Notes, quotes and video from UConn's Senior Night win over Rutgers, a night where Shabazz Napier (career-high seven 3-pointers), Niels Giffey (career-high 16 points) and even Tyler Olander saved their best for last:

KEVIN OLLIE:

(on fourth-year seniors Shabazz Napier, Niels Giffey and Tyler Olander)

“I thank them for providing this program with loyalty and faith. They could have left, they could have transferred, they could have done a lot of things. But they said, ‘We’re gonna stay through the tough times and get back to where we long.’ They kept this program alive, and I owe them a lot. I can never repay them for what they gave me. The chance to coach them has just been a blessing.”

(Napier had a career-high seven 3-pointers, Giffey a career-high 16 points, and Olander hit a couple of key second-half baskets)

“To save their best for last is great. Those kids are going to be terrific outside of basketball, because their minds and hearts are selfless, their vision and attention to detail every day – not just on the basketball court but off the basketball court – being ambassadors for this great university is terrific. I thank them for the opportunity to coach them.”

“I’ll take 24-6 going to Louisville.”

(on Napier's improved leadership over the years)

“In the beginning, he learned from Kemba. I think it was a lot of pressure on him his sophomore year, we won a national championship, we’re supposed to have this talented team. I don’t think he understood what really a leader was supposed to be. I think he just learned from that. Sometimes, you learn through adversity. It builds character … he showed his weakness and vulnerability that (he doesn’t) know it all and (he needs) you to help (him) out at times.”

“There’s a lot of pressure – school, you’re supposed to be in the NBA, people back home. For him to handle it like he’s done his senior year has just been remarkable. I tip my hat to him.”

(on starting the three seniors and grad student Lasan Kromah)

“That’s what I do. That’s just my tradition.”

(on promising crowd the team would be back at Gampel in April, celebrating a national title)

“I have confidence in my guys, that we’re going to win every game. If you don’t believe it, you’re never gonna have anything. When I came here as a coach, I believed in myself and my coaching staff, no matter what the situation was. We’ve got a chance, like 68 other teams. So, why not think it? That’s the only way you’re going to get a blessing, if you think and have faith. I believe we’re gonna be back here. I’m gonna say it. I’m not gonna say we’re going to lose. I believe that we’re going to win the national championship, I believe we’re going to win the next game against Louisville. I’ve just got faith in my team, I don’t know what else you want me to say.”

“It was emotional (in the locker room). We had all the seniors speak. I didn’t have any keys tonight. My keys were my seniors. Every player that’s not a senior honored the seniors and honor this program, and then for the seniors to honor each other and honor this program. Those were the keys. If we play the right way, we’re going to be in games. Hopefully, we’ll be the last team standing.”

(on Ryan Boatright, who played just 20 minutes off the bench, scoring just six points)

“I keep telling you guys, I coach by feel. I don’t have a set. Other coaches might, but I don’t. If you’re not playing the right way – Ryan was playing the right way, but I thought other matchups were there for us tonight.”

GIFFEY:

“I wouldn’t say it was tough, because you were so motivated, you’ve just got to understand that this is another game that you need to win. We had our families out there, but you’ve got to put that to the side a little bit and play the game.”

NAPIER:

“It was a special moment to have my family walk along side of me. The fans and everybody cheering me on, I know it was definitely something special to my mother. To see a lot of people doing that to your son, it definitely brings a lot of tears and a lot of emotions to you.”

“I definitely was upset I missed that free throw. There it goes again, my last shot. I’m definitely upset I missed the last free throw, but that’s just how I am. I’m not celebrating much, because I always know that there’s something higher in the future."

“I didn’t think too much about anything, besides playing Rutgers. My mind was focused on playing Rutgers. I thought about it with the fellas a couple of days ago. We were just sitting and talking, just remembering all the funny days and funny times we had with our former teammates.”

(on his strange foul, which appeared intentional, on Myles Mack with 3:36 left to play)

“I was just going for the ball and I was in a bad situation. I had to foul him. Either that or he’s gonna get by me.”

(on a reported dust-up between he and Boatright in the ensuing huddle)

“Nah. We want to win the game and we weren’t stepping on (Rutgers’) throat the right way. It was nothing.”

OLANDER:

(on his mom nearly crying in pregame ceremonies)

“I’m surprised she didn’t, to be honest. The women on her side of the family usually lose it in those situations, so I’m surprised she didn’t.”

“We all played well. Shabazz did what he always does. Niels could’ve had, like, 30 if he made all his shots, still had a great game. Couldn’t ask it to go any other way.”

*** Class of 2017 point guard Tremont Waters of New Haven, one of the top prospects in his class in the nation, was at the game. Waters plays at South Kent Prep.

