UConn and Syracuse both held their ends of the bargain, and we end up with the best Thanksgiving Day rivalry game of all when the Huskies and Orange meet at 3:30 p.m. in a Battle 4 Atlantis semifinal game.

On ESPN!

Only three current UConn players (Omar Calhoun, Amida Brimah and Phil Nolan) have experienced the Husky-Orange rivalry first-hand. But the ones who haven't are looking forward to it.

Rodney Purvis had the best quote:

"It's definitely a huge game. I remember being in high school when the went into, like, five or six overtimes. My mom let me stay up and watch that game. I'm happy to be a part of this game tomorrow. It should be a really good game."

As for Jim Boeheim? Well, I understand a coach might not want to talk about an opponent he doesn't even know he's facing yet, so he wouldn't discuss UConn after his Wednesday afternoon win over Charlotte. Still, I thought he might at least comment on how special it might be to meet up with the Huskies again. Instead, I got a "you guys" from him:



So, apparently, "us guys" -- the media -- are the only ones who wanted to see this game. Not the fans. Not ESPN. Not anyone here at the tournament. Just "us guys."

Oh, and as for Wednesday's win over Michigan? Impressive. Very impressive.

Here's Sam Cassell, Jr. talking about his breakout game.

Kevin Ollie spoke with the media today, prior to his annual golf tournament, which supports sport and recreational opportunities for people with disabilities.

First, the lead story of the day: UConn assistant director of athletics-video services Dave Kaplan scored a hole-in-one on a the 184-yard, par-3 18th hole on Monday and won a Honda Pilot. Not bad for a self-professed "hacker."

"We can say that sets the tone for the season," Ollie quipped.

Dave Kaplan after hole-in-one #uconn pic.twitter.com/hgc3JEjJrh

— David Borges (@DaveBorges) August 3, 2015

Here's why that particular charity means so much to Ollie:

“It’s special to my heart because of (former UConn teammate) Steve Emt first. That’s why I got into the Tolland Fund. What we did for him, and what he went through in his car accident -- but he’s doing great now. Helping athletes with disabilities -- and I don’t even say disabilities. 'Disabilities' comes from your mind. These kids and young adults that we help, they’re striving for greatness. We want to give them a shot to compete -- on a national level, or just around here, recreationally.”

(on how recruiting has been going)

“It’s been going well. We’ve been making some good contacts with a lot of great players. Just sitting down and making sure your staff is getting seen -- that’s pretty much what it is. We’ve already evaluated the guys we like. It’s pretty much just making sure they see us. With social media, it’s a different environment now with recruiting. With all the different tournaments, it’s kind of hard sometimes. But that’s why we get down i the ‘situation room’ and prioritize and go after the guys we really want. Sometimes we win some, sometimes we lose some, but eventually it works out if you have the same creed in mind -- getting great UConn student-athletes, not just athletes.”

(on UConn tapping into the fifth-year senior market so successfully)

“The landscape of collegiate sports now. I believe it’s up to 700 transfers now, which is out of control. But you have to look at it in your recruiting portfolio as something that you have to do and understand and navigate. We start early, we had some great players to come to us this year. Hopefully, they play a vital role in a great season.”

“When R.J. (Evans) gets a master’s degree in one year, that pretty much helps everybody. Lasan (Kromah) did a great job, he’s gonna be finishing up. Everybody can’t be R.J. R.J. was our first fifth-year (senior) (since) I became the head coach. For him to do it in one year was really amazing. He really set a tone. Lasan came in and did a great job, helped us win a national championship but also did an amazing job in the classroom. Everything I’m getting from Sterling (Gibbs) and Shonn Miller is that they’re doing amazing in the counseling program they’re involved in. It’s going amazingly well.”

(on Amida Brimah)

“Last year he was out with the soulder injury, couldn’t really work like he wanted to work. Anybody who knows Amida, he still worked. But to the capacity he’s able to do it now is great. He just went to adidas Nation, got some great reviews on him there.”

(on whether this year we'll see "the real Sam Cassell")

"The real Sam Cassell? Yeah. I thought the real Sam Cassell was there. I touch him everyday, he’s breathing. As a player? Yeah, he got hurt, so he couldn’t really show the real Sam Cassell. But what he did do -- which was phenomonal -- was he stayed with the team. I felt like Sam was still working out, he was always around the guys, encouraging the guys. Sometimes, somebody gets an injury and they withdraw. He actually started coming in even more. That’s the real Sam for me. Everybody looks at the basketball, but I look at the totality of the man. For him to still involved himself with team activities, being hurt, really shows a lot about his character. That’s what we thought about with Sam coming in -- that he has a high character. I love him, and hopefully he has some more opportunities this year to go out and -- I guess -- show the real Sam Cassell. But I see the true man. And the true man has been there ever since.”

(on last season)

“I thought we had a season of up’s and down’s last year. But like I tell everybody, we had a character-building season. I had a character-building season as a coach. It’s not going to always be a national championship. We’re gonna have to go through some valleys. But in the valleys, that’s where you get stronger. I think we got stronger as a team, and we’re