You know all about the great history of UConn-Georgetown. Funny how Kevin Ollie and John Thompson III have different takes on how much they like the idea of playing the game on Saturday. Some of the main characters talked about it over the past couple of days:

JOHN THOMPSON III, Pt. I



JT III, Pt. II



D'VAUNTES SMITH-RIVERA



KEVIN OLLIE



OMAR CALHOUN, STERLING GIBBS

Really wanted to include Monmouth on my ballot this week. Really badly. Love the whole idea of a MAAC school -- or any low-major, for that matter -- getting some love in the Top 25. And it's not undeserved -- the Hawks have defeated five major-conference teams already this season, including at Georgetown, at UCLA, and over Notre Dame and USC (oh, and Rutgers).

Yes, Monmouth did lose at Canisius. But road losses in conference play happen. If you put, say, a Baylor or a Miami or a Texas A&M or a Gonzaga (or a UConn) in the MAAC this season, I guarantee you they'd lose a game or two on the road in league play at some point.

Ultimately, though, maybe there just wasn't enough room for the Hawks on my ballot. Although four top-10 teams all lost this past week, only four of the 15 teams I had ranked 11-25 lost. And the only one I'm bouncing out is four-loss UCLA.

I had to get Utah in. The Utes are 9-3 and fresh off Saturday's win over Duke at MSG. To get Monmouth in, I would have to drop a team that didn't lose last week, which is something I never do.

Until now.

I had Marquette ranked No. 25 last week after its win at the Kohl Center over Wisconsin that drove Bo Ryan into retirement. But as much as I love road wins, the Badgers aren't very good. Neither is LSU, the only other Power 5 team Marquette has defeated. And the Golden Eagles have lost to Belmont (along with Iowa).

So, I put Monmouth at No. 25 and dropped Marquette (even though it didn't even play this past week). Wanted to get UConn in there, as well, but the Huskies still don't have a real marquee win and misfired on their chances to score big wins over Maryland and Gonzaga. And that Syracuse loss isn't looking so great, either. And let's face it, the Huskies' too-close-for-comfort, 88-79 win over UMass-Lowell didn't really inspire a vote of confidence. Even if Omar Calhoun is truly back. And even if Amida Brimah watched the game from the bench.

Trust me: if the Huskies win at Texas on Dec. 29, they'll be back in my Top 25. Maybe even before then, who knows?

1. Michigan State
2. Kansas
3. Maryland
4. Oklahoma
5. Virginia
6. North Carolina
7. Xavier
8. Butler
9. Kentucky
10. Providence
11. Arizona
12. Purdue
13. Duke
14. SMU
15. Iowa State
16. Miami
17. Texas A&M
18. Villanova
19. George Washington
20. Utah
21. Baylor
22. Louisville
23. Gonzaga
24. Texas
25. Monmouth

Slow start, certainly room for improvement, but overall UConn was happy with its 88-72 win over Tampa in its exhibition opener on Sunday.

Forget the individual stats with this team -- it is a deep, talented squad that could have different players stepping up as stars every night. On Sunday, it was Shonn Miller, with 18 points, six boards and a pair of blocks.

Here's what Omar Calhoun (11 points, two 3-pointers) and Kevin Ollie had to say afterwards. More later.

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.”

A few UConn notes to get you through your weekend:

*** Kevin Ollie has been contacted by several NBA teams regarding Ryan Boatright.

"Boat is gonna create his own chance," said Ollie. "And if they're not gonna open the door, he's gonna kick it down."

"I want him to look at what team fits him the best. That's what I want him to look at, not just the guaranteed money."

*** Ollie doesn't think it'll be a challenge meshing all the new players together this season.

"I'd have a little more trepidation if we didn't have some talented players down there and I'm trying to piece things together. This group is very, very talented."

"It's a talented group. I'm not gonna sit here and lie to you guys."

*** Shonn Miller is a "rebounding magnet ... very cerebral, able to pick up on things quickly."

UConn's new guard, Sterling Gibbs, meets the media

*** Sterling Gibbs is "just a basketball player. He plays at a pace you can't get him out of, which is something I love."

"He's not a Ricky Moore, as far as pushing the ball. But he's also a very smart player throwing the ball ahead."

*** Sam Cassell is going to see a doctor on Tuesday, hoping to get a clean bill of health and can start playing the following week. He's been doing just about everything except full-out basketball in recent weeks.

*** Amida Brimah needs to "eliminate some of those foolish mistakes that he did. Some of them were trying to take charges, or illegal screens 35 feet from the basket ... It happens, but I think it happened too much for him. Freshman, sophomore year, I'll lay off, but junior year, you've got to eliminate some of those mistakes and stay on the court. I think he's heard that a lot from me, he's aggravated from me saying that -- which is a good thing."

Brimah is up to 233 pounds now, and the Huskies would like him to get to about 235-240 by October.

He will also be one of the team's captains for a second straight year. Ollie will look for one or two more players to join him as captain.

*** Omar Calhoun is out with a toe injury. He's currently sporting a boot and hasn't been able to train with the coaching staff.

*** Ollie on Terrence Samuel, Rakim Lubin transferring: "Sooner or later, it's gonna happen. They felt they had a better situation playing a little more in another program."

