Been a while since I've blogged, so here's a mega-post off today's "Meet the Freshmen" at the Werth Center. This group of frosh is calling themselves "The Top Five," and they certainly could be one of the program's better classes when it's all said and done.

'The Top Five' (l. to r.), Vance Jackson, Juwan Durham, Christian Vital, Mamadou Diarra, Alterique Gilbert.

Here's some sights and sounds from this afternoon:

JUWAN DURHAM:

(on how good this freshman class can be)

“I believe that it’s the best in the country right now. We have guys that can do everything. We have scorers, decent defensive players, we have vocal leaders in Alterique and Christian, a shooter like Vance, a nice big like Mamadou, and versatility in myself, I believe. Coach K.O. told us that we have a chance to start. You know he doesn’t keep the same starting lineup, so whoever’s out there working the hardest and doing the best that they can do, they’ll be able to start.”

(on getting adjusted to life on UConn's campus)

“I like the area, because there’s not much in Storrs to do, other than play basketball and go to class. That’s what I really liked about it. I liked the campus, I liked the coaching staff and I liked the team. I knew the incoming freshmen class that we already have, with Mamadou and Alterique, I knew I’d be in good hands with those guys. We have good leaders in Kentan Facey and Jalen Adams and Rodney Purvis and Amida (Brimah).”

“I grew up in the city. Tampa, Florida … is really a fast-paced city, a lot of big buildings and stuff like that, interstates. Out here, there’s nothing but giant bugs. I saw an ant probably the size of my big toe. It’s crazy stuff that I’ve never seen before. It’s something new. I can go back and tell my family back at home. I took a video of a bee, I think it was. It was like that big (stretches fingers out). I was really confused about that.”

VANCE JACKSON:

ALTERIQUE GILBERT:

CHRISTIAN VITAL:

“You see Vance, he’s a 6-8 shooter, scorer, versatile. Alterique and I have no problem playing together – obviously he’s not playing yet, his shoulder’s still recovering, but we talk about (things like) I don’t mind if he brings up the ball, I don’t need to bring up the ball every time, he doesn’t need to bring the ball up all the time, he’s a selfless person – you see Mamadou, he’s a beast on the boards and starting to work on his mid-range shot, and Juwan, he’s still recovering, but he’s 6-11 and we were shooting around and he made, like, 10 3’s in a row. So, this class is really, really talented and versatile. I believe we’re one of the best recruiting classes in 2016. We need to prove it during the season.”

“Obviously, we want to win a national championship. That’s what everyone wants to do. We just talk about getting better as a group, pushing each other, making sure that no one person is slacking. Because if one person is slacking out of the five of us, we’re all slacking. We’re a team, we’re close with our other teammates, as well, but there’s something about that freshman group. Your class you come in with, you’re just a little bit tighter with, because you’re experiencing something new at the same time. We just talk about sticking together and keep getting each other better.”

(on whether he's a 'Kevin Ollie-type player,' as his prep coach called him)

“I think that’s one of the pictures coach K.O. was telling me when he was recruiting me, that you’re extremely hard-working. He spent 13 years in the NBA and he was never the best player on his team, he never averaged multiple points a game, he was just a hard-worker. He says I can shoot better than him, but those intangibles of working hard and wanting it more than other people, that I can achieve my dreams, too. And he can help me to that. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to play for Coach K.O.”

(on how his best friend, Steve Enoch, helped persuade him to come to UConn)

“I kind of spoke to him before it went public and told him what my five were gonna be. From then, he was texting me, ‘Listen, bro, what are you doing? Just commit now. Just commit now.’ So he definitely had an impact on me coming here.”

(on his friendship with Enoch)

“We just became such close friends (at St. Thomas More). We have the same interests off the court. We like to work out. We go to the gym at 6:30 a.m., preseason and during the season. We’d hang out in each other’s rooms, play video games when there was nothing much else to do on a prep school campus. It’s not like we could leave, so we just really bonded together. That’s my best friend.”

(on Enoch playing for Team Armenia this summer)

“I spoke to him yesterday. I was like, ‘Good luck out there, do your thing.’ I spoke to him the other night to work hard out there. You’re not there for no reason. He’s new to basketball. He wasn’t really on varsity from his freshman year like a lot of other players. So I told him, you’re out there for a reason, work hard, do your thing, and enjoy your experience out there.”

MAMADOU DIARRA:

“I think this group is gonna be really special. We’re already half the team this year, so we’re gonna all play major roles with the team. We’re with each other all day, so we’re jelling, and that’s gonna help us out a lot. Everybody brings their own uniqueness.”

(defense and rebounding)

“That’s gonna be my niche to get on the floor. And I know I’ve got to develop offensively. But I figure once I get in the gym all the time and put in that work, that’s gonna come eventually. But I’m gonna deal with my strengths at first, and then grow from there.”

Game 2, A.B. (After Brimah) went better defensively for UConn in Wednesday's matinee blowout of Central Connecticut than Game 1. After a sluggish start, the Huskies kept the Blue Devils from doing much of anything offensively, en route to a 99-58 win.

Meanwhile, the Huskies did just about everything on offense. Shonn Miller fell three points shy of a career high with 25 points, with six of his 10 baskets coming off feeds from Daniel Hamilton (more on him later).



Kentan Facey notched his second career double-double (his other had come last year against ... Central Connecticut!). Rodney Purvis kept his season double-figures streak alive at 11. Even all three walk-ons scored, including a dunk by Christian Foxen (who scored a career-high four points!).

Ah yes, Hamilton. All he did was notch the 11th triple-double in Husky history with 11 points, 11 boards and 11 assists. And the last prior UConn triple-double? Shabazz Napier on ... 11/11 (Nov. 11, 2013, to be exact).

All this from a player once labeled as selfish. Amazing.



As for Facey, talked to him a bit afterwards and asked how he felt about UConn bringing in Shonn Miller as a grad transfer, even though Miller would eat into Facey's playing time. He replied in typically, unselfish fashion.

“I felt like it was going to increase our depth, as you see we need it now," he said. "You never know what’s going to happen, it’s a long season. We definitely need Shonn right now. He had a monstrous game for us. We need that going into Texas and league play.”

Your Husky Run times:

1. (overall) Jon Gill, Walllingford, 17:45

(UConn)

1. Daniel Hamilton, 20:31
2. Kentan Facey, 21:41
3. Omar Calhoun, 22:43
4. Steve Enoch, 23:24
5. Christian Foxen, 23:48
6. Jalen Adams, 24:59
7. Sterling Gibbs, 25:12
8. Rodney Purvis, 25:34
9. Terry Larrier, 26:15
10. Shonn Miller, 26:15
11. Phillip Nolan, 26:30
12. Nnamdi Amilo, 29:44


Daniel Hamilton addresses the crowd prior to the run:



Kevin Ollie speaks with the media:



Daniel Hamilton crosses the finish line first among his UConn teammates -- backwards -- with a time of 20:31.




Some notes 'n quotes off the run:

KEVIN OLLIE

(on the Husky Run)

“It’s important -- spending time with the fans, seeing them run, seeing us run. It’s about starting something and finishing something. That’s kind of our motto: whatever we start, we want to finish. That hill on the back side always gets you. But you’ve got to persevere. Just like the season, there’s gonna be some ups and downs, but you’ve got to get to the finish line. It’s really not a race to win, it’s a race against yourself. You want to finish.”

(on the team's newcomers)

“They’re fitting in great. That’s one thing I really want to see early -- team chemistry. They’re doing a wonderful job coming in and bringing leadership. They’re not scared to challenge people. We don’t want them to come in and take a back seat, because they’re gonna play a pivotal role in our success.”

(on Daniel Hamilton)

“I think he always had confidence in how good he could be. It’s just putting the work in, seeing the results. I think he saw some great results last year, but he definitely wants to improve on shooting percentage, being a better decision-maker, taking better shots. But he did some wonderful things last year. Now, you’ve just got to take what you do well now and do it even better. I’ve been seeing some remarkable growth throughout this preseason.”

“He’s gonna be on everybody’s list to stop. We had Ryan Boatright, I bet you he had the big star on his name. Now, Daniel’s gonna have that star on his name. The good thing is we have a lot of players that are gonna have that star on their names. It’s not gonna just be one guy. That’s a good thing for a coach to have options, and to have a team that’s deep.”

(on SMU)

“We hate for that to happen to SMU ... I just hate for it to happen to a very dear friend of mine. I know they’re gonna get better from the situation and hopefully go forward. We’ve got to go forward as a university, as a conference. We still have some great teams that are gonna have the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament.”

