UConn is probably the only program in the nation with two former walk-ons now on scholarship who are also molecular cell biology majors.

Junior Nnamdi Amilo of New Fairfield, who spent last season as a walk-on player, has been awarded a scholarship for the 2014-15 season, men's basketball coach Kevin Ollie announced Monday. He joins Cheshire's Pat Lenehan, a walk-on the past two seasons who was granted a scholarship by Ollie a couple of months ago.

Amilo, a 6-2, 225-pound forward, saw action in two games last season, scoring two points and grabbing two rebounds. His work against the UConn big men daily in practice, however, proved invaluable as the Huskies prepared for games on their way to the 2014 national championship.

"Nnamdi is a terrific young man who we're proud to have as part of our family," Ollie said. "He's a hard worker on the court, doing whatever we need him to do to make his teammates better, he's an outstanding student in the classroom, and he's a young man of the highest character. I'm very happy to be able to give him a scholarship."

Like Lenehan, Amilo is a molecular cell biology major with plans of a career in medicine. He is also a resident adviser on the Storrs campus. He graduated from Avon Old Farms in 2012 as the top scholar in his class and a member of the Cum Laude Society. Amilo played three years of varsity basketball at Avon, under coach Tim Roller.

Amilo, Lenehan, Omar Calhoun and Leon Tolksdorf were recently selected to the American Athletic Conference's All-Academic Team for men's basketball. Tolksdorf has transferred to American University.

Amilo's scholarship bring the total number of scholarship players on the 2014-15 Huskies to 12.

More than 1,700 student-athletes have been selected to the 2013-14 American Athletic Conference All-Academic team.

To be eligible, a nominee must have competed in an AAC-sponsored sport, attained a minimum grade-point average of 3.00 for the preceding academic year, and completed a minimum of two consecutive semesters or three straight quarters of academic work, with a total of 18 semester or 27 quarter credits, not including remedial courses.

Four UConn men's basketball players were honored: Omar Calhoun (economics), Leon Tolksdrof (economics), Pat Lenehan (molecular and cell biology) and Nnamdi Amilo (molecular and cell biology).

The most interesting part about this: Lenehan isn't the only molecular and cell biology major on the team. Lenehan and Amilo were both walk-ons last year, though Lenehan has been rewarded a scholarship for his upcoming senior season.

And, of course, Tolksdorf has transferred to American University.

Leon Tolksdorf has decided to transfer from UConn. He'll head to American University in Washington, D.C.

Billed as a sharpshooter, Tolksdorf never got much of a chance to display his skills in his two seasons in Storrs. He played in just 11 games as a freshman and just 13 this past season, averaging only 1.5 points in 5.3 minutes per game for his career. By the end of this season, he was known primarily for getting into games during garbage time and jacking up as many 3's as possible.

Tolksdorf committed to UConn in May, 2012, shortly after an official visit to campus. Interestingly, UConn's coaching staff had never seen him play live before his visit, only on video. He had been recruited by other schools -- Providence, Louisiana-Lafayette -- but said choosing the Huskies was an easy one.

It didn't quite work out for the Berlin, Germany native, but he's a great kid, an excellent student, and he should find a nice home at American, a mid-major where he could prosper as a double-figures scorer.

Here's the press release from UConn:

Sophomore forward Leon Tolksdorf (Berlin, Germany) has decided to transfer from UConn and will continue his education and college basketball career at American University in Washington, D.C.

"Leon did everything we asked him to do at UConn, on the court and in the classroom," Coach Kevin Ollie said. "He came to practice every day ready to work hard and push his teammates to improve. He was a big part of our winning the national championship. We wish him the best of luck as he moves on."

"I have enjoyed two unforgettable years at UConn and I am proud to have been part of the Husky family," Tolksdorf said. "I never thought I would call Storrs a second home, but being at UConn and knowing my teammates has had a huge impact on me. At the same time, I am also excited to accept this new challenge in my life."

Tolksdorf, a 6-8 forward, appeared in 24 games for UConn, averaging 1.5 points and 0.8 rebounds in 5.3 minutes per game.

UConn's past academic foibles have been well-chronicled, most notably when the team's low APR scores kept it out of the 2013 postseason.

But the Huskies have rebounded academically in a big way over the past couple of years. Not only has their APR score improved dramatically, but on Tuesday at the UConn women's game against SMU, four UConn scholarship players were among the school's many student-athletes honored for achieving at least a 3.0 GPA for the spring of fall semester. Those players were: Shabazz Napier, Niels Giffey, Lasan Kromah and Leon Tolksdorf.