"I thought Terrence played a lot of minutes. I stuck with him, but he stuck with me, too. He allowed us to win a championship. He played a pivotal role. You hate to see him go, because that team was something special to me. Not because we won the national championship, but that year prior, to stick by me in the lean times, I've got a special place in my heart for that team."

*** On AAC: "I think the only significant player that left our conference is Boat ... Everybody's back. That's why I think it's gonna be a great league."

"We've got to continue to schedule out-of-conference games. A lot of our AD's and programs in the bottom half have got to start getting some guarantee games also, so they can start getting wins. We talked about that a lot in our conference meetings. That's what they're looking for -- the strength of the whole conference, and not just the top four teams."

*** Ollie on UConn's own schedule: "Early on, we're gonna really be tested and see what this team is made out of. Which is good."

*** It's still to be determined whether Nnamdi Amilo will be back on scholarship this season.

"A 7-footer might parachute in," Ollie joked. "But if we don't have that, I'm definitely gonna put him on scholarship."

*** Ollie on Terry Larrier: "Wow. Ooooooh, he is so good. Man, he is fantastic. He's long, he's athletic, he can shoot the ball, runs the court, great person to be around. His teammates love him."

Larrier is already best friends with Daniel Hamilton. But they go at it hard on the court.

"That's a nice little competition right there," said Ollie. "That's big-time right there."

*** Ollie on recruiting: "I think we've done some good things. We're not Kentucky. People want us to be Kentucky. We're not gonna just get all the All-Americans. We have to continue to establish relationships and pick the right people ... I think we've got some nice momentum. A lot of people didn't know what we were doing, and that's a good thing. I do like to move under the radar and surprise some people. A lot of people maybe were disappointing with not getting Diamond (Stone) and not getting such-and-such, but as a coaching staff, we have to have a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D to get things done."

Rakim Lubin is transferring from UConn, according to his mom on Twitter.

We have officially opened Rocks recruiting for 2015-2016. I love the coaches, team, staff n Huskie fans but we must move on.
— RockNation (@Basketballmom18) March 30, 2015

Lubin played sparingly in his one and only season with the Huskies. He missed a few games late in the season after suffering a concussion during a weight-lifting incident, and was suspended -- along with Omar Calhoun and walk-ons Dan Guest and Marcel Lewis -- for UConn's loss to West Virginia in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off championship game on Nov. 23.

But Lubin also showed some physicality and toughness that his fellow frontcourt players sometimes lacked. His best moments came in the AAC tournament, when he played a season-high 13 minutes in a win over Cincinnati and had three points and three rebounds in a loss to SMU.

Lubin wound up averaging 1.0 points and 1.2 rebounds per game.

He may also cost UConn an APR point when it's all said and done. Transfers must have at least a 2.6 grade-point average, or the school loses APR points.

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.”

Larry Brown's postgame presser was worth the price of admission alone. Respectful of his opponent, respectful of the NCAA tournament selection process (even with a few sardonic jabs), respectful of reporters. A class act.

Here's some of what he said:

(on why Yanick Moreira, who dominated with 12 points inside in the first half, played so little down the stretch)

“We were trying to catch up, and I had a hard time playing Markus (Kennedy) on (Daniel) Hamilton. And Markus was going pretty good in the second half. They went small, that made it difficult.”

“We had a dunk go out of bounds, and it seemed like things turned. Yanick did do a lot of good things. I’ve got four good big guys, and I think it’s a little easier for Ben Moore or Cannen (Cunningham) to guard on the perimeter. I kind of like Markus on the post, he got 18. That’s something that you look back on and maybe I did the wrong thing.”

(on whether UConn is worthy of an at-large tourney bid)

“I don’t know if anybody knows what conference we’re in. I don’t even know what the criteria is, to be honest with you. I never said anything last year, about us not going in, because I didn’t want to be not appreciative of some other team that got in. But when I saw Louisville had a four-seed, Connecticut, Cincinnati, Memphis getting seven and eight seeds, I knew we didn’t have a chance. Then I looked, we were 4-6 against top-20 teams. I don’t know what a BPI or an RPI, or who the hell does that stuff. We beat Wyoming with (Larry) Nance, and they beat San Diego State. We beat them at Wyoming. Then he gets hurt, so Wyoming goes down. We lost Yanick last year for a good portion of the second half ... I just hope we have somebody in the room that realizes there are some quality teams in this conference. This is a quality win for Connecticut. I don’t know how they’ll look at it. They might just think we’re just SMU like SMU was years ago.”

“They’re good. You got Boatright, you got a shot blocker, you’ve got a freshman who’s as good as any freshman around. If (Rodney) Purvis,  (Omar) Calhoun can play, their bigs can come in and take fouls. I think they’re deep and talented, and they’ve got a great young coach who does things the right way.”

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.”

Some video and quotes off UConn's 66-53 win over USF on Sunday:

KEVIN OLLIE:

(on Ryan Boatright's 13 straight second-half points and career-high 28 points overall)

“That’s what senior leaders are supposed to do, and that’s what he’s been doing the last two games.”

(on knowing when to keep a player on the bench or inserting him back in the starting lineup -- a la Rodney Purvis)

“It depends on a lot of variables. You want to see what his mindset is, so we always have constant communication, and that stays between me and him. You want to see how the team’s playing. We have analytics, too, that shows us the best team out there. It’s not like I go off of that (only), that’s the last thing I go off of. I go off my feel for the game. But we do have analytics that show different lineups and which one’s playing the best.”