“I can’t tell you that, you’re gonna have to call Larry about that. But, knowing him, he’s been down a lot of times in his life. The good thing about being down, a week later, he’s back up and at it again. I don’t think that’s gonna change now. I think he’s gonna look at it as a learning circumstance, and I think he’ll get better. But he’s a great man, he’s been very influential in my life. I just wish him the best going forward.”

*** Amida Brimah sat out the run. He rolled his ankle in his final GHPA game in August, but should be fine for Saturday's first practice.

Sam Cassell, Jr. also sat out the Husky run. Trainer James Doran didn't want him pounding his stress fracture for 3.1 miles on blacktop. He's good to go Saturday, too.

HAMILTON
“I said I was gonna win it a couple of weeks ago, so I had to make sure I lived up to that.”

“Definitely a different attitude. I want to win, like UConn does. I just want to come in, win and make a huge impact.”

“I’m in the best shape of my life.”

“I’m ready to come in and lead and just win, that’s the main thing. We win, everybody’s having fun and everybody looks good.”

“We’re more together. We all come to the gym at the same time, nobody’s separate from each other. We’ve got the team mindset. The new guys are fitting in real well, putting in their work at nighttime. They’re dragging me to come in the gym. That’s always a good sign.”

“I had way too many turnovers -- two turnovers a game, that’s a lot a game, and I’m not even a point guard. I’ve got to defnitely cut down on that.”

(on speculation he'll go pro after this year)

“That’s a distraction outside the locker room. I don’t want to make a distraction outside the locker room, because that could affect the way we play. I just want to come in and play our game, play the way UConn wants to play. That’s getting wins.”

OMAR CALHOUN:

“I’m feeling real good, better than I felt last year coming in. I did a lot of rehab over the summer, so I’m feeling 100-percent right now. Hopefully I can stay this way and just continue to improve.”

a lot of track work, working on mobility, flexibility, lot of strengthening core, when I was in boot, strengthen everything else

“I want to show everyone the kind of player I really am. I’ve been dealing with injuries basically every year, besides my freshman year. Hopefully, I can get the year I want my senior year. Make a big run in the tournament, that’s the plan.”

“I’ve always been a competitive person. It should be fun. Whoever’s the best is gonna be on the court at the end of the day.”

PURVIS:

“Everything with me is off the flow of the game. I’m pretty fast, so I’ll let my speed get me out in transition to get me going. It’s a great thing to have a lot of weapons, but just because you have a lot of weapons doesn’t mean you have to take your foot off the gas. The more scoring, the more points, the more wins we’ll get.”

“He’s even surprised me how much more he’s opened up. Last year he was a freshman. When you’re a freshman, you’re kind of figuring yourself out. You’re coming to a locker room with a lot of older guys. With his summer and with that year, he’s really opened up a whole lot. He’s kind of like a differnet person. Last year, he was the quietest in the locker room. Now, he’s one of the loudest. That’s always a positive.”

“I dedicated my whole summer pushing myself and preparing myself for this moment. It’s not really good to say, but I really do feel like this is my team. I’ve got to step up and be that guy and be that coach on the floor. It’s a huge role, a huge task, but I’ve got to give my credit to Coach Ollie. He’s really working with me each and every day. I really credit him.”

It was Husky Day at the State Capitol today. Most of the members of the UConn men's and women's basketball teams were there -- no Ryan Boatright, but just about everyone else there, including coaches Kevin Ollie and Geno Auriemma.

One reporter's daughter even got a whole bunch of autographs, including Geno's.

(Oh, and if you're in the Southington area tonight around 6:30, stop by the Southington Public Library, where I'll be doing a book signing and discussion of Rebound!).

Anyway, here's some of what Daniel Hamilton and Ollie had to say:

HAMILTON:

(on rumors he might be leaving the program)

“I never had any thoughts. I had a sitdown with Coach Ollie, and we talked about the season during the exit meeting. Everything was good. I’m excited to be coming back.”

“He said I’ve got to shoot the ball better, and just getting to where I wanted to go, not forcing shots, not taking ill-advised shots.”

“It never crossed my mind. I know there were some rumors out there saying I might leave, but there was no thought of me going. Especially after the year that we had, I want to come back and do even better things next year. I wasn’t satisfied with the year we had as a team. Next year, I want to come back and be better than we were this year.”

“I knew my grandma’s been sick the last couple of years. I was always talking to her, she was always watching my games. She was just proud of me throughout the whole year.”

(on watching his brother, Isaac, help UCLA make a run to the Sweet Sixteen)

“Them making the Sweet 16, it was definitely fun. I was supporting them the whole way.”

“Not jealous, I was happy for him. I was excited for him.”

OLLIE:

(on Duke winning the title)

“They definitely deserved it. Coach K is a wonderful coach.”

(on recruiting focuses)

“We’ve got a couple of players that we’re looking (at). We’re just trying to add some spots. My job is to evaluate the program ... We have a couple that’s right on the brink, and hopefully we’ll get some good news here soon.”

(on any possible transfers)

“No one came in my office yet. It’s always an open door. I’m not telling them to come in the office. If they decide to come in and decide to go somewhere else, I can’t hold them back, I can just give my opinion on going forward. Hopefully, everybody stays and we can add on some compliments to these guys we’ve got now.”

“We just had our regular exit meetings. I gave them my expectations of them. went over the stats with them, just the standards that we uphold here at UConn. It was a character-building season for us, for me as a coach. We’ve got to get better. I think everybody has that desire, to get better.”

(on how Ollie can get better as a coach)

“Everything -- management of the team, getting them in better positions. I can always improve on everything. It’s not just one thing. I’ve got to get these guys better. We all fell short. We’re all UConn, and we’d like to get to the tournament. It’s a fine line between good and bad. We lost a lot of close games. You look back at those situations, I could have done things better, players could have made shots. We’re all in this together. It’s not one thing.”

(on recent college coaching changes)

“I was happy for Dave (Leitao), and to see Shaka (Smart) move to Texas. Some great acquisitions there, but also some great coaches that got their walking papers, which is unfortunate, too.”

(on Steve Enoch)

Every time I see Steve, he’s getting bigger, he’s getting better, he’s performing very well, he’s rebounding the ball. He’s got a chip on his shoulder every time I see him. I think he’s gonna be a phenomonal basketball player for us. He’s gonna be a serviceable big man coming in his freshman year, getting to lear from Amida, Kentan and Phil on how to conduct yourself as a UConn basketball player. I see a lot of potential in him. Now, that potential’s got to turn into skill. And that just depends on how hard he’s gonna work. What I see from him, I don’t see where that pattern’s gonna stop. Every time I see him, he’s adding something to his offensive repertoire, defensive rebounding -- doing things we lacked a little bit last year.”

(on Jalen Adams)

“Jalen Adams is gonna be an instant player for us that’s gonna really impact the game instantly. He can do so much stuff off the bounce, he’s very athletic. A lot of people don’t know how good a passer he is. I’m just gonna weigh on him to come in and do the different things we know he can do. But, athletically, ball-handling, pushing the ball -- those are his strengths. I’m gonna try to display that every single day, give him a platform where he can go out there and show his God-given talents. And God has given him a lot.”

Apparently, Adams may not play in Friday's Jordan Brand Classic regional game at Barclays Center. Nothing's official as of now, however. Doesn't sound like an injury or anything, just a possible conflict of some sort.

Some notes and quotes from after today's practice, as UConn prepares for its NIT bout with Arizona State on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Gampel.

*** Ryan Boatright sat out of practice and is questionable for Wednesday's game. He suffered what appears to be a mild subluxation of his left shoulder after being hit coming off a screen in Sunday's loss to SMU.

“We’re just gonna treat the heck out of it," said Kevin Ollie. "Knowing him, he’ll be out there. But if he’s not, we’ll just go with the guys we’ve got.”

“Ryan’s a tough guy," Ollie added. "Hopefully, he’s back out tomorrow. If he can’t go, Terrence is gonna fill in, Rodney is gonna fill in, and we’re gonna play with the guys we’ve got.”

*** Daniel Hamilton attended his grandmother's funeral on Tuesday and was slated to fly home Tuesday night on a red-eye flight and be available for Wednesday's game (albeit, most likely, a bit tired).

*** Kentan Facey was cleared to practice on Tuesday, but only non-contact drills. If he wakes up and feels alright on Wednesday, he should be cleared to play.

*** Ollie on the lack of respect the selection committee appeared to show the AAC:



*** Ollie on Rodney Purvis's strong play lately:

“He’s getting the ball fullcourt and going down with a head of steam. It’s very, very hard to stop him when he starts doing that. And his 3-ball is going, and he’s making more of his free throws, which is gonna be a key to him if he wants to be an explosive scorer. Because he’s gonna get to the rim, he’s gonna get fouled a lot. For him to convert two free throws will really give him the momentum to keep attacking.”