Kevin Ollie was on the Big East coaches conference call this morning, and here's some of what he had to say about Shabazz Napier and the Huskies' game vs. Rutgers on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Hartford:

"(Shabazz) definitely needed a coule of days. He wasn't going out and playing the type of basketball we needed him to play. He told me he could go (against Pittsburgh), and that was it. I didn't want to hear about his shoulder, I just wanted him to perform."

"He hasn't been able to do full-contact (drills) yet. When we come back (to practice on Friday), I think he'll be full-blast, the Shabazz of old -- getting to the rim, making 3-point shots, being more aggressive and attacking on offense."

(on Rutgers)

"They're a tough team. They have some outstanding guards, a three-guard lineup, kind of like how we start. And they've got some good bigs down there. We're going to have our work cut out for us, like in every Big East matchup. Hopefully, our team comes out on top and gets back to its winning ways."

The Scarlet Knights, who ended a 10-game losing streak against UConn with a 67-60 win last January that led to a rather grumpy Jim Calhoun at practice the following morning, are 12-6 overall and 3-4 in the Big East. They are led by the guard tandem of Eli Carter and Myles Mack, who combine to average 28.8 of the team's 69.4 points per game (though Carter is coming off an ugly, 1-for-14 night on Wednesday in a loss to St. John's).

"They're playing exceptionally hard," said Ollie. "Carter is shooting from anywhere, Mack is right there with him. They're shooting three steps from halfcourt, just letting it go ... they're guard-heavy, but they also have some explosive players down low. And they always have a complicated, match-up zone. We're going to have to figure it out ... gonna have to move the basketball a little better than what we've been doing."

Rutgers coach Mike Rice noted his team missed 17 layups and 12 free throws against St. John's. He said he wasn't dismayed by Carter's shot selection, however -- though didn't seem to rule out possibly bringing him in off the bench in the future.

As for UConn: "Big challenge ahead, containing and defending their guards. I love what Coach Ollie's doing with his schemes, his X's and O's. They've got great ball movement, their spacing the floor is excellent. I look for a big challenge at UConn on Sunday."

Rice also had this to say when asked how tough it must be to coach a team (like UConn) that has no postseason to look forward to.

“I think it would be difficult, especially with everything that Coach Calhoun built, what their standards are. To be honest with you, you don’t see it on film. Coach Ollie’s done a tremendous job, how hard they’re playing. They've got a little depleted roster in terms of numbers, etc. But you can’t tell by watching them on film. They’re playing really hard, with passion. I imagine it’s difficult, I’ve never had to do something like that. I give them all the credit in the world, because they’re playing real, real hard.”

With the contact period for recruits still a few weeks away (Sept. 9-Oct. 5), UConn is still mapping out which players may make visits to campus, and which players might be getting home visits.

Nothing's official yet -- not even close, in some instances -- but here's what players the UConn coaching staff might be getting closers looks at next month:

***Josiah Turner, as previously reported, is expected to visit Storrs the weekend of Sept. 10. There's an outside chance that Jabari Brown, the talented 6-foot-5 shooting guard out of Oakland, could visit that weekend, as well.

***Rashad "Ky" Madden, a 6-5 combo guard out of Arkansas, could make a visit to Storrs some time in late-September, early-October.

***The Huskies are in the process of scheduling in-home visits with a few different recruits. One could be Norvel Pelle, a 6-8 shotblocker out of Los Angeles who, for various reasons, has yet to play any high school basketball. Pelle hails from Antigua.

UConn may also try a home visit with Adonis Thomas, a 6-6 small forward out of Memphis who was on the Team USA Under-17 team with Andre Drummond.

***The Huskies could be getting an unofficial visit over the next couple of weeks from Myles Mack, a 5-9 point guard who plays for recently-minted Hall-of-Famer Bob Hurley at St. Antony's in Jersey City, N.J.

***A few other Class of 2011 names to keep in mind: Ryan Boatright, a 5-10 point guard out of Chicago; Michael Chandler, a 7-footer out of Indianapolis; Chane Behanan out of Bowling Green, KY; Desmond Hubert, a 6-9 center out of New Egypt, N.J.; Angelo Chol, a highly-touted 6-8 center out of San Diego; Trey McDonald, a 6-8 center out of Detroit; and Malcolm Gilbert, a 6-10 center out of Philly.

Oh, and of course Drummond, who may or not be a Class of 2011 player. Drummond has reportedly considered re-classifying from 2012 to '11, but nothing's certain yet.

Elsewhere: recent commit Enosch Wolf of Germany is still waiting to be cleared by the NCAA. It seems likely to happen, as there are no academic issues, just the fact that he's a foreign student who committed rather late in the game.

Oh, and though he'd like to pay his own way on the UConn team this year, I wouldn't hold your breath on the return of Jonathan Mandeldove.