“Rodney provides instant energy off the bench -- attacking the rim. Whatever it is, he’s playing better, Omar’s playing better. This game, I just didn’t see the punch, I just went with Rodney a little bit more in this game, and inserting Sam a little bit.”

(on what Ollie said to Boatright before he came back in and made his personal 13-point run)

“I just told him, watch the game for a little bit, took him out. Most players don’t like getting taken out of the game. He came in, he had fire in his eyes, he made great shots ... he took them with confidence. He got a great steal, great passes, got a layup, that’s what got him, too.”

“Ryan is a leader. He stepped up with a little fire in his stomach, because I wanted him to play a little harder. And I think he did that.”

(on USF being without Chris Perry)

“You look at the stats, (o) Zeigler’s been playing great. I think the last couple of games, in conference play, he’s been 17-for-26. He brings a lot of energy. He actually changed the game when we were down (in Tampa). He’s a real energy basketball player. Of course, Chris Perry is a great player, but at the end of the day, we’ve got to worry about our energy, our focus, and make sure we go out whoever we play against and play UConn basketball.”

BOATRIGHT:

(on Ollie sitting him on the bench for a significant stretch in the second half)



“We get up sometimes, and we let off the gas pedal.”

“I didn’t come back to school to play in the N.I.T.”

(on Purvis)

“He’s coming off the bench, playing with a lot of confidence, a lot of energy. His defense has picked up tremendously. His ball pressure is great. In the beginning of the year, he wasn’t playing ‘D’ like that. For me, what I realized going into the postseason last year is if you play defense like that, it gets you into the game more. Me playing hard defense like that got me in the game, it got my head in the game and it got my rhythm, versus, you wait and take a few shots.”

“When he was starting, by the time that first media timeout came, he was gassed.”

PURVIS:



“That’s the difference between being a good or great team. The great teams put teams away. We’re working towards trying to be great.”

“Omar, he’s a really good shooter. He opens things up for me, honestly. It’s all about the team. I’m just coming off the bench, helping the team in whatever way I can. We won our last two games with this new change, so that’s what it is. No blow to the ego or anything like that, it’s all about the team.”

Some video and quotes off UConn's 67-60 win over UCF Thursday night at Gampel:

KEVIN OLLIE:

“Start of the game, I really liked our aggressiveness. We wanted to get back to playing UConn basketball.”

“We just relaxed. Good teams can’t relax. But, I was proud of our guys in the second half. To hold that team to 60 points, when they were averaging 75 in the American Conference, that’s a pretty good job by our defense. Now, we’ve just got to understand, to win games in big-time environments, we’ve got to do a better job at the free throw line.”

(on UConn's 21 assists to eight turnovers)

“I’ll take that ratio, any day ... It’s hard to guard when you’ve got 21 assists.”

(playing at Gampel)

“It felt great. Our crowd was great. The student section was jumping up and down, and we felt the energy. It’s just great to be back home. It seems like we haven’t been home in like a month, and we haven’t played here in, like, two months. Just to get a little home-cookin’, come out here and play, and let our fans know we’re gonna come out and play with energy and passion.”

“Hopefully, they keep coming out, because we need them."

(on Omar Calhoun's powerful, where-did-that-come-from? slam dunk)

“That was pretty nice. Then Daniel came back with a dunk after that. To see that explosiveness, I know Omar’s getting back to himself. To make that play was big-time.”

RYAN BOATRIGHT:

“That’s what we’ve been looking for all year, man, to come out like we did in that first half, with that intensity and that ball pressure on the defensive end. It was fun being out there. Everybody was sharing the basketball. There was a lot of energy in the crowd. I tell the guys all the time, if we can start the game like that, we’ll be in every game.”

“That’s always disappointing when you make the game harder than it’s got to be. Once you get a team down 18, you’ve got to step on their neck and put them away. That’s what teams do to us. You get down 13, they try to kill us and put us away. But, young team ... it’s a learning process.”

“If we can get the big man to take one step forward, he’s gonna catch that lob all day long.”

“I love playing at Gampel. To get the students here early, they’re rowdy, and then the crowd is magnificent when we play in Gampel. I don’t know why we don’t play as much in Gampel, but I wish we did, definitely.”

HAMILTON:



(on his steal that thwarted a 3-on-1 UCF fast break that could've cut its deficit to four with just over 7 minutes left)

“I knew he was gonna pass the ball. I knew he was gonna try to dish it to the big man so he could get a dunk. I acted like I was gonna play him, and I slid back and got a steal, and we got a fast break.”

(on Calhoun's dunk)

“That caught me by surprise. That caught me by surprise. I’ve seen him do a couple of dunks in warm-ups, but I’ve never seen them in a game, so that caught me by surprise a little bit.”

Some postgame quotes and video from UConn's 62-56 win over Cincinnati on Saturday at a sold-out XL Center.

RAKIM LUBIN:



"We have 1:30 practices, and we probably spend about an hour on just defense. We take pride in our defense."

“It definitely feels good, to make a big contribution and hear the crowd feed off of that. It’s fun.”

KEVIN OLLIE:

“It was a gutty win by our team. I’ve got to take my hat off to Cincinnati. It seems like it comes down to a one-possession game every time we play them, we know each other so well.”