“We’re seeing glimpses of what Rodney can do.”

(on Arizona State)

“Great transition team. They’ve got four JUCO transfers, they’ve got good, talented basketball players. And everybody can score. They usually play four-out, one-in, with Jacobsen in the middle. When he goes out, they bring in another shooter. There are gonna be a lot of shooters around the court.”

“They play four guards, sometimes they play (6-foot-6 Savon) Goodman at the five, so it’s gonna be a situation where I’ve got four guards out there. It’s not big deal. We’re just gonna go out there, whoever shows up and is willing to play, we’re gonna push them to play hard and we’re gonna prepare them to play the same way.”

(on Boatright ending his senior year on a down note)

“It’s tough, but he had a great senior year. Hopefully he remembers that, and hopefully the fans remember that. He had a remarkable, remarkable senior year. Yeah, it’s tough and all that stuff in the last game. But the games before that and what he was doing, there’s no way we would have been there. I was playing him 40 minutes. The guy’s not a robot, he’s a human being. It’s said that he went 1-for-12, but please don’t remember him that way.”

*** Rodney Purvis had some interesting things to say.

(is it strange practicing without Boatright, Hamilton, Facey?)

“Yeah, it is. But that’s what you have other players for, other Division 1 players for. Terrence is gonna have to step up really, really big ... I’m not sure if Daniel’s gonna come back.”

“He’s supposed to," said a reporter.

“Oh, he is? Thank God.”

(on Terrence Samuel needing to step up if Boatright is out)

“His number hasn’t been called that much this year, because of the greatness of Boatright. I just feel like he’s got to be ready to step up and be ready to make plays for us (Wednesday).”

(on how much the high ankle sprain early in the season affected him)

“It took a really, really long time. I was able to kind of plant off it, but not really have my full explosion. I can’t really gauge the time. I feel like I was able to contribute. I probably wasn’t scoring as best as I could, but I think I did a pretty good job on the defensive end, just trying to do different things.”

A reporter asked if it bothered him in his strong game at Florida.

“Florida? I kinda struggled in that game ... Oh yeah, when I came back in and hit a couple of big 3’s. I didn’t really need my ankles for that. That was mainly just catch and shoot, you know?”

*** Purvis noted that "next year is starting now" for the Huskies.

"Not only with me, but our entire team. Everybody’s confidence just has to go up a little bit. Boatright did a whole lot for us, carried us the whole season. Guys have got to start coming into themselves, because there’s gonna be no more Boatright.”

He added that he's looking forward to being more of a leader next season.

“I definitely am. This year, I kinda had to sit back a little bit and learn from Boat. Kinda waiting my turn, you know? It was kind of frustrating at times, I’ve got to be honest, because I was looking forward to coming in and being more. But I can blame some of that on myself. I wasn’t really ready to play a lot of the games. I’ve been going through a lot this whole entire season. I had a lot of things on my (plate), so I tried to put that to the side and play with a free mind.”

(on what he knows about Arizona State)

“I know they play like four guards, so this game is gonna be fun.”

(on potential for fatigue)

“We’re all 19, 20 years old, so there shouldn’t be any issues getting ready to play (Wednesday).”

Some quick numbers:

In the (extremely) brief history of the AAC tournament, no team has shot better from the floor (54.5 percent) and from 3 (64.7 percent, 11-for-17), hit more 3's (11) or allowed fewer points in a half (14) than UConn did on Thursday night. And no freshman has ever scored more than rookie of the year Daniel Hamilton's 20.

(Alas, Hamilton isn't perfect: it was he who banged heads inadvertently with Kentan Facey in practice on Tuesday, causing Facey to suffer a concussion. He didn't dress for Thursday's game)

Oh, and South Florida is terrible.

Another number: 5,431. The attendance at the XL Center. Honestly thought it was closer to about 7,500, but it's not like they're gonna shortchanged themselves, right?

Anyway, expecting a bigger turnout Friday night in the quarters against Cincinnati. A game that promises to be a "dogfight."

KEVIN OLLIE:

“Our guys came out with intensity. We’ve just got to continue with that. It’s a short turnaround, we know that. It’s tournament play, so we’re gonna go back, get ready for Cincinnati. Everybody knows when you play Cincinnati, it’s a dogfight.”

(on Phil Nolan's seven rebounds)

“That was great. I challenged the bigs, in the Temple game, Phil played 20 minutes and got two rebounds, and Amida (Brimah) played 28 minutes and got one rebound. So, it was great to see those guys combine for 12 rebounds in their minutes. We want them to continue to rebound -- rebound out of their area.

“Phil did an amazing job. It doesn’t show in the points ... He sacrifices his body for our team, takes charges, does all the small things. That’s why I give him the minutes I give him, because I really trust him on the defensive end. And on the offensive end, he knows the right spots to be in.”

“He knows about this time of year. He started all six games of our tournament run last year. He’s a very experienced guy, especially in March and April.”

RYAN BOATRIGHT:

(on Cincinnati)

“It’s gonna be physical. I’ve played them a lot, and every single time we play them, it’s extremely physical. It’s gonna be a close game, it’s gonna come down to whoever wants to win the most. It’s gonna be a dogfight. They’re probably gonna play their match-up zone, so we’ve got to execute and break that zone down.”

NOLAN:



OMAR CALHOUN:

“I never lack confidence. Just a clean slate. Everybody’s just leaving it all out there, we all have the same goal in mind. We’re all just playing for each other.”

(on Cincy)

“It’s gonna be a dogfight. We beat them before, they beat us. We’ve got to come out with our best game. The best team’s gonna win.”

“I’m just healthier. We have a couple of days off before the tournament, and I needed those days to get my body back for this run. I’m feeling real good right now.”

Calhoun said his knee had been bothering him, as well as a sprained toe.

BRIMAH:

“Coach was talking to us about rebounding the last two games. We just came out and made sure we did that.”

Quotes, video from UConn's most impressive win of the season -- a 70-45 thrashing of Tulsa Thursday night in Hartford. Geared by a four-guard starting lineup, the Huskies got off to a fast start, then kept their foot on Tulsa's throats at the start of the second half.

KEVIN OLLIE:

“Probably our most complete game, from top to bottom -- defensively, offensively.”

“Offensively, I thought the ball moved. Daniel really spread out the court and allowed us to attack. And Boatright is just playing real great basketball.”

(the four-guard starting lineup of Ryan Boatright, Rodney Purvis, Daniel Hamilton and Terrence Samuel)

“It really gives you spacing. Nothing against Kentan (Facey), or anything like that, but with Daniel out there ... he hit two 3’s in a row, on a play that we just designed. It just gives us a lot more spacing, a lot more creativity in a package that we have offensively. I thought we did a marvelous job executing.”

“We were able to get out and press a little bit. We wanted to stop them, because their fast break is so potent. On mades, we wanted to get up and press a little bit, so they can just hesitate. I think we did a good job, just having them pause a little bit, then kind of get deep in the shot clock. They’re starting off at 22, 23 seconds.”

(on Ryan Boatright)

“He’s just getting better every day. He’s learning how to talk to his teammates. With Ryan, he says the right things, but sometimes it doesn’t come out the right way. And now, he’s really just talking to them, explaining what he wants.”

“When it’s time to take over a game, he’s starting to get that switch where, ‘Alright, it’s my time.’”

HAMILTON:



AMIDA BRIMAH:

“It opens up the game for me. The guards were playing great defense, too, it just opens up the game for all of us.”

(on going 3-for-3 on his mid-range jumpers)

“I’ll work on it a lot. I just don’t use it ‘cuz I feel like, to me, jumpers are kinda soft. So I’ll just go in the paint more. If you give me a lot of space, I’m gonna shoot it. But if I’m in the paint, I’m gonna go for a post move, a stronger move.”

(will he ever shoot a 3 in a game?)

“No.”

(why not?)

“I can shoot 3’s, but I’m not doing it.”

BOATRIGHT:

(on the small lineup)

“We get up and down the floor a lot faster. The transition speed is high. And on the defensive end, we irritate. We’re into you 94 feet.”

“The sense of urgency is there. Our destiny is in our own hands.”

(on SMU)

“They play tremendous defense, great team defense. They communicate extremely well, they’re physical, they’re balanced, they’ve got great guards. They’ve got guys in the frontcourt that can produce. They’re a tough team.”

(on Nic Moore)

“He’s just a small, firey, feisty guy. He plays hard all the time, he has a knockdown jump shot, a knockdown trey-ball. He leads his team. He’s a good player.”

(on Moore, Boatright being favorites for AAC player of the year)

“Nah, I’m worried about UConn winning the next seven games. Individual awards, I couldn’t care less. I’ll take the Final Four and the championship any day.”