The Huskies also had some walk-ons who made the cut, including Cheshire's Pat Lenehan, who was one of 17 honored for a 4.0 GPA. Lenehan didn't attend Tuesday's ceremony because, naturally, he had a lab he had to be at.

I wasn't there, either, but Jim Fuller, the Register's UConn women's hoops and football beat writer was there, and he talked to Ellen Tripp, head of the school's academic counseling department.

"The men's basketball team, it was great to see them coming out," Tripp said. "We have had such great academic success with them in the last year and the last semester, which is really wonderful."

Some notes 'n quotes off UConn's 101-55 romp over Detroit on Thursday -- the most points the Huskies have scored in a game since a 103-47 clobbering of Tennessee-Chattanooga in a first-round NCAA tourney game in 2009.

*** Niels Giffey is now averaging 14.3 points-per-first-half this season and 0.0 points in the second halves.

“Let’s not talk about that,” he said, with a laugh. “I don’t know, to be honest. I know I can pick it up in the second half. I just didn’t force any shots. I’m just trying to be really picky with my shot selection, trying to take the right shots. At that point, the game was pretty much over with, so I tried to get other people involved. I guess I should have taken one or two shots.”

Actually, this time, Giffey's exact final line was predicted before the game.

“Shabazz told him, you’re gonna get 15 and you’re not gonna score again," Ryan Boatright said. "Everybody laughed … but he actually did. That was crazy.”

“He’s giving us another spark,” coach Kevin Ollie said of Giffey. “We’ve got to execute in the second half for him to get him some shots in the second half, but those first halves, he’s been coming in and giving us that spark. He’s been spacing the floor for us, too. Shabazz is finding him, Ryan’s finding him, our point guards are doing a great job finding the hot hand.”

*** Napier finished two assists and two boards shy of a triple-double, and probably could have notched it had he played the final 10 minutes. Boatright wasn't far off, either, with 12 points, seven assists and six boards. 

*** When UConn fell behind, 8-6, in the early minutes, it was the first time its trailed in a game this season.

*** Ollie was happy to see DeAndre Daniels, who went through his third straight scoreless half over the first 20 minutes, score 11 second-half points on 4-for-6 shooting.

“We didn’t do anything special, didn’t run any plays for him," Ollie said. "We ran one play for him, ‘Bazz found him on a slip, he hit a 3, and then his energy just started picking up. He ran the floor, got a dunk. When he was (going) good, he was hitting 3-4 baskets in transition, then getting 3-4 putbacks. Everything was flowing off that. He’s just been working. You can’t get down on yourself. Me and him had some great talks. He said, ‘Coach, I’m just gonna keep on working to get out of this.’”

*** Tyler Olander didn't enter the game until it was a blowout with 10:09 remaining, but managed to score 10 points.

*** Leon Tolksdorf, who had family in from Germany, made the most of his 10 minutes, as well, driving to the hole with authority a few times and scoring four points.

*** As of Thursday night, it appeared UConn had yet to receive national letters-of-intent from any of its three recruits: Daniel Hamilton, Sam Cassell, Jr. and Rakim Lubin. Cassell did send out a tweet, however, that he had signed his LOI. 

Here are the much-anticipated times in today's Husky Run:

1. DeAndre Daniels, 19:52
2. Pat Lenehan, 19:52.5
3. Ryan Boatright, 20:28
4. Kentan Facey, 20:52
5. Niels Giffey, 20:53
6. Leon Tolksdorf, 21:00
7. Amida Brimah, 21:35
8. Alex Enos, 22:55
9. Terrence Samuel, 23:14
10. Phil Nolan, 24:53
11. Lasan Kromah, 25:02
12. Tor Watts, 26:19
13. Rodney Purvis, 29:36

Overall winner: Derek Lockwood, a graduate student in UConn School of Physical Therapy, 17:40.3.

Here's some video of Daniels finishing as top Husky scholarship player for third straight year:



And here's Shabazz Napier addressing the runners at the start of the race:

There will be a brief ceremony after Saturday's PC-UConn game at sold-out Gampel, honoring this year's team. There will be no championship banners lifted to the rafters, no pep rally for the upcoming Big East tournament. The season will be over, but this team of gritty players that defied a lot of odds, that stayed in Storrs despite knowing there'd be no postseason and watched many former teammates defect (and got precious little national recognition all season) will be honored.

I like the idea. Apparently, so does Kevin Ollie.

“This will be my favorite group forever, how they battled and played with each other,” the coach said. “If we get beat by 50 (Saturday), that’s not going to change anything. The sentiments in my heart I have for these guys. When the last buzzer goes off, they’re going to have their heads up high and their chests out.”

Here’s more of what Ollie had to say before today’s practice:

No update on Shabazz Napier, but he’s “feeling better. I don’t know if he’s available.”