“Our defense stepped up in the second half. Now, I just want our guys to play for 40 minutes. But I’m a very, very happy coach.”

“It seems like we didn’t unpack our bags. But, it is what it is. We’re going out to Tulsa and Stanford, and hopefully do the same as we did in Florida.”

(on Omar Calhoun, who, by the way, is officially back)

“He’s doing a great job spacing the floor, and he’s doing a better job not taking the quick 3’s, making a pump-fake and getting into the 15-foot range.”

“Everybody’s coming in and contributing. Now, it’s their jobs to keep making it a hard decision for me when I drive home and I’m thinking at nighttime, who I’m playing. That’s their job. It’s my job to figure out the minutes.”

(on Rakim Lubin)

“He takes the challenge. I know there were a couple of guys out there who were kind of pushing us around. I put Rock in the game, he was like, ‘I got that guy. I got that guy that’s pushing our guys around.’ I like that. As a coach, I like that, taking the point of saying, ‘I’m gonna stop this guy, he’s not pushing UConn around.’”

RYAN BOATRIGHT:

“I think we made the statement that we’re a better team than we were at the beginning of the year. Like I said last game, two weeks ago, we probably wouldn’t have won that game. But we’re getting better eveyr day, learning from our mistakes, and we’re winning those games."

(on Lubin)

“He’s been practicing extremely hard. We’ve been staying on him about his attitude, just having a positive attitude, being ready for your time, because you never know when it’s gonna come.”

“I tell him all the time, he’s our bruiser. He’s got the body that we need to be down there bangin’ with those bigs. He’s a little undersized, but he’s got a lot of heart. As long as he can learn what he needs to do, as far as (being) in the team system, knowing the plays, he’ll be on the floor.”

“If you know anything about UConn basketball, we pride ourselves on defense.”

(on Daniel Hamilton)

“He’s gonna be in that situation a lot of times. I just try to tell him to stay positive, shoot free throws as much as you can in your off time. A lot of these games come down to free throws, and you’re gonna be at the line a lot.”

OMAR CALHOUN:

“If you can score in less than three dribbles, that’s what people like to see. Whatever the defense gives me, I can work off -- 3’s, mid-range.”

recently sprained toe in practice, battling that during game, health-wise, around 70-75 percent, altogether.

(on Lubin)

“He played big today. We needed every minute from him. I always challenge him in practice, telling him his time’s gonna come, we’re gonna need him to make big plays. He came up big for us. He got me open for a shot, and he got a big defensive stop. That’s what we need from him.”

Pretty nondescript game for UConn. A win is a win is a win. Good production off the bench, with Rakim Lubin and Sam Cassell, Jr. making some rare contributions, along with Omar Calhoun and Terrence Samuel.

Some video and quotes:

KEVIN OLLIE



(on production from Lubin, Cassell)

“They haven’t even been getting in the game. I want them to be ready. I keep telling the guys to stay on-call, because you never know when your name is gonna get announced.”

“Rock’s been doing a fabulous job in practice, his talking, his staying engaged. Sam’s been doing the same thing, and Omar’s been coming along. It’s good to have a bench that’s deep and can come in and give us a lift. That’s what we needed in the second half. It was like we were sleep-walking out there in the first half, couldn’t make a shot. When I inserted those guys, the rhythm of the game picked up. I think it really bodes well for us in the future.”

“It was definitely a business trip for us. Now, we’ve got to come back and continue to move forward.”

“Our guards gotta do a better job of containing the ball, because we can’t keep relying on Amida back there.”

(more on Lubin)

“I mean, I haven’t played him. I see it in practice, where he’s talking and just staying engaged. Kentan went through it last year, where you’re not playing, you can get down on yourself. I see Rock continuing to work, continuing to talk to his teammates and not get down and be on-call. It gives you the trust that I can assert him when I need him. He’s not getting down on himself or pointing the finger at anybody. He’s just looking in the mirror, saying, ‘What can I do to help this team?’ To help this team now is to be in practice and push Kentan and Amida, and also push yourself. I was very proud of him coming in and giving us that lift the way he did.”

RAKIM LUBIN:

“It felt good to be home, that’s all.”

“I definitely felt like we needed a lift. We needed to pick things up intensity-wise and toughness-wise. I had to get in there, get a few boards and stuf like that.”

(on not playing at all the previous two games)

“It’s pretty difficult, but whatever it takes for the team to win. If KO wants me to sit on the bench or play 20-30 minutes, I’ll do what it takes.”

(on his jump shot late in the first half)

“I have no problem. Wide-open jumpers like that, I’ll take that. That’s what Coach wants, he wants us to play. Wide-open jumpers, you’ve got to take them.”

“It’s basketball. When you get out there, you’re still here to play basketball. You’ve just got to stay ready.”

TERRENCE SAMUEL:

“I’ve always been telling Sam, ‘Stay ready.’ I sit next to him on the bench before the game starts. We tell each other, we’ve got to prove ourselves off the bench and help the guys out. I’m just glad to see him come out and finally hit a shot, especiall an and-one.”

“We’re just playing more confident, each and every one of us. Omar, he’s coming along, he’s playing with so much confidence right now. Sam, you just tell him to stay with it. We’ve just got to produce off the bench.”