PURVIS:

(on Hamilton)

“Having him at the four really helps out a lot. With Daniel, you can pick and pop. With me, Boat and T-Sam, we’re attacking guards. Once we attack, we’re drawing two people every time.”

(think Hamilton would be this good a rebounder?)

“No, I didn't. When he first got here, I thought he was skinny. I thought he was gonna get pushed around and beat up. I don’t know how he does that rebounding stuff. He’ll be stealing his teammates’ rebounds. He just likes to rebound.”

First, some news on longtime UConn radio man Wayne Norman. He had an angioplasty to insert a stent due to 85-percent blockage. He is doing well, according to fellow radio partner Joe D'Ambrosio.

As for UConn ...

Houston may be 0-8 in the American Conference, but UConn isn't about to take the Cougars lightly. Not after New Year's Eve a little over a year ago. And not with a starting five that Kevin Ollie calls "probably up there with the most talented five in the conference."

Here's some of what Ollie, Rodney Purvis and Kentan Facey had to say from the team hotel on Saturday afternoon, after the Huskies practiced at the Toyota Center, the Houston Rockets' home arena. Particularly interesting what Purvis said when asked if the team needs to find a "second scorer" to compliment Ryan Boatright.

“I don’t know, I just feel like honestly, that last game was tough for anybody to score a basket, if you want to say it like that, as far as the second scorer or whatever. Looking at the stats, Ryan had zero in the first half, I had two, I think Omar (Calhoun) had two. They guarded us really well. Our offense as a team was really not that good ... This is a team sport. There’s no second scorer, first scorer or anything like that. Ryan can’t go out there and win a game by himself, I can’t go out there and win a game by myself. Nobody on our team can go out and win a game by themselves. It’s a team effort.”

"Whoever's hot that night, we've got to feed him the basketball."

More Purvis:

(On what Ollie's been preaching in practice the last couple of days)

“A little bit of everything. The main thing is coming out early, being physical and hitting somebody. That’s what he’s been preaching the last couple of games. Delivering the first blow.”

“Some people just aren’t naturally physical or rough, so you’ve got to help them. We’re trying to make it a team thing, so all of us can be on the same page, same the share level of physicality. That’s it, really.”

“Lack of consistency, really. We’ve all got to stay consistent. Do things that will help our team, and just play the right way, make the right plays, give up yoursel for your teammates, play unselfish. And hit somebody. If we deliver the first blow, I think we’ll be fine.”


KENTAN FACEY:



KEVIN OLLIE:

(on how the last couple of practices have gone)

“Pretty good. But you’ve got to transfer it over to the game. That’s where we want to get better connected with that. Hopefully, we can start that (Sunday) afternoon.”

(on what he saw about his team's effort against Cincinnati on the game film)

“It wasn’t at a Level 5. So, we’ve got to get better at that. We’ve got to get to a Level 5 for us to compete in games and win in games. When you start the game off and you have five straight tunrovers, you give up three offensive rebounds, it’s not even a game yet until you start establishing your presence. That’s when it turns into a game. We didn’t do that. That’s got to change.”

(on Houston)

“We’re not looking at their record. They’ve been in a lot of games. They’re getting better each and every day.”

“They have a lot of plays. They draw plays that you’ve never seen. (Kelvin Sampson's) got probably 100 plays that we’ve been looking at. You can’t go over all 100 of them, you’ve got to stick with your principles.”

“Their starting five is probably up there with the most talented five we have in our conference. They’re not deep on their bench, so that’s one thing we’re gonna try to get into that bench. But that starting five is gonna pose a lot of challenges.”

(on Sampson)

“I think he’s gonna be a great coach. He’s already been proven, every stop he’s been at -- NBA experience. I think he’s gonna give a wealth of knowledge to his guys, coaching them on and off the basketball court. Being prepared for life, I think that’s what he brings that’s most important.”

With the seconds winding down in UConn's 81-48 rout of Central Connecticut on Sunday afternoon, the 13,315 at XL Center started booing.

At first, it seemed the crowd was upset that former walk-on-turned-scholarship player Pat Lenehan wasn't going to get a shot off. Perhaps that was part of it, but the bulk of the booing more likely had to do with the fact that the Huskies weren't going to get to the 82-point mark.

Any time UConn scores 82 points in a game, you see, anyone with a ticket stub to the game can get a free order of wings at Buffalo Wild Wings. So, the 13,315 wound up a point short of free wings.

“I’ve never got booed like that, at the end of the game," Kevin Ollie noted. "I didn’t even know about the Buffalo Wild Wings. I’m like, ‘Man, they love Pat this much?’ So, next time, I’ll recognize that. That was on me.”

That's kind of the lead story off an otherwise routine blowout of Howie Dickenman's Blue Devils. Actually, there were others: Kentan Facey's first career triple-double, Omar Calhoun's season-high 11 points (including his first 3-pointer since Jan. 21 against Temple last season), five players in double figures and a 37-5 run between the end of the first half and the beginning of the second that turned it into a rout.

Here's some video, notes and quotes off the game:



*** Ray Allen spoke to the CCSU team in the locker room after the game. Allen, of course, played under Dickenman when Dickenman was Jim Calhoun's assistant at UConn.

"He spoke to the players for about 10 minutes, gave some very good comments and observations," said Dickenman. "Ray has always been one of my favorites, but then he’s everybody’s favorite. Our players applauded him and we thanked him for coming in.”

“You could hear a pin drop when Ray spoke.”

Dickenman shared this story of Allen, during a Jim Calhoun Celebrity Classic game at Mohegan Sun Arena a few years back, when Dickenman was "coaching" Allen's team.

“We’re getting hammered about halfway through the first half. I’m gonna ‘talk to the team,’ OK? And Ray interrupts me. The nerve of him to interrupt the coach. And all he said was, ‘I’m sick and tired of this, we have to go out and fight. We’re not here to lay down.’ It was a very brief but motivational talk, and we went out and played much better. He’s such a competitor that he would take time to say that in the huddle. When Ray speaks, everyone listens.”

*** UConn is now 19-0 against former Calhoun assistants, including 3-0 against Dickenman at CCSU. The Huskies have never lost to the Blue Devils in 13 games.

*** Omar Calhoun:

"I'm starting to get my rhythm back. I'm starting to get healthy. I'm able to be more explosive at the rim, do more off the dribble .. It was definitely tough going through that and then another injury. It's good to have something going positive so I can go forward and keep growing from it ... It was definitely tough, but I'm a strong individual. I talked to Coach all the time and he said just work through it. He has my back. So as I keep working and getting healthier and healthier, it will be better every day."

*** Ryan Boatright apparently thought the boos at the end of the game were about Lenehan, as well, and didn't know about the Buffalo Wild Wings.

“I keep telling Pat, man, just shoot the ball! He’s such a good person and a good teammate. When K.O. says don’t jack the ball, he’s not gonna jack it. But when you get in with a minute left, you only have two possessions, probably -- just shoot the ball. It’s your senior year, he’s gonna put you in the next game, you know what I mean? But Pat is Pat, he’s not gonna take ill-advised shots.”

It's gonna take some time, folks. It's a process, as Kevin Ollie once again pointed out Friday night, following UConn's too-close-for-comfort (the Huskies were down nine points early in the second half) win over Bryant in its season-opener.

UConn struggled early, looked a bit disjointed. Sort of like a team full of newcomers that hasn't had a chance to jell as a unit yet. The Huskies played much better in the second half, when it mattered most, clamping down on defense and relying heavily on Ryan Boatright's Herculean effort (24 points, eight boards, five assists, four steals).

In short, this may have been a microcosm of UConn's upcoming season, if that makes any sense -- early struggles, probably a few unexpected losses along the way, but the talent coming together at the right time in the latter half of the season. And Boatright leading the way.

We'll see how it all shapes out, but the first part seems virtually certain -- UConn will have some struggles early. Fans need to be patient. It's a process, one that Ollie hopes his team falls in love with along the way.

A few odds and ends:

Boatright's mom, Tanesha, surprised him by flying in from Aurora, Ill., for the game.

“I didn’t know she was coming," he said. "I’m in the warm-up line, I hear somebody screaming my middle name. Nobody calls me by my middle name. I’m like, ‘it’s gotta be my mom.’ She surprised me, I’m glad she was there. She’ll be able to take the ring back home.”

Kentan Facey had a game-high, career-high 11 rebounds. Ollie on the difference between Facey this year and last year.

“He’s on the court. He wasn’t on the court last year, because we had DeAndre and Niels, who were two great players for us. His energy was great, he went after every rebound. We want Kentan to be a ball-hunter.”