Omar Calhoun’s wrist is “hurting really bad. If he can’t go, we’ll have Leon (Tolksdorf) and Brendan (Allen) to fill in.”

Ollie added: “I want guys, if they’re healthy, to play … I won’t be inclined to sit anybody down (just because it’s the last game of the season).”

(on the Big East-Catholic 7 split, which became official today)

“Susan Herbst and our athletic director, Warde Manuel, are going to get us in the best position possible. If they think this is the best position for us, we’re going forward. I have to coach the team, whether they’re playing in my backyard, the ACC, the Big East or whatever they call this conference. I’m in their boat, ready to go wherever they take us.”

“It’s going to be a great journey. UConn basketball is going to be here forever. I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

(on Tyler Olander, whose disappointing junior season came to an end after he broke his foot in Wednesday’s loss at USF)

“We wanted more production, he wanted to have a better year. But, he stayed in the fight. I’m not worried about individual stats, I’m worried about team. He did a wonderful job in practice, in games he tried hard. The shots weren’t going in. I imagine he wanted to be a better rebounder, and we thought he would be. Hopefully, he comes in next year, provides a spark, gets the rebounds we know he can get. He’s gonna have a great senior year. Everybody’s got to go through something.” 

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.

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.”

Tonight was about UConn avoiding its first 0-2 start in Big East play in 23 years and thumping a DePaul team that was missing two starters due to a violation of team rules.

It was about putting up 99 points (most in a Big East regular season game since a 99-57 win over Seton Hall on Feb. 11, 2006), it was about outrebounding the Demons by a whopping 49-29 (including 30 first-half boards and 19 offensive rebounds for the game).

And it was about Kevin Ollie's first Big East win as head coach.

But mostly, it was about DeAndre Daniels, who finished with a career-high 26 points. The sophomore forward sat out nearly all of the final 17 minutes of UConn’s overtime loss at Marquette a week earlier and finished with just one rebound that night.



Somewhat spurred by that poor effort, Daniels had a strong week of practice – even getting in a minor tussle with close friend Ryan Boatright – and emerged with a career effort on Tuesday. He shot 9-for-12 from the floor, grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and helped hold DePaul leading scorer Cleveland Melvin ineffective for most of the night.

“I wasn’t angry, I just came back working even harder, just boxing out and trying to rebound,” Daniels said. “Obviously, if you rebound, you’re going to play a lot of minutes. That’s what I was focusing on, and being aggressive.”

Daniels, a slender 6-foot-8 swingman, often has the tendency to settle for 3-pointers and jumpers. But he was far more assertive taking the ball to the hole against the Blue Demons.

“Sometimes, I tend not to be aggressive and just try to get the ball to Bazz and Ryan,” Daniels said. “But I was pretty aggressive tonight.”

Added Ollie: “He wanted to score. He wasn’t just out there playing, he wanted to score. Hopefully, we can get this over a consistent period of time.”

Ollie insisted that Daniels' essential benching in the second half and OT at Marquette had more to do with what Niels Giffey was doing than what Daniels wasn't doing.

“I just told him – Niels was playing great. It wasn’t anything against DeAndre, it’s just Niels was playing great. He was doing everything I wanted him to do. I couldn’t get DeAndre back in the game. But, it was DeAndre’s turn, next man up, that’s how we’re going to play.”

And Ollie was impressed with how Daniels admitted to the media Monday in practice that the coach was right, and taking responsibility for his own subpar play that night in Milwaukee.

“If you have that attitude and take total responsibility, no matter if it’s your fault or somebody else’s fault, that’s how you become a great player and a great individual," Ollie said. "He took the onus on himself. He didn’t say, ‘Coach Ollie is dogging me,’ he didn’t blame Coach Blaney or anybody. He went out and played today.”

Added Tyler Olander: “DeAndre’s always focused. He’s one of the hardest workers, if not the hardest worker. He’s in the gym all the time. There are going to be games, like against Marquette, when you’re not as productive. But, I think he really turned it around and was really focused. He put up extra shots (in practice), and just had a great game.”

*** Boatright and Daniels, best friends and roommates, can't get out of each other's way lately. Daniels was sporting an ice pack on his shoulder after the game, a result of being kicked by Boatright (mistakenly) while the guard threw down a dunk during Tuesday's shootaround.

“We’ve been running into each other lately," Boatright quipped. "We ran into each other like four times (tonight).”

*** Tuesday night was also about Leon Tolksdorf -- a little. In the final seconds of the blowout, Tolksdorf found himself with the ball, put it through his legs and hit a jumper for his lone two points of the game. It seemed like piling on, and Ollie seemed displeased at first, but apparently forgave him.