RYAN BOATRIGHT:

(on the bench players)

“They came in and did what they’re supposed to do. We came out flat, they came in and changed the game. They played hard, they picked up on the defensive end and changed the whole tempo.”

(on well-balanced effort)

“It had to be. They did a great job doubling me. I’m hurt, so I can’t really be the player I am. We needed guys to step up. They came in and took care of their minutes.”

“I was glad we were winning by that much, I didn’t have to play that much at the end.”

“We live off the defensive end. I don’t think we’re as talented scoring on the offensive end, so we’ve got to pride ourselves on the defensive end.”

Terrific win for UConn. Gotta admit, I didn't see it happening. Not that Florida's so great -- it's certainly not. But not knowing how effective Ryan Boatright was going to be (or if he'd even play at all), then seeing the Huskies down 13 early in the second half and 11 with 11:11 left -- it just didn't seem like it was in the cards.

But, as we all should have learned by now -- never question this team's heart. Especially with a leader like Boatright on the floor.



KEVIN OLLIE

"We wrote on the board: PTI: Play through it. I think they did that -- with heart, with desire. Got down by 13 and by 11 with 11 minutes to go, and they just dug in. The last eight minutes, we didn’t give up a field goal.”

“The big fella was just controlling the paint. When you have that big fella back there, and he’s not getting in foul trouble and contesting every shot, it really makes it hard from an offensive standpoint.”

“I’m very proud of the guys, because they stepped up in the second half. We made free throws -- all the things that we haven’t been doing in those situations, we did today. I’m proud of the guys.”

(on Boatright)

“I didn’t want to take him out, so it could get stiff. He still gutted it out, missed a couple of shots that he usually makes, gave us a big-time six assists. Then he stepped up to the free throw line and ma

“If I’m gonna go out, I’m gonna go out with my leaders -- from Shabazz, to Kemba, to Ryan. I just have so much trust in those guys, because we’ve been through so much together, all the up’s and down’s. I’m gonna go with my guns, and he’s the biggest gun in my holster.”

“If it wasn’t for Omar (Calhoun) making some shots, when we were down by 11, he made a big 3, made a pump-fake, one dribble step-in, a little floater on the baseline. If he didn’t make those big-time shots and those defensive stops, I don’t know where we would have been at.”

“We needed this win, and they gutted one out for UConn Nation.”

“That defense the last 11 minutes, that was some of the best defense I’ve seen here at UConn.”

(on Brimah)

“Just his presence around the basket. They were getting in our yard in the first half they were driving, driving, driving. Then, Amida started not fouling, not coming down. They were actually looking for Amida, and that throws off a player’s rhythm, when he’s coming to jump-stop and looking for Amida.”

(on free throws)

“I’m not gonna feel sorry for anybody. We lost three games, and it came down to free throws at the end, where we could have put the game away, or made it an overtime game. Our guys are stepping up now. I told them, ‘If you keep putting yourself in those positions, you’re gonna learn how to get through it, play through it, step up and have composure making those free throws.’”

“It’s reaching down in your gut. You’ve got to get stops from your gut and your heart. It’s nothing I can draw up.”

(on Rodney Purvis)

“Some guys are gonna sit on the bench. If you sulk, if you put your head down, then when you get back in the game, you’re not gonna be there mentally. I thought Rodney did a great job staying in the game, staying in the moment. He came in and made some big-time 3’s. Those were some deep 3’s, hit ‘em all net.”

TERRENCE SAMUEL:

“We never lost faith. We didn’t follow the game plan until the last, like, 11 minutes of the game. It was loud in there, we couldn’t hear the big guys calling out, which defensive play to use. We just grinded it out. We were resilient. We went down (13), we didn’t lose our heads or anything, we just kept our composure.”

“Coach Ollie, the day after the Temple game, he made us shoot a lot of free throws. Let’s just say that -- a whole bunch.”

“Coach Ollie showed us some clips about last year, how we were connected -- Bazz, me, Niels, DeAndre, Boat. We just tried to mimick the same things we watched on the film.”

(on Omar Calhoun)

“He’s real confident, he’s knocking shots down. He’s taking them with no remorse. Either it goes in or it misses. He has good muscle memory. If he misses a shot, he’s like, ‘I’m gonna make the next one.’ He’s coming along.”

AMIDA BRIMAH:

“I had to. We just needed a little bit of paint protection. After those blocks, people stopped coming in the paint. That’s what we needed.”

“I had two blocks? What the hell? Damn ... I did not get two blocks. I had, like, two in the first half! That’s crazy.”

OMAR CALHOUN:



“We all know Boat’s competitive, he’s a fighter. He was definitely hurt, but we needed him out there today. He was able to keep pushing through for us.”

“This is a big win ... We brough the intensity in the second half, we were able to fight back and win the game. It’s big.”

(on Amida Brimah)

“I told him, just keep his hands up early on in the game. He was swiping at the ball, trying to get blocks. The best defenders don’t always have to block your shots, but they’re hard to shoot over. He was big for us, down low.”

RYAN BOATRIGHT:

“It hurts really bad, but it feels way better knowing that we got out of here with a win. I think if we took an ‘L,’ it would have hurt a lot more.”

“Since the day it happened, I’ve been uncomfortable. This is definitely the worst thigh bruise I’ve ever had. I can’t jump. The little jumping I was doing out there really came from emotion and adrenaline. As soon as the game was over, it locked up on me. I think I’m gonna take a picture of the bruise, so y’all can see the bruise. It’s crazy. My leg has never been four or five different colors.”