I've never seen a ball-hawking defender quite like Providence's John Linehan some 15 years ago. But Boatright was a reasonable facsimile thereof on Friday night, pick-pocketing four steals, three of which led to fast-break dunks (two by him).

As well as Boatright played last night, there's still one area where Ollie wants him to improve.

“We still want to work on his body language," the coach said. "But he’s being what a leader’s supposed to be. He’s seen what Shabazz did. He’s learned. He’s gonna have some up-and-down games, like everybody, but we need him to stay connected, being a leader.”

Body language as in not showing up the refs? Not sulking when the team makes freshman mistakes? Neither of the above, according to Boatright.

“He knows that I put a lot of pressure on myself and I want to be excellent," Boatright said. "When I make bone-head mistakes, I just get down on myself, shake my head, stuff like that. Nothing extremely negative, but he just tells me I can’t get down on myself, I’ve just got to keep playing and know everything is gonna be OK.”

Some video and quotes from UConn's 70-62 win over Southern Connecticut in its exhibition opener Tuesday night:

Kevin Ollie wasn't pleased:

“Got the first one out of the way. Southern came out and played a real good game, defensively. They played real well. We forced a lot of shots, didn’t finish a lot of layups, but that’s why you call it exhibition. We’ll get better from it and make sure we come out and play a little harder against Assumption.”

Asked if he "expected more" from his team, Ollie was incredulous:

“I want to shoot better. I mean, I don’t even know what that question’s about. I don’t want to shoot 36-percent (from the floor) or 58-percent (from the foul line). But, it happens, you move from it and you learn from it.”

“I think the guys will be a little bit more coachable. They haven’t been bad, but you can coach ‘em a little harder now, after this kind of performance.”

Sam Cassell, Jr. was a highlight, scoring 17 points and hitting a trio of 3-pointers in 31 minutes off the bench.



Said Ollie:

“Sam was good. He hit some 3’s. We still have to be better defensively. But, Sam can play. He’s gonna be a spark for us. He can stretch the defense out. I’d like to see him penetrate on a couple of his 3’s. But, he knows how to play. Very crafty, can shoot it with the best of ‘em. He’s gonna be a good player for us.”

A reporter pointed out to Ryan Boatright that Cassell doesn't play like a young player.

“He ain’t a young player," Boatright responded. "He’s older than me! But Sam played great. We’ve all got to get better on the defensive end, but he shot the ball great. I was trying to find him as much as I can.”

Indeed, Cassell was born in May, 1992; Boatright in December, 1992.

Rodney Purvis on Cassell:

“He’s a very poised guy. He’s not gonna wow you with any dunks or anything like that, (but) he can make any shot -- contested shot, it doesn’t matter -- he can shoot the ball.”

It was a tough night for Purvis, who shot 2-for-12 from the floor and finished with seven points. Funny thing is, his shots didn't look bad, for the most part -- they just didn't fall.

I’ve never been the type of guy to make excuses. I’m gonna get back in the gym, probably tonight or tomorrow. I’ll be back. I don’t have any worries about missing shots.”

“Every shot felt great, I felt like every shot was going in. But, you have those days. It’s the game of basketball. I’ll be back, I ain’t worried.”

Ollie was pleased with Daniel Hamilton's play, saying he "played at a Level-5, energy-wise."

Hamilton and Kentan Facey each grabbed nine rebounds. Amida Brimah had a double-double (12 and 11) and Boatright led the Huskies with 19 points.

History was made when 7-foot sophomore Amida Brimah won the Husky Run this afternoon.

“That’s probably the first time in history a big guy won the Husky Run," Kevin Ollie noted. "That’s very impressive. Records are meant to be broken. I imagine nobody’s done that -- ever.”

Brimah certainly looked proud of his victory, accomplished in a time of 20:22.



“That’s an amazing sign," Ollie continued. "I like that. We know he can run. I think he said his forte is long distance running. He proved that. I had to ask him who’s got DeAndre’s spot. He said, ‘I got it, Coach.’”

Ollie also competed in the event, something no one can recall Jim Calhoun ever doing (though he may have done it at some point in his first couple of seasons as coach). He finished with a time o 21:25, behind only Brimah and Omar Calhoun.

Jon Gill, a Lyman Hall student, won the event with a time o 18:30. Here's how UConn's players finished:

1. Amida Brimah, 20:22.
2. Omar Calhoun, 20:51.
3. Kevin Ollie, 21:25.
4. Kentan Facey, 21:48.
5. Ryan Boatright, 21:50.
6. Terrence Samuel, 22:12.
7. Daniel Hamilton, 24:01.
8. Rodney Purvis, 25:37.
9. Sam Cassell, Jr., 25:38.
10. Phillip Nolan, 25:46.
11. Nnamdi Amilo, 26:40.
12. Rakim Lubin, 29:14.

Pat Lenehan didn't compete, due to a left foot injury.

Here's Ollie and Boatright addressing the crowd before the start of the race:

Daniel Hamilton and Rakim Lubin are on campus, joining Sam Cassell, Jr. as all three of UConn's newcomers are enrolled in (or about to enroll in) summer courses.

Here's a story I did on Cassell, Jr. and his father, shortly after he committed to UConn.

And here's a piece on Daniel Hamilton, after while he was in Springfield, Mass. at the Hoop Hall Classic in January.

*** Had a chance to sit down with Kevin Ollie and two other reporters in Ollie's office at Gampel Pavilion on Wednesday afternoon to take a look ahead to the upcoming season. Here's some of what Ollie had to day:

(on Ryan Boatright taking over leadership role from Shabazz Napier)

“It’s a must. He has to do that. Not only for UConn, but for his basketball future. He has to take over that leadership role … I think Boat is going to do that. I see a lot of great qualities in Ryan. A lot of attention was given to Shabazz, but Ryan wants it. He has a great competitiveness about him. He competes at everything, and he wants to be great. He’s not going to settle for good. That’s the one thing I love about Boat. He’s never missed a practice. The guy just wants it. If a guy has a vision and he wants it that bad, yeah, we have to mold and change his approach sometimes, and he has to change his approach sometimes. But I think he’s going to get it. I think he’s already got it already. It’s for me to bring that out a little bit more, but it’s for him to give that gift away everyday – that leadership gift he’s got.”

(on how tough a decision it was for Boatright to return, rather than go pro)

“I know he reached out to a lot of people to get different advice for his decision. I know he and DeAndre are very, very close. It’s been well-documented, ‘We came in together, we’re leaving together.’ But I’m glad he thought about it and (realized), ‘What’s good for DeAndre, might not be good for me.’ DeAndre’s a different person. I’m glad he came back. I think he saw the model in Shabazz, who could have gone out last year and who knows if he would have been drafted, maybe in the second round. You just never know. Then he came in and won a national championship, now getting invited to the Green Room, got his degree, had a phenomenal year, Bob Cousy Award.”

(on some of the differences next year's team will have from this year's team)

“We’re not going to have DeAndre, Niels – that stretch forward we had last year. I think Amida’s going to be a tremendous asset for us. I think Kentan’s going to give us a different dynamic, where he can shoot the ball. Probably not off the 3 like Niels and DeAndre did – I know he’s working toward it, but those guys were exceptional shooters for us. Kentan brings us a guy running and jumping and getting rebounds. He’s working on his game very, very hard.”

“Phil is up to 230-235 lbs. now. That gives me the opportunity to play two bigs, that I haven’t been able to do the last two years … I’m excited to see Phil and Amida probably play together a little bit more.”

(on Omar Calhoun bouncing back)

“He’s a highly-motivated person before this happened. I think this is not going to destroy him, I think it’s going to open up room for him to get to the next level. I just believe in the kid, believe in the hard work he puts in. Results follow hard work. For him, last year was tough. But he grasped that, he embraced that, he was like a coach on the bench for me. That spoke volumes, because a lot of kids say, ‘I’m not in the spotlight,’ and they go away from team-oriented stuff. But he involved himself even more. I was like, ‘Wow.’ That shows me something, the growth in him. That’s what special people do.”

(on Brimah

’s rehab from shoulder surgery)

“Unbelievable. That kid is just working. This is no exaggeration – he’s in here at midnight, working on his game. He can’t do contact yet, but man, he is doing an unbelievable job, doing some things on the court with Coach (Glen) Miller … He’s just so self-motivated.”

Ollie noted that it will probably be another month or so before Brimah is cleared for contact.

(on Rodney Purvis)

“He’s working. Just having his leadership, too – I have to push him out of his comfort zone with that a little bit, and I’m willing to do that. Once he gets that aspect of being a more vocal leader, with his talents, I think he’s just going to explode. I needed him to be a leader last year, I wanted him to talk more. He started doing that. He resisted a little bit, he’d say, ‘I’m not playing.’ But you are playing. You’ve got to envision yourself in this role, because I knew losing Shabazz, we’re losing a lot. (He) has to step into that leadership role – him, Boat, all the guys that are going to have the ball in their hand.”