“I wanted to stop him but deep in my heart I was like, ‘Go Leon,'" Ollie admitted. "He did a good job – through the legs, pull-up. I was happy to see everybody come in and contribute.”

Still, Tolksdorf got a talking-to from his teammates.

“We just told him, ‘You don’t really need that,'" Olander said. "We understand what he was trying to do, but it’s just not the right time. You’ve got to respect your opponents ... I think he was just trying to make the most of his minutes. You can’t blame him.”

*** Asked if Boatright was ready for the NBA, a pro scout in attendance emphatically said, “No,” but added that if he stays another year and keeps improving, he could be a lottery pick. Scouts love Boatright’s speed – and so does Ollie.

“He’s one of the fastest guys I’ve ever been around, and I played with Allen Iverson,” the coach said. “Not saying he’s as fast as Allen Iverson, but … he explodes. He's a little guy, with power."

*** The Notre Dame Prep team sat behind UConn's bench for the game, but the Huskies aren't recruiting anyone from that team this year. It was as much a goodwill move as anything.

Few people in sports are more focused on the task at hand than Kevin Ollie. Banned from the postseason? Left out in the lurch by the ACC? No biggie. UConn's got a game tomorrow night (vs. New Hampshire), and that's all he and the team can control right now.

Here's what Ollie had to say today about Louisville/ACC/conference expansion, etc. (along with some video of Ollie leading Omar Calhoun through a drill, then talking about today's events):

“I don’t pay attention to it too much. You definitely care, but I’m not worried about it. I’m going to coach my team. We’re in a great conference now and we’re going to try to win conference titles. I just really believe in Susan and Warde, that they’ll make the best decision for this university. Because I love this university.”

“Wherever we go, we’re going to compete for conference titles and conference championships.”

“I’m going to leave it up to our great president and great AD to get it done for us and put us in the best situation possible, and I know they’re doing that each and every day.”



“We’re happy to be breathing, happy to have a conference, happy to play these games. I know she’s doing her due diligence with her staff, with the AD and his staff, to come up with the best solution possible for this university.”

The players seem rather unfazed and unconcerned by it all.

“These guys have enough going on – banned from the postseason, all that stuff – and they’ve got to worry about their schoolwork," Ollie noted. "We’ve got so many things we’re looking positively at. Hopefully we hone in on these next two weeks and get these academics done, because we’re in good shape now. I think their minds are on their final exams, not on the ACC.”


Ryan Boatright was asked if playing in the Big East was one of the reasons he came to UConn:

"A little bit, not a huge part. Of course, you're going to a good league, you're going to play good teams day in/day out. My main concern was if we were going to play the style of basketball I like to play."
Oh yes, that pesky game vs. UNH Thursday night. It appears Leon Tolksdorf, who practiced today, will be available. R.J. Evans won't be, but he's making "great progress," according to Ollie.

Evans shot around on the sidelines during practice and looks good.

"His reange of motion is coming back," Ollie said. "He's coming back very quickly, and I just love the way he's doing his due diligence in the training room with James Doran."

A UConn spokesman said it's possible -- though not very likely -- that Evans could be back for next Tuesday's bout at MSG with NC State. Harvard on Dec. 7 is more likely, though there is no timetable for his return.

Stony Brook may be a bit tired, having played a game yesterday (an 82-75 win over Canisius) and ferried to Connecticut this morning. But the Seawolves don't figure to be a pushover for the Huskies.

Stony Brook is looking to go 5-1 for the first time since November, 2009, and just the second time in program history. The Seawolves are a fierce rebounding team, beating Canisius on the boards 47-32 on Saturday. They also hit 27 of 31 free throw attempts.


A win today would give Stony Brook its first-ever victory over a nationally-ranked opponent. It would also give Steve Pikiell his 100th win as Stony Brook’s head coach.


Elsewhere:

*** As expected, R.J. Evans and Leon Tolksdorf are both out today. UConn associate head coach Glen Miller told The Day's Gavin Keefe that Evans is hoping to be back by the Huskies' Dec. 4 battle with N.C. State at Madison Square Garden.

*** Trying to think of the last time, before Brandon Austin, that UConn lost a much-coveted recruit to Providence. Not Kris Dunn, whom UConn backed off on late in the recruiting process. Not Ryan Gomes, whom UConn obviously didn't think much of. Geoff McDermott, who the Huskies liked after getting in on his recruitment late, might be the best (and only) answer.

R.J. Evans suffered a sterno-clavicular (collar bone) sprain in practice on Thursday and will likely be out for at least a couple of weeks. Nothing’s broken, which means he won't likely be out for six weeks or so, which is obviously good news for UConn.