“Heart, man. I just knew we needed to win. This game, on the road, was a huge game for us. I knew that it could save our season. There was no way I was gonna sit out and let that slip by.”

“This just saved our season, if we take care of business from here on out.”

RODNEY PURVIS:

“I just knew I had to make the impact. We were in a tough situation in the game, and I knew eventually my time would come, so I stayed with it on the bench, cheering for my teammates. Omar really gave us a huge lift off the bench. I just knew, eventually, my name was gonna get called, and I had to come in and make a play.”

“Early on in this season, I would’ve been done. He ... subbed me out that quick because I missed out on a defensive assignment. It’s just a sign of progress I’ve made, just to stay in the game, because I know I can help this team a lot. The main thing, we just stay connected. Everybody just stayed with it. I knew eventually, something good was gonna happen to me.”

(on his go-ahead trey)

“I knew the ball was coming back to me, I just had to have my feet set. I knew once I had my feet set, if I could get it off, I knew I would have a good look at the basket. I just shot it with confidence. I’ve been working on my shot the last three, four weeks -- a whole lot of different shots, things like that, for moments like that. I just try my best to prepare myself for game moments.”

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.”

Rodney Purvis didn't participate much in practice today. Omar Calhoun did, but seems unlikely to play on Sunday against Coppin State. Also, Ryan Boatright suffered a lower leg contusion a couple of days ago in practice when he was accidentally kicked by Terrence Samuel. He should be fine, however.

A few notes and quotes from after today's practice:

KEVIN OLLIE:

"They've responded great. They've got the faith, I've got the faith in them. They responded great."

(on injury status of Purvis, Calhoun, Boatright)

"It's the same. Rodney's kind of come back from that high ankle sprain. He didn't participate in practice today, but Omar went through some drills. We're trying to get him back, hopefully soon. Same ol', same ol'. Ryan was able to practice today. He had a contusion on his lower leg, so it's good to see him back on the practice court. We're just trying to get everybody healthy."

"They're not practicing, so of course it's a game-time decision."

(on Calhoun's confidence level)

"I believe he's confident, but with the sprained MCL, it's hard mentally to make sure he's able to make the cuts, (he doesn't) want to feel that sharp pain he felt six weeks ago. I think he's getting back comfortable ... Hopefully, he can string some practices together and get more comfortable."

"I think he's been sitting on the bench, seeing us struggle with shots. If we can have somebody come in, make a couple of 3's, it can really open up some things for us. Hopefully, he sees an opportunity here and takes advantage of it when he comes back healthy."

"You've got to probably ask him that question, but I know he wants to come back healthy ... The knee is 100-percent, now it's just getting the functionality, the 20-percent being on the court. Hopefully, he can work through that ... Today he was good. Hopefully, we can keep building on that ... We'll see 10 a.m., if he's able to bounce back (on Saturday). I don't think he'll be playing against Coppin State, but hopefully we can get him back for next week."

(on Coppin State)

"We've got to stop the bleeding. If it was a YMCA team coming here, we've got our antennae up. We're not looking at their record or anything, it's a game we've got to look within, work on the things we've been working on. They've got some athletic guys, they're turning teams over at a high rate, so we've got to take care of the ball at a high rate ... Coach Grant is going to go to a 2-3 zone that we haven't had particular success against, in the last couple of minutes of our last couple of games ... we worked on a lot of that today."


RYAN BOATRIGHT:

"Terrence kicked me on the side of my leg, so I've got a bad bruise. I'm just trying to protect where he kicked me.

"We're just trying to keep the team positive, keep them motivated. I've been around for a long time. I've had a lot of years where we've lost two, three straight. It's tough, keeping your head and staying confident. Especially for these young guys, they've never experienced anything like that. Everybody who was praising you, you lose three straight, they walk right past you when you're going to class. I'm just trying to keep them motivated and that we've got to get back to the basics and work hard in practice."

"We're banged up a little bit, but it's part of basketball. It comes with the game. As long as we keep doing the things we've got to do, once we get back to full-strength, we'll get on a role."

"I wouldn't say 100-percent. It's better than it was when I played against Yale. Being kicked in the same leg, the muscle that's right on top of it doesn't help. I'm going to rehab everyday, trying to get through it."

(not overlooking Coppin State)

"Not at all. We just lost to Yale. You've got to go into every game like it is Duke. We've got to get a win, we've got to get back on the winning side of things. Dropping four would be devastating. It's a must-win for us."

RODNEY PURVIS:

"It's OK. I did shooting drills with the guards today, I didn't do much contact. The main thing is just letting it heal now, because I feel like I keep trying to come back and play and I may delay (the healing) a little bit."

(on whether he could have played in the second half of the Yale game)

"Mentally, yeah, I felt like I could. I just tried to keep myself upbeat. That's the main thing, because once it stiffens up, it's kinda hard. I kept myself loose just in case my number was called. I felt like I could have gone in the second half."

(on whether he understands why Ollie didn't put him back in)

"Definitely. He said I was limping. If I'm limping, I'm not really helping the team. I'm really hurting the team. That's the main thing. I focus all on the team at this point. If I've got to sit out because I can't help the team, that's what it is. But if I can play, I'm definitely going to try to play and help some team."