(on Purvis's role)

“Versatile player, being able to do multiple things on the basketball court. He can score on a high level. He definitely gives us a little different … he’s more explosive in transition, where he can go up and get over the rim. Power, big body, that we haven’t had. Terrence was kind of close to that, but Rodney has more explosiveness to the rim. He shot very well from the 3-point line at NC State, and I think he’s working towards improving that. I think he’s a good shooter, I think he can get better with his shot, get it off quicker. These are the different things we’re working on this summer to allow him to improve.”

(Is Sam Cassell, Jr. more a shooter, a ballhandler ... or both?)

“Sam can handle the basketball. I was very, very pleased with him. He’s been up here, working. His attitude, his leadership, he’s in phenomenal condition. He’s been around pros his whole life, so he knows how to conduct himself. He’s not afraid of competition. Actually, he relishes it. He can shoot the basketball. You want your two’s to dribble, shoot and pass. He does all that well. He’s going to be a player for us. Terrence (Samuel) is going to be a player for us. We’ve got some talent, we’ve got to pull it together.”

(on Samuel)

“You’ve got to take active steps to make your weaknesses your strengths. And shooting the ball is No. 1. He’s got to come in here and shoot the right way, and don’t be afraid to do it. Sometimes, you’ve got to take one step back and do it badly to get to that next level. I think he’s understanding that.”

(on Daniel Hamilton)

“I know he has great expectations for himself, which is great. I heard something that came out, somebody said he’s the eighth-rated small forward in the country already as a freshman. That don’t matter. You’ve really got to show, each and every day, that you can play on this level, that you compete on this level, and that you can be a separator on this level. We don’t want him to come and blend in. We want him to be an outstanding player on our team and make an impact. We’re going to need it, because we lost a lot.”

“He’s position-less. Even the four. There are situations this year where I’m going to have four guards … we might have five.”

(on Rakim Lubin)

“Just kind of like Amida last year. We found him. He’s definitely going to give us a different look running out the tunnel. He’s a little bit bigger than our guys … He’s not 7 feet, he’s 6-7, but we’ve got a guy walking around on our coaching staff who’s 6-7, 6-8, and he did pretty damn well. It’s all about heart. I think he’s got heart, he’s got a confidence about himself. He’s not shy or timid. He walks around and he knows he’s good. He knows he belongs. We’re going to have to temper that down a little bit, make him humble a little bit on that first day of practice. But I like that. I’d rather have that than have a guy that’s timid and not sure of himself. He has a lot of confidence. He has a chip on his shoulder. He wasn’t ranked in the Top-200, or whatever that stuff is. He’s going to come out here and prove that he belongs, and I think he’s going to give us a different dynamic that we didn’t have. One of those guys that can take a bump and also give a bump, too.”

(Will next year's team rebound better than last year's?)

“I hope so. I hope our point guard doesn’t lead us in rebounding, until the second half of the last game when DeAndre got those last two rebounds to beat him out. I hope that’s not the case. I hope Amida steps up, I hope Phil steps up … I think Daniel’s going to be a great rebounder. He’s had great rebounding games in high school. We’re going to have bigger guards out there – Rodney, Sam, Terrence, Omar. Hopefully, Rakim can come in and give us a life on the backboards.”

(on Shabazz)

“We sat at this table and we said, ‘These things can happen if you come back. This is where you’re putting yourself. You can do something that nobody else was ever able to do in the NCAA.’”

(on Shabazz's coursework this past season)

“He wasn’t taking electives, he was taking real required stories. He had big-time classes: labs, sciences, biology, chemistry. It was big-time stuff. And for him to do that, and lead his team … he is remarkable.”

(on Napier's draft prospects)

“He’s doing great in every one of his workouts. Now, it’s what team needs a point guard. There are a couple of teams outside the lottery that need a point guard. He might slip into the lottery, who knows? I just know it takes one guy to love you. I think he has a lot of people that love him.”

“I was very fortunate, when I got the job, that he stood by my side. I wouldn’t be here without Shabazz.”

Ollie noted that DeAndre Daniels had a workout on Wednesday with Detroit, who supposedly like him a lot. It was one of 14 workouts Daniels had slated over the past two weeks.

(on next year's schedule)

“We’ve got a tough schedule. Which is fine, that’s how I like it. We’re playing some top-notch teams: going down to Florida, playing Duke. Texas is going to be top-10 … It’s going to get us prepared for a nice tournament run, hopefully. We wanted to keep our RPI the same. Losing Louisville hurts our RPI a little bit, but we’re playing a great out-of-conference schedule that’s going to boost our RPI up.”

(on the AAC)

“I like the conference, I like the coaches. Tulsa is going to be great – I know we lost Danny Manning, but Frank Haith has done a great job at Miami and Missouri. Getting Orlando Antigua … the conference as a whole is going to be great. We’ve got some great freshmen coming in, the No. 1 point guard coming into our conference, Emmanuel Mudiay down at SMU, so it’s going to be exciting.”

Ollie said the new basketball practice facility should be completed in another 1 1/2-2 months. Here's how it looks right now:

In case you haven't heard, UConn is back in a New York groove for Friday's Sweet Sixteen bout with Iowa State. Huskies might just have a bit of a home court advantage.

It's not just the sights and sounds of New York that make it special to those who grew up in the Big Apple. It's the smells, too.

“When we got here on the bus, all the people from New York were like, ‘Man, it smells different here,'" Brooklyn native Omar Calhoun said on Thursday ."It’s definitely good to be home."

Calhoun is one of four Husky players on the UConn roster with New York roots, along with fellow Brooklynites Terrence Samuel and walk-on Tor Watts, as well as Kentan Facey, who grew up in Jamaica but moved to Long Island about four years ago.

“As a kid growing up in New York, playing basketball, you always dream of playing in Madison Square Garden," Calhoun said. "There’s nothing better than this.”

Of course, Calhoun has had better times on the basketball floor than this season. The sophomore guard hasn't scored a point since Feb. 6, and played exactly one minute in the Huskies' first two NCAA tournament games against St. Joe's and Villanova last week (one minute vs. the Hawks, DNP vs. the Wildcats). The few times he has touched the ball in recent weeks, it seems something always goes wrong.

Calhoun, who averaged 11.1 points per game as a freshman, attributes his woes to off-season surgery on both hips and the inability to work out over the summer at all.

“It’s been tough for me, coming off off-season surgery, not having time to work on my game," he said. "But I’m trying to stay team-oriented, helping guys, because I’ve still got knowledge for the game, even though I’m not all the way back where I need to be. I’m just trying to do what I can to help the team out.”

There has been plenty of speculation that Calhoun may want to transfer after this season. But that doesn't appear to be in his plans right now. Asked if he believes his future is at UConn, Calhoun said: “Yeah, yeah, definitely. Coach Ollie’s a great guy, he definitely knows what kind of player I am. He’s going to keep working with me. Off-season, I’m definitely going to put a lot of work in and build in to be the kind of player I’m supposed to be.”

But it's not the off-season yet. Just imagine what a great story it would be if Omar Calhoun, the New York kid, broke out of his season-long slump and made some sort of big contribution for the Huskies Friday night at the Garden.

“That’s definitely what I’m looking to do," he said. "Playing at home, if I get the opportunity to make big plays to help this team win … everyone knows I can do that, so that’s definitely what my mind’s still focused on.”

*** Here's UConn at its open practice on Thursday at the Garden. The practice was open to the public, though not much of a crowd showed. Probably had something to do with the fact that it was at noon on a Thursday:

*** Facey's freshman season has been marked by inconsistent playing time, as well. There have been highlights (10 points against USF, seven points and seven boards vs. Cincinnati), but for the most part, the PT hasn't been there. He's played exactly one minute in UConn's last four games (in garbage of time of the Round of 32 win over 'Nova).

He's not complaining.

“Being in the Sweet Sixteen kind of covers up for a lot," he said. "Not playing a lot, you know you’re on a good team so you‘ve got a good chance to learn from guys who are seniors or experienced vets. I don’t mind not playing, because I get to learn from them each day.”

He's happy to see fellow frosh Terrence Samuel getting some productive run lately.

“Terrence needs to go out there and take charge of this team. ‘Bazz being a senior, he needs to learn as much as he can from him right now.”

*** With the recent NLRB ruling stating that Northwestern football players (and, by extension, college athletes at private institutions) can unionize, Shabazz Napier was asked whether he feels like an "employee" at UConn.