Still, this is a tough blow for the Huskies. Evans is averaging 5.8 points off the bench, but his contributions go beyond the stats. He gives the Huskies hustle and hard-nosed play, always the most likely to dive for (and come up with) a loose ball, always one to mix things up physically. He’s the proverbial “glue” player for UConn, and while he’ll be back at some point this season, his absence will be greatly missed.

“Everybody’s gotta step up," said coach Kevin Ollie. "He’s doing a lot of key things for us that don’t show up in the stats. You can’t be R.J., but you can be yourself, grow and evolved. There are going to be some roles that are going to be different. Omar’s going to have to play some point if one of the guys get hurt or in foul trouble.”

Ryan Boatright echoed those sentiments:

“Me and Bazz are going to have to rebound a little more, somebody else is going to have to step up scoring. It’s got to be a collective effort, because he does so much. Everybody’s got to step up.”

 
And here's what Shabazz Napier had to say:



*** Leon Tolksdorf, who has played sparingly thus far, also suffered a mild left knee sprain and will miss the Stony Brook game.

*** After beating Tom Moore’s Quinnipiac squad in double-OT in St. Thomas Sunday night, the Huskies will look to go 17-0 all-time against former Jim Calhoun assistants when they face Steve Pikiell’s Stony Brook Seawolves on Sunday at 4 p.m.

Pikiell played at UConn from 1987-91 and was a two-time captain. After graduating, he spent one season as Jim Calhoun’s assistant before playing for the New Haven Skyhawks for a season, then joining Yale’s staff as an assistant.

He has other ties to UConn’s current staff: Pikiell was an assistant on Karl Hobbs’ staff at George Washington for four seasons.

*** The 4-1 Seawolves, for some reason, played Cainisius on Saturday (winning the game, 82-75), so they’ll be playing their second game in as many days on Sunday at Gampel.

Shabazz Napier hadn’t scored a point for the first 30 minutes of play. Enosch Wolf had barely scored any points in his first two-plus seasons as a collegian.



But when UConn needed both players to step up big on Friday night, they did.

Napier did all his scoring over the final 10 minutes of action, finishing with 16 points, while Wolf more than doubled his UConn career output with 12 points to lead the Huskies to a 77-71 win over Wake Forest in the Paradise Jam at the UVI Sports & Fitness Center.

“It was a great game, a hard-fought victory,” said coach Kevin Ollie. “We stayed within our game plan. Defensively, I thought we made the key stops when we needed them. That’s something we pride ourselves on.”

And now the Huskies get to face Tom Moore, Scott Burrell and their Nutmeg State brethren Quinnipiac in a winner's bracket semifinal game on Friday at 9 p.m. The Bobcats overcame an incredible performance by Momo Jones to beat Iona late Friday night. 

Ryan Boatright also netted 16 for the Huskies and DeAndre Daniels added 12, but Napier and Wolf were the main storylines.

Napier missed all of three of his shots – and both of his free throw attempts – in the first half, and didn’t reach the scoring column until a driving basket with 10 minutes, six seconds remaining that got UConn to within a point (52-51).

That started a 12-0 Husky run in which Napier scored 10 points, capped by his 3-pointer and a conventional 3-point play that gave the Huskies a 61-52 lead.

“We need to have a full game out of him,” said Ollie. “But I’m glad he showed up and took the game over. I told him, there are no other guards better than him – they might be just as good as him, but they’re not better than him – in America. He’s got to understand that and play that way throughout the game. He’s gonna get to that point.”

Wolf, meanwhile, had scored just 11 points in his first two-plus seasons as a Husky. But, pressed into action with Tyler Olander in foul trouble, the big (7-foot-1) man stepped up big.

His 12 points came on a variety of inside spin moves, driving layups, even a 17-foot wing jumper that put the Huskies ahead for good (53-52) with 9:41 to play.

“When I’m open, I can shoot it, just like everybody else,” Wolf said. “We believe in each other and trust in each other. When somebody’s open and can shoot it, shoot it.”

Wolf’s 25 minutes of action nearly doubled his previous career-high of 13.

“Enosch was huge,” Ollie said. “He did a wonderful job. It seemed like we had a big presence, a big fella down there. That felt good, coming down the stretch. He wanted the ball down the post. I liked his confidence.”

Added Wolf: “I’ve worked hard for this, I’ve got a chance. I’ve got to show what I can do and keep going from here.”

With Olander and 6-8 sophomore DeAndre Daniels each picking up two early fouls, Ollie first went to 6-9 freshman Phil Nolan. But Nolan missed a layup and turned the ball over quickly, and Wolf stepped up.