Not trying to take anything out of context (or, as Roger Clemens would say, content) here, but I think Kevin Ollie was taking a not-so-subtle jab at Omar Calhoun with this quote following Yale's stunning, 45-44 win over UConn on Friday night at Gampel:

Asked about Ryan Boatright's effort, Ollie reponded:

“Ryan’s got to do a better job with the four turnovers, just careless turnovers. But I applaud his effort out there, because a lot of people are sitting on that bench, hurt. I know his ankle hurts, but he got up there and played. I’ve got to applaud that.”

Calhoun, of course, has yet to play this season after suffering a preseason right knee sprain. Meanwhile, Purvis -- who missed Sunday's Texas loss with a high ankle sprain -- gave it a go. He came off the bench but missed all three shots in eight first-half minutes and never returned to the floor.

“He’s limping around, I just didn’t think he was effective,” said Ollie. “I just thought our energy picked up in the second half and I was going with the guys that were playing hard. Not saying Rodney wasn’t playing hard, but that group in there -- Sam (Cassell) starting, (Terrence Samuel) coming in -- got us back in the game.”



On Jack Montague's game-winning shot:

Ollie: “(Ryan) Boatright had Montague. He was pointing for the switch and Sam took a couple of steps in. Montague just came off and got open, then Sam was late to retreat. It was just a communication (breakdown) again, things that we went over in practice to stop. We’ve just got to do a better job reacting to late-game situations, and switching. Boat called the switch, but we just didn’t react fast enough -- kind of like in the Texas game.”

“That corner’s not my favorite corner."

Ollie was accountable: “I know I’m not playing, but I’ve got to do a better job in those last (second) situations, finding the guys that are going to communicate and follow the game plan.”

Confessed Cassell: “(Boatright) called a switch. I thought I saw a guy come through the middle. The guy went to the corner. It was my fault.”

“Both shots hit me to the heart, just seeing both of those shots go in the same way. It’s just crazy.”

With Javier Duren inbounding from near the opposite corner with 3.5 seconds left, the plan was for Duren to hit Justin Sears with a lob pass.

“The design was for me to cross from one side of the 3-point line to the other, and I guess the man who was guarding me must have got caught up in traffic, and I felt like I was open,” Montague said. “Javier found me out of bounds, and I let it loose from there.”

Maybe not option No. 1, but not a surprise to Yale coach James Jones.

“I told (Montague) some time during the game that he’s going to make a big shot. I was just waiting for it all night, and it finally came.”

Some notes, quotes and video from after UConn's practice on Thursday:

Ryan Boatright participated in practice fully for the first time all week. Here he is putting up a few shots:



Will he play tomorrow? Game-time decision.

BOATRIGHT:

“I feel like I can play (Friday). But it’s a game-time decision. I want to make the best decision for my health. When I wake up in the morning and it’s super-stiff and I can’t go ... I’m gonna see how I feel around 6 p.m. (Friday).”

“When I woke up the next morning, I anticipated it was gonna be crazy, super-stiff, I couldn’t move. Actually, when I woke up in the morning -- I think it was my mother and my grandmother putting prayers up, because when I got up, I could actually walk. It was better the next day than the night that it happened.”

“We dropped two straight, we can’t afford to drop three. We can’t overlook anybody. We’ve got to take it game-by-game. We can’t look forward to the next game. We’ve got to come out (Friday) and compete. We’re gonna get Yale, get Coppin State ... then we’re gonna go get Duke.”



KEVIN OLLIE:

(on Yale)

“They’re a senior-laden team, and juniors. They’re kind of like our team last year -- experienced guys that have been playing together for a while. I expect a great matchup.”

Ollie said Boatright is "about 85-percent" to play on Friday.

As for Rodney Purvis and Omar Calhoun:

“Rodney limped around in practice today, but he went full-speed. We’re gonna assess all of them (Friday), and it’ll be a game-time decision.”

“Whatever Omar feels like he needs to do to get back on the court and feel 100 percent, I’m just waiting for him to give me that nod. I think the doctor’s already cleared him, it’s just mentally if Omar’s ready to get back on the court. I’m not in Omar’s head.”

Calhoun practiced on Wednesday but didn't go on Thursday.

More Ollie:

“We’ve pretty much got five new starters. Ryan was a starter last year, but he wasn’t our primary ballhandler. Him being in that role is something he’s got to get comfortable with. He’s doing an amazing job.”

(on the team's improved rebounding)

“They’re going after the basketball. Kentan is doing a great job. Daniel at the three-spot is averaging seven rebounds, and I think Boatright is averaging about six. I don’t know what it is with my guards, but they’re rebounding the basketball, starting with Kemba, Shabazz, and now Ryan. They’re getting in there, getting rebounds. We want Amida’s rebound totals to go up, too. Amida can’t play 30 minutes and get two rebounds, three rebounds. He’s gonna have to start rebounding the basketball better, and that’s gonna make us an even more dangerous rebounding team.”

(more on Yale)

“They’ve been there, they’ve been in the grind, they know how to play, they’ve been running their system for four years. They understand what they have to do on a day-to-day basis. Duren is a great point guard, they slot him over to the two-guard. He can play off the basketball, he’s got a great handle and a great shot. And Sears is just a monster. We remember him from last year. He really dominated us inside, then he stepped out. Coach Jones puts both players in a good spot to succeed. That’s what a good coach does.”

