoln's Birthday, which is why Wolf's hearing isn't until Wednesday.