“It’s going to be (Olander) one night, me one night, Phil another night,” said Wolf. “That’s how we’re going to do it.”

Ollie echoed those sentiments.

“You never know when it’s going to be your time to shine,” he said. “Phil’s gotta keep his head up, Tyler’s gotta keep his head up, because we’re going to need everybody. We don’t have Kareem Abdul-Jabbar coming around the corner. One night it’s going to be Tyler, one night it’s going to be Enosch, one night it’s going to be Phil, one night it’s going to be Leon (Tolksdorf).”

The Huskies now face either Iona or Quinnipiac on Sunday at 9 p.m.

*** UConn feels pretty good about landing highly-touted, 6-5 combo guard Brandon Austin out of Philly. Then again, Providence apparently feels pretty good about landing Austin, too.
*** Both of Kemba Walker’s parents, Paul and Andrea, were at the game. Paul has moved back to his native Antigua. Andrea was, per usual, bedecked in her UConn No. 15 jersey.

*** Jim Calhoun watched the game from press row, sitting right between me and the Courant's Dom Amore. It's an educational experience hearing him talk basketball. Obviously, he's not as fiery as when he was on the sidelines. But the table did get banged once or twice.

UConn heads to Germany tomorrow night for Friday's bout with No. 14 Michigan State in the Armed Forces Classic on the Ramstein Air Base. Here's their tentative itinerary

The Huskies met with the media today at Gampel. Here's some video of what they had to say, including a truly hilarious clip where Niels Giffey confides that his teammates are asking him to teach them pick-up lines in German. Shabazz Napier also proves he gets it and understands the perspective the trip to Germany should bring:



Also, Kevin Ollie continues the point on how UConn hopes to learn from this trip and maybe even mature a little more after seeing the sacrifices our military goes through every day:



A few other notes and quotes from today's media gathering:

Ollie on what UConn's "Teutonic Trio" (my words, not his) of Giffey, Enosch Wolf and Leon Tolksdorf bring to the table for UConn:

“They play hard, aggressive, they play together. They give us those things you can’t coach. Niels does a great job playing great defense, Leon is going to be a great shooter for us, Enosch is just coming back, gives us a big body in there that we’re going to need in these games coming up.”

“I’m very happy for them. Hopefully, they go out there and play very, very well, and accomplish the things we want to accomplish.”

Ollie on Michigan State:

“First and foremost, they’re good on defense. Just like, when I came here for Coach Calhoun, they’re good on defense and rebounding. They’re going to be aggressive, they play up to nine or 10 guys, they all play hard and understand their role. They’re coached very well by a coach I have a lot of respect for Tom Izzo – how he gets his guys to play each and every night, the same way. They definitely have an identity.”

Giffey on the trip to his homeland:

“I don’t think any international player gets the chance to go back and play with their college team in front of their family, in their home country. It’s going to be a unique experience going back there. It’s going to be a great experience to be on an Army base, too, just to see the soldiers and the way they live there.”

UConn looked pretty impressive in Sunday’s 100-62 win over UMass-Lowell before a small (5,538) crowd at the XL Center.

The Huskies shot 53 percent from the floor and 43 percent on 3-pointers (6-for-13 in the second half). They scored 26 fast-break points. Ryan Boatright had 22 points and six assists, DeAndre Daniels had a double-double (15 points, 14 boards) as well as four blocks, and Omar Calhoun impressed again, scoring 16 of his 20 points in the latter half and hitting 5 of 6 3-pointers. Calhoun started over Niels Giffey, who chipped in with 12 points off the bench.

It keeps coming: R.J. Evans had eight points and five assists off the bench, Tyler Olander had 10 points, Enosch Wolf had a putback dunk, Leon Tolksdorf hit just one of five shots but had a nice-looking stroke on his 3-pointer.

It wasn’t perfect (witness UConn’s 29-for-45 from the foul line) but it was certainly better than Thursday’s 15-point win over AIC. (It wasn't a perfect day on another front: Ron Patterson of Brewster Academy, who had drawn some interest from UConn, committed to Syracuse).

Now, things get a bit trickier: No. 14 Michigan State on Friday in Germany.

The Huskies will practice Monday at Gampel and bus down to New York City’s JFK Airport on Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. flight to Germany. The Huskies will arrive in Frankfurt on Wednesday at 9:45 a.m. (local time). The game is Friday at 6 p.m. (EST) and will be televised. An added bonus for listeners on WTIC-1080: Jim Calhoun will provide color commentary alongside play-by-play man Joe D’Ambrosio.