(on if he's surprised that Boatright is back so quickly)

“I’m not surprised about that. I can hardly take Ryan out of practice. That’s not a guy I think is gonna have an injury that lingers on. He’s gonna get out here and play. It’s his last year, he’s pretty much given everything he can give to this program. Ryan isn’t gonna sit out. I’m gonna have to drag him out of here to get him to not play in games.”

(on Boatright having never missed a practice before this week)

"That’s just amazing, for him, going so hard ... we ask him to do so much. He does a great job of getting his body ready. That’s what a professional does.”

PURVIS:

“I’m feeling alright. I just feel like I can’t catch a break. I started off practice today and busted my nose. I’m just staying strong through it all. I’ll be back soon. I’m gonna try to give my ankle a try tomorrow. It felt good in practice today. We’ll see how I wake up and feel in the morning.”

Some notes, quotes and video from UConn's tough, 55-54 loss to Texas on Sunday. A painful loss for the Huskies, in more ways than one.:

RYAN BOATRIGHT:



(on how he first hurt his ankle with 5:58 left)

“We were fighting for a rebound in traffic, and I don’t know what happened, if I stepped on somebody’s foot or something.”

“If anybody knows me, you know I’m not gonna sit down. I was just trying to tough it out the last four minutes. For me, when I continued to play, when I put all that force on it to turn back the other way, it just gave out.”

(on being helpless while watching Jonathan Holmes' game-winning shot went in)

“Man, it was crazy, because when I rolled it and I was falling, I’m watching it the whole time. So it was like slow motion. As I’m watching the ball go through the air, I didn’t even feel my ankle, it was like numb. As soon as it went through the basket, it just shot straight through me. The pain was crazy. But, it was a great play, he made a tough shot. It’s basketball, you’ve got to live with it, get better and move on.”

(on status of his injury)

“I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I’ll be back. It’s nothing major, to the point where I’ll miss 2-3 games. I don’t know if I’m gonna play Friday, but I’m gonna try my best to get back Friday.”


KEVIN OLLIE:



“I’m disappointed for them, because they worked very, very hard and should’ve won that game. But it was a great shot by Holmes, he’s a great player.”

“They’re wide-open shots. Somebody’s gonna have to step up and make some shots here if we’re gonna win some games.”

(on Boatright's ankle injury)

“Ryan is very meticulous about his body, so he’s gonna get in and rehab. He hates missing practice, so that’s one guy I’m not gonna be worried about him getting back on the court.”

(on whether he's "confident" Rodney Purvis will be back for Friday's Yale game)

“I’m not confident in anything. I’m gonna let my medical team address the situation. He’s gonna be in a boot, I don’t know how long. If he’s ready, he’s gonna be out there playing, hopefully like Rodney can play.”

(on Omar Calhoun)

“He had a good practice, but we just didn’t feel comfortable in him playing in this game. Hopefully, he gets another week off and he can come back for Yale. If he’s not ready for Yale, we’ve got a break for finals, and I imagine he’ll be ready for Coppin State.”

JONATHAN HOLMES:

"The first look was to Myles (Turner) slipping to the basket, I’m guessing it wasn’t open. The second one was D-Holland screening for me in the corner. Connor (Lammert) did a really good job delivering the pass, and D did a really good job setting the screen.”

“Yeah, that’s about as good a look you’re gonna get with four seconds left.”

RICK BARNES:



“I know how hard it is to come in here and win. You come in here and win, you’ve done something.”

“The only time we really listened to what we were asking for was on that last play.”


DANIEL HAMILTON:

“In the huddle we said switch everything, but I guess the guy behind me didn’t know that they were setting a back screen on me and we were supposed to switch everything. My guy ended up getting the open shot. He just made a tough shot.”

“It’s real tough. I just think we’ve got to get in the gym and make shots. If we just make a couple more shots, we’ll be alright. I think going in, we’ve just got to get more time in the gym and continue to work on our game.”

“We most definitely should have won. We had the game won. It just came down to one shot and just miscommunication. If we had communicated, we would have won the game, because we played hard and we got after it.”

“I got back-screened and I guess we just got confused. He got open for a shot, and it was uncontested.”

(on whether he was able to talk to Barnes, who coached his older brother, Jordan, for two seasons)

“I actually tried to go in the beginning of the game and he didn’t want to shake my hand. I thought it was pretty crazy, but that’s how it goes sometimes, I guess.”

Omar Calhoun, Rakim Lubin, Dan Guest and Marcel Lewis were suspended for Sunday night’s game due to a violation of team rules. Their status will be reevaluated when the Huskies return home.

Calhoun has been sidelined by a knee injury and wasn’t slated to play anyway, while Guest and Lewis are walk-ons. The Huskies could have used Lubin, a 6-foot-8, 260-pound freshman, against WVU’s physical front line, however.

*** Cheshire’s Pat Lenehan was with the team for Thursday’s win over Charelston but then left for a Rhodes Scholar interview over the weekend in New York. He was slated to return to the team on Sunday, but didn’t due to a death in the family.

*** The Huskies will remain in Puerto Rico on Monday for some sight-seeing and team activities, then fly back to Hartford on Tuesday. There is no school at Storrs all week due to the Thanksgiving holiday.