“I don’t see myself as so much as an employee," Napier said. "But when you see your jersey getting sold, it may not have your last name on it, but to some (degree), you want something in return. Sometimes it feels that way. But I don’t think student-athletes should get hundreds of thousands of dollars. But there are hungry nights, when I go to bed starving. Something can change, something should change. But if it doesn’t, at the end of the day, we’ve been doing it this way so long …”

What do you say about an 83-40 blowout (it was 45-14 at halftime) other than it's growing more and more obvious that the AAC has five very good teams ... and five very bad ones.

All 12 UConn players who dressed scored at least two points, including career-highs from Kentan Facey (12) and Terrence Samuel (eight), as well as walk-ons Pat Lenehan (four) and Nnamdi Amilo (two). It marked the first-ever points for both Lenehan and Amilo, the latter of whom dressed for the first time as Tor Watts continues to suffer from an ankle injury.

“It’s great to see Pat score, finally, and then Nnamdi," said Kevin Ollie. "Especially Pat. He does a great job for us. He’s selfless ... Sometimes, I have him on defense the whole practice, and they don’t ever give me a peep out of them. They just keep playing hard. We’ve got Pat’s name back on his jersey. I like that. My mom got on me, she said you’ve got to get the walk-ons their names on their jerseys. So, we made sure we got that done.”

*** Of course, those 12 players who scored didn't include Omar Calhoun (concussion) or Tyler Olander (flu-like symptoms). Calhoun remained on campus but is getting better every day, according to Ollie, while Olander (who was at the team's shootaround Wednesday afternoon) stayed back at the team's hotel for the game.

*** Ollie also expressed his condolences for the family of Walter "Doc" Hurley, who passed away earlier this week. A moment of silence was held prior to the game for Hurley, who did so much for local youth basketball players.

"He's a great man," said Ollie. "My wife was taking care of him at St. Francis. He was supposed to come to the Memphis game. One of his requests was to get a new Husky sweatshirt. I didn't get a chance to give him that, but I'm going to miss him a lot, just seeing him coming out of that tunnel, seeing him always here at the games. He's just a great man, and he'll be missed."

After Wednesday night's blowout, we'll just stop right there.

A little bit off UConn's easy win over Maine Friday night:

*** The Huskies are one of just three teams in the nation (along with Wisconsin and Pitt) to boast a 9-0 record. It hasn't been as perfect as the record might suggest, but it's been a pretty darn good start to the season for UConn.

*** Kentan Facey had his best game as a collegian, with four points and a game-high nine rebounds. Had a nice offensive board, dribble and dunk in the first half.

“Kentan, man, even though he hasn’t been playing a lot, he always practices extremely hard," said Ryan Boatright. "He tries to get every rebound, he does the best he can. He got in the game and it worked for him today. We’re proud of him.”

Facey shook off the notion that the uncertainty surrounding his eligibility during the preseason put him behind the eight-ball at the start.

“I doubt that had anything to do with it. It’s more that I need to learn or adjust to this level, because it’s definitely different from what I’m used to. Other freshmen elsewhere are playing, but for me personally, I have to get used to this level, learn to play the game at this level, and I guess I can go from there.”

*** Omar Calhoun broke out of a shooting slump with 16 points on 5-for-12 shooting (4-for-9 on 3s). Entering the game, Calhoun was just 7-for-31 in his prior five outings.

Asked if Calhoun broke out of the shooting slump by, well, shooting ... a lot ... Kevin Ollie couldn't contain his smile.

“Yeah, he did. That’s how you shoot yourself out of a slump, you’ve got to shoot it. O took two bad shots tonight – two 3’s that he got contested on, and I don’t want to take contested 3’s. But other than that, wide-open shots that we want him to take, because he’s a great shooter.”

*** Niels Giffey had 12 points and six rebounds -- once again, nearly all in the first half.

“If he was a first-half player, he’d be the Player of the Year," said Ollie.

Funny moment when Giffey was talking about the Huskies' 12-game break from games.

“It gives you time to analyze things. I know as soon as the season is really gonna start with the … what’s it called ... AAC (laughter) ...?"

*** Boatright on why the team is shooting so much better this season:

“A lot of guys, I notice a lot of us go back to the gym at night. Last year, there were only a few of us going back and working on our game. Now, it’s hard to even get a rim in there, because everybody’s shooting.”

(on the Huskies' improved offense against the zone):

“Playing against zone so much last year, you had to eventually figure out how to beat it. There was a time last year, we were going in every game knowing they were going zone. We knew teams were going to do that this year, especially considering the backcourt.”

(and on the 12-day break):

“It’s good to get some rest, get our knees and legs back under us, get in the weight room, get a little stronger. For us, playing for KO, it’s always bad when you’ve gotta go 12 days straight practicing, no games.”

Some notes and quotes from Gampel today, as UConn is set for its exhibition opener Wednesday night against Southern Connecticut.

NIELS GIFFEY:

"I’m more relaxed about it, because I know what’s going to come. I know how to approach certain things, certain situations. In my freshman year, I didn’t know how to get my body right for that type of a season. The whole summer, I’ve worked so hard, I know I’m mentally and physically ready.”

KEVIN OLLIE:

(on how excited Kentan Facey was to learn he was ruled eligible to play for the next four years):

“He kicked a chair, he took it out on a chair, so if you call that excitement, I guess so. I just told him, ‘The chair didn’t do anything to you. Take it out on an opponent Wednesday night.’ He was excited when I told him the news. Compliance did a great job … everybody upstairs did a wonderful job.”

Ollie said he has no set rotation yet, only that he'll probably start all veterans Wednesday night, per tradition. He said Shabazz Napier had his best day of practice Monday, and that Tyler Olander and Omar Calhoun, each coming off off-season surgeries, have no physical limitations. 

Asked if he's interested in the World Series game that will be going on at the same time as UConn's game Wednesday, he said:

“Not really, no. I like the Red Sox, I like them to win it. I wish the Dodgers were in it, I’d definitely be at Fenway one of these games. Since they’re not, the games are a little late, I’m not staying up watching them.”

KENTAN FACEY:

“There weren’t any doubts in my mind, I was just hoping it would work out pretty soon.”

"Everyone was really supportive, they were telling me to keep my head up, keep working hard, because you never know what the outcome will be. If I get to play, I need to be in the best shape I can be in. If I don’t, I have an extra year to prepare myself for next year.”

“I was real happy. That day I came out with a little bit of extra effort. We always go hard, but that was something different. I felt like, finally this is over with and I can focus on what I need to for the season.”

(on the "chair-kicking incident")

“The chair was in the way ... I doubt it'll ever happen again."

“When I first got here, I started watching college basketball a little bit. That year I came over, UConn won the national championship, so I started paying a lot of attention to them from then on. Eventually, I started developing that love. It was a ‘first-come, first-serve’ type of thing. I knew nothing about college basketball coming in from Jamaica. It was the first school I found out about, I started to research about it a little bit, I fell in love with it and I wanted to come here from that point.”

DeANDRE DANIELS:

“(I'm) trying to be a leader, talking more on defense and just helping the young guys out, because there’s going to be days when they get down, so I’m going to be there, tell them to get through it and just keep working hard.”

“I’m quiet. I was talking to K.O. the other day, he was talking about, when you step through the lines, you’ve just got to be a totally different person – talking to your teammates and just trying to be more vocal. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

(on Facey)

“He walked into the locker room very happy, joking around, and everybody was like, ‘What’s up with you?’He told everybody, and everybody jumped on him, tackled him. Everybody was excited for him.”

“He’s very athletic, he plays hard, he can rebound and he plays defense. He’s going to play a great role in us winning games.”

(on him flying under the radar nationally as the season starts)

“I’m not gonna lie, it bothers me a little bit. But I have no control over what people think of me or what people say. I just control what I can do, so I go out every day, work hard and try to be a better player.”

Incidentally, DeAndre may not be the last Daniels to make his name in the hoops world. His brother Jonathan, 13, is a good young player in Manchester who particpated in a Pangos All-East camp in New Jersey this past weekend. 

The kid already has some pretty impressive handle, too:

Kentan Facey has been cleared to play this season and will have a full four years of eligibility, beginning this season.

Here's UConn's press release:

STORRS, Conn. (Oct. 25, 2013) --- UConn men's basketball freshman forward Kentan Facey (Trelawny, Jamaica) has been granted a waiver by the NCAA and will have a full four years of eligibility, beginning with the 2013-14 season.

"I am so pleased and excited that everything has worked out for this outstanding young man," UConn coach Kevin Ollie said Friday. "It's great to see him go through this situation and persevere. He just kept working very hard and believed in our university."