Here’s some notes and quotes from today’s game:

KEVIN OLLIE:

(on DeAndre Daniels)

"I’m looking for him to rebound like that. We need him to be all over the glass. I thought he did a heck of a job attacking the basketball, going to the ball in traffic. That’s a good steppingstone for him.”

“This is two exhibition games, so we’re not going to get too high, too low. But if he continues to do this and play with that effort and that resiliency that we need, he’s going to be a good, good player for us and have an imprint on this season. I always want them to put their signature on it, and he put his signature on this game with 14 rebounds.”

(on the foul shooting)

“I like us getting to the free throw line. We’ve definitely got to shoot a better percentage from the free throw line, but that’ll come. I think we’ve got a good free-throw shooting team. Phil is going to take his time a little bit more, knock down his shots as he gets a little more comfortable with the rhythm of the game.”

(on Omar Calhoun)

“He doesn’t care. If he makes or miss, he’s going to shoot the next one. He wants the next shot. The wonderful thing about him is you don’t have to run any plays for him. He’s getting it off of just being a basketball player … The beautiful thing about him is, he stays in the gym. Make or miss, he stays in the gym. He’s a wonderful kid, and I’m glad he’s on our team.”

(on Michigan State and the trip to Germany)

“I don’t think of it as an obstacle, I look at it as an opportunity. First and foremost, we’re honoring our troops. That’s a great honor for our kids … “I love Michigan State, I think Tom Izzo does a great job with his group, but we’re going to come out and play.”

“This is why you’re in this role, to be a blessing to somebody else, getting an opportunity for our university, our players and coaching staff … Our troops do a wonderful job for us to have all the liberties over here. To go there and maybe put a smile on their faces is a wonderful thing. Hopefully, our kids don’t take that for granted.”

DEANDRE DANIELS:

(on Michigan State)

“Friday’s the real deal … but we’ll be ready and prepared for that. I can’t wait.”

RYAN BOATRIGHT

(on Omar Calhoun)

“I don’t hate on anybody that can score. He’s a terrific player, a great scorer. I just tell him all the time, ‘Don’t get big-headed with these exhibition games.’ We’ve got some real tough competition coming up. The Big East is no joke. Keep your confidence up, but don’t get too gassed up.”

OMAR CALHOUN

(on his unorthodox shooting style)

“I’ve heard people say that. I just see it go in … At the end of the day, I feel comfortable shooting like that. It goes in, so I’m not gonna change it.”

Here are my impressions of UConn from its first exhibition game Thursday night, a 78-63 triumph over AIC:

Kevin Ollie: I liked what I saw here. Like his composure – never getting too theatrical but certainly being firm with his team at times. He didn’t have the quick hook of his predecessor that I was never a fan of. His substitution patterns and timeouts all seemed to have a good flow. Certainly seemed completely in control of this team, like he’s been a collegiate head coach for years as opposed to a few weeks.


DeAndre Daniels: Wound up with nearly a double-double (eight points, nine rebounds), but did it very quietly. Still needs to play a bit more aggressively. The numbers looked fine but a lot of his (and, indeed, all of UConn’s) rebounds came in the second half off AIC 3-point attempts with few if any AIC players crashing the boards.

Tyler Olander: Also nearly finished with a rather quiet double-double (nine points, eight boards). He’s 1-for-7 in his UConn career on 3-pointers but was 1-for-3 tonight. While some may question your top big man playing out on the perimeter, I think Olander has a good stroke and can be very effective from beyond the arc.

Niels Giffey: Typical GIffey – solid, if unspectacular.

Ryan Boatright: His defensive pressure made a big difference in UConn’s second-half comeback. Also scored 11 of his 14 points during a 16-0 UConn run early in the latter half that finally gave the Huskies their first lead. Overall a good game.

Shabazz Napier: Shot 3-for-8, got a little chippy with an AIC player and was called for an intentional foul on an AIC breakaway after a bad Boatright turnover. As usual, hit a couple of big shots – including a trey with eight seconds left in the first half that got UConn to within one.

Phil Nolan: Hard to have a rougher college debut, going scoreless and fouling out in just nine minutes. At one point, missed three straight inside hoops that would have given him his first (if unofficial) college basket. Just a bad night, but hardly enough of a sample get anyone worried just yet.

R.J. Evans: Lived up to his billing as a leader and a “glue” player, popping off the bench midway through the first half to score five straight Husky points a one point and provide good defense and tough, aggressive play. His veteran savvy and toughness will make him a very important player this season.

Omar Calhoun: Hard to have a better debut, with 24 points and six boards. Got a bit of an unorthodox shot, but he's not afraid to use it. Certainly doesn’t lack in confidence, hoisting up a team-high `14 shots in a variety of ways – drives to the hole, short jumpers, 3-pointers (3-for-6). Defensively, he’s got some learning to do, no doubt. And his confidence brimmed over with some muscle-flexing antics after a couple of nice hoops. Ollie warned him to cut that out, saying, “That’s not who we are.”

Leon Tolksdorf: Played just three minutes and didn’t score. Blocked a shot but didn’t get credit for it in the box score. I imagine he’ll get more run on Sunday so that Ollie can see more of what the freshman brings.

DeAndre Daniels was the first finisher among UConn players (and second overall) in the annual Husky Run on Thursday. His time of 18:47 was 45 seconds better than last year's winning time of 19:32. The faster run took its toll on him, too, as he dropped to the ground in exhaustion after finishing the race and lay prone on the ground for several minutes.

"I'm a little dizzy," he said later. "I wanted to come out and win it again, because everybody was talking trash ... I was just pacing myself, but as I came down the hill, I started cramping upand I got a little dizzy. At the end, I passed out and laid on the ground for a second. But I'm fine now."

Here are the results from this year's 3.4-mile race:

1. DeAndre Daniels, 18:47
2. Ryan Boatright, 19:37
3. Niels Giffey, 20:18
4. Leon Tolksdorf, 20:20
5. Brendan Allen, 20:48
6. Omar Calhoun, 22:27
7. Tyler Olander, 22:28
8. Phil Nolan, 23:35
9. Enosch Wolf, 23:47
10. R.J. Evans, 25:02
11. Shabazz Napier, DNP (injury)

UConn senior Tim Isselee was the overall winner, with a time of 18:39.

Here's what Daniels said about the upcoming season:

"I felt like ever since Kevin Ollie has taken over, our bond has gotten so much better. Everybody's working so much harder. We're going to have a great season."

"From last year, I learned about basketball, and about myself, what I've got to do, to sacrifice. Working hard every day over the summer, preparing for this moment, I'm ready."

Daniels spent part of the summer working out with his cousin down in Orlando. He also noted that his sister, who had brain surgery last winter, is "perfectly fine" now and, in fact, is a freshman at UConn's Hartford campus, where she's on academic scholarship.

Today is freshman move-in day at UConn -- a good day to avoid the campus if you don't have to be there, I'm told.

With that in mind, thought I'd take a look back at UConn's three incoming freshmen, Omar Calhoun, Phil Nolan and Leon Tolksdorf, from interviews and video footage I shot this past summer. Nothing groundbreaking here, but a chance for fans to see and hear these guys perhaps for the first time (and, in Nolan's case, see him on the court during the Greater Hartford Pro-Am).

All three could see significant playing time this season, based on the mass departures from UConn's program over the past several months.

(And yes, UConn has a fourth incoming player in the form of R.J. Evans, Salem product and Holy Cross transfer. He's a grad student, not a freshman, but he's got an interesting story nonetheless.)

Anyway, the three frosh:

Omar Calhoun:




Phil Nolan:




Leon Tolksdorf:

Leon Tolksdrof said he's heard the nickname "The Berlin Wall." I've always thought the "Teutonic Trio" would be a better nickname for UConn's three German-born players, Niels Giffey, Enosch Wolf and Tolksdorf.

But that may not work anymore, either. Giffey, Wolf and Tolksdorf won't be the only Husky players who will be greeted by family when UConn faces Michigan State in Germany on Nov. 9. R.J. Evans, the Holy Cross transfer and graduate student, has German roots, as well.

Evans' paternal grandmother was born in Germany. Ottile (Mauser) Evans came to the United States in the 1950's and currently lives in Queens. She has only been back to Germany a few times over the years "for funerals and stuff," Evans said. But when the Huskies head to Germany in November, R.J. will get a chancenot only to travel out of the U.S. for the first time but to finally meet some nephews and cousins with whom he's talked on the phone before but never met face-to-face.

"It should be fun," he said. "I've got a lot of family over there in Frankfurt that I've never seen before. Going over there will be a good opportunity to see family I've never seen."

So, guess it's time for a different nickname for UConn's German brigade.

“They say we have four Germans on the team, because of me," Evans said. "We’re basically Team Germany over here.”

*** Meanwhile, NBA.com did its fourth annual rookie survey, polling league rookies on who they thought would be Rookie of the Year, have the best NBA career, etc.

Jeremy Lamb and Andre Drummond each got votes in a couple of different categories. Lamb finished third (10.8 percent) in the Best Shooter category, and also received votes for Funniest Rookie (did I miss something the last two years in Storrs?).

Drummond, meanwhile, finished tied for fourth for Most Athletic (11.8 percent, with Dallas's Jared Cunningham), and received votes for Best Defender.