Facey grew up in Trelawny, Jamaica, and attended school at Long Island (N.Y.) Lutheran for the past two years. The 6-9 forward was the N.Y. State Gatorade Player of the Year in 2012-13, after averaging 14.8 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks per game.

"I want to thank our university compliance department, which went above and beyond to help us with Kentan's situation and the NCAA, which took the time to evaluate all the extenuating circumstances before making a final decision," Ollie said. "Obviously, we feel it was the fair solution."

Facey has been practicing with the Huskies throughout the preseason.

"I can't say enough about what a model student-athlete Kentan has been in spite of the situation he was facing," Ollie said. "He never let circumstances distract his positive image of himself and that's just a testament to his strong character. We are very excited that he will be with us this year and beyond."

Happy to announce that I'll once again be one of the 65 media members voting for the Associated Press Top 25 men's basketball poll each week this season. Condolences to fans of Minnesota (they really didn't like me last year) or any other fans who are convinced I'm conspiring against their favorite team.

Here's my preseason poll, along with my five-man All-America team. (The first AP poll won't come out until Oct. 31, while the All-America team moves Nov. 4):

1.       Michigan State

2.       Kentucky

3.       Duke

4.       Kansas

5.       North Carolina

6.       Louisville

7.       Michigan

8.       Oklahoma State

9.       Florida

10.   Arizona

11.   Ohio State

12.   Syracuse

13.   UConn

14.   Memphis

15.   Gonzaga

16.   Virginia Commonwealth

17.   Marquette

18.   Creighton

19.   Tennessee

20.   Oregon

21.   Virginia

22.   Notre Dame

23.   UCLA

24.   Wichita State

25.   Georgetown

All-America team: 

Gary Harris, Michigan State

Russ Smith, Louisville

Mitch McGary, Michigan

Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State

Doug McDermott, Creighton

I'm going with the Spartans at No. 1, not to be different but because I'll take experience, guard play and a great coach over what's being labeled as the greatest recruiting class in the history of the world, any day of the week. Kentucky may be the next Fab Five (or, for that matter, the next 2012 Kentucky), but I'd like to see it on the court first before I vault them to No. 1.

Same goes for the five-man All-America team we're asked to submit. No freshmen on my squad. Got burned by Harrison Barnes a few years ago and promised never to do so again. That doesn't mean a frosh can't make my end-of-the-season All-American teams, but again, prove it on the court first.

As for UConn, I've got them as a solid No. 13, higher than most preseason polls. Homerism? Nah, just someone who saw first-hand what this team did last year, largely flying under the national radar, and believes it can really do some special things this season. Kevin Ollie preaches building better men and a strong, family unit, and while some may pass that off as sports cliches, from Ollie, it's truly sincere and very evident in the way this team seems to like each other. There really seems to be something special brewing in Storrs this season, and come tourney time, I'd be shocked if this wasn't a team on a mission to make amends for last year's postseason ban.

Oh yeah, and watch out for DeAndre Daniels this season. Could be a true breakout star.

Are there concerns? Of course. Rebounding being the primary one, but here's my theory on that: the Huskies won 20 games last year despite poor rebounding, and they almost have to be better on the boards this season, right? Heck, their top five rebounders are all back (and that's not even counting Phil Nolan, who'll be better), along with freshmen Amida Brimah, Kentan Facey (pending his eligibility) and transfer Lasan Kromah. I also think Tyler Olander will be a lot better on the boards this season. Plus, how many truly dominant big men/frontcourts are there in the nation? Guard play seems to rule the land these days, and UConn certainly has that covered.

One thing I would watch for is to make sure the guards play together as a unit all season. The NBA will be on the minds of Shabazz Napier and (particularly) Ryan Boatright, so it bears watching to see if the two continue to do what's best for the team down the stretch, rather than try to do what they think will best boost their NBA stock. I don't think it'll be a problem, but you never know.

There's also this somewhat intangible point: Napier was so clutch last season, had so many last-minute heroics, you almost wonder if he should've saved some for this season -- a season that, y'know, really counts. I know, sounds silly. I guess the point is, does Napier still have plenty of late-game magic left this season? My guess: yes, indeed he does.

Unlike last season, UConn actually has a finish line to cross this season. Here's a few of what I found to be some of the more interesting notes and quotes from today's Husky Run:

*** Omar Calhoun was the only scholarship player not to run (other than Tyler Olander ... more on that later). Calhoun had offseason surgery on both hips, but he's in "good condition," according to Kevin Ollie, and was cleared to start playing again about a week ago. He played in some 5-on-5 games with some of the pros who were on campus over the weekend for Jim Calhoun's tribute.

"Kemba, all our pros told me he's playing with confidence," Ollie said. "He got a couple of dunks in the run, so that was good to hear. Just hearing from James (Doran, the team trainer), he's doing everything possible to be ready for that first practice. I think he's a full-go."

*** Olander is still suspended from the team indefinitely. Ollie has no timetable for when he might return.

"I hope that he becomes a better young man from this distraction," the coach said. "That's the first thing and the last thing. I just want him to learn, and hopefully he does that, with the different steps he's taking. He's doing a great job so far, but every day, you've got to win the day. All of us have our vices. Every day, I've got to sacrifice my vice -- I'm not gonna tell you what it is, but I have mine."

Said Ryan Boatright: "Tyler’s gonna be Tyler. We tell him, and Coach told him the decisions he makes are selfish decisions because they hurt the team, not only himself. Because we’re gonna need Tyler to be good. I think him not being able to be around us as much since being suspended, I think it got through to him this time. Personally, I live with him, so I tell him to keep his head and keep working, because we’re gonna need him to win a national championship.”

Niels Giffey on Olander: "I'm just trying to keep him motivated, I go to the gym at night with him a lot and we take a lot of shots. I’m just trying to be there for him, be a good friend to him. He’s still with the team a lot. You’ve got to keep him focused on basketball, even though he’s going through hard times."

"I also told him, you’ve got to see the situation you’re in. You get a lot of media attention. If things like that happened back in Germany, where I grew up, nobody would care about it, to be honest. So, you’ve got to put these things into perspective. He’s not a bad kid, he just made a couple of poor decisions, and he’s got to live with the consequences.”

*** NC State transfer Rodney Purvis finished dead-last in the Husky Run with a time of 29:36 (nearly 10 minutes after DeAndre Daniels' crossed the finish line). He admitted he was dragging afterwards, and Ollie noted that it's been an adjustment for Purvis to get acclimated to the Husky Way. "I’m telling him: ‘Rodney, you’re not playing this year, but you’ve got to make sure you think you’re playing this year, so when 2014 comes on and those curtains open, people are like, ‘Man, this is a whole different guy.’ That’s what I want them to see. But if you wait until 2014, you’ll never be that guy. That’s an important message I’m giving him: You’ve got to play like you’re starting every game. That’s how you’ve got to prepare.”

Purvis admitted things are "way different" in Storrs than they were in Raleigh, N.C.

"I kinda feel like I’m starting back over, getting in shape and things like that. Just getting used to everything. I was never used to waking up at 8 a.m. and having to lift, then getting to class and stuff like that. I was used to lifting after I was done with classes, things like that. No excuses, I’ve just got to get used to everything.”

“I’ve got to challenge myself. In practice and things like that, even the little things – I’m in the gym just about every night, I’ll grab a manager and get him to rebound – I’m just focused on being a good teammate, getting guys better, and when it’s my time to play, I’ll definitely be better.”

Don't take any of Purvis's early struggles as a sign he's not happy here, however.

"I love it here," he said. "I love everything about this school."

 *** Ollie said he hopes to hear from the NCAA on Facey within the next few days, before UConn's first official practice on Saturday. Facey hasn't spoken with the NCAA; all communication with the NCAA has been done through UConn's compliance office.

“It’s difficult," Ollie said. "The same thing I’m saying to Rodney, I’m saying to him: you don’t control this (situation), but you’ve got to think positive about it. Everything happens for a reason, I truly believe that. It’s tough telling him that.”

*** Asked how he's improved the most over the summer, Ryan Boatright said: “I became a point guard. I think my point guard skills are at an all-time high since I’ve been playing basketball, because all my life I’ve been told to score. Now, I think I’ve got that balance of distributing and getting everybody involved, and getting mine at the same time.”

It's assumed by most that this is Boatright's final season in Storrs, though he's hardly a sure-fire NBA draft pick next June.

“I’ll be a liar if I said I’m not thinking about the NBA," Boatright confessed. "It’s something I’ve always wanted to achieve my whole life, and I’m so close to it … But that’s individual. Right now, my main focus is this team. I know for me to go to the next level, we’re going to have to be good and win games. I tell my teammates all the time, for me to get to where I’m going, I need y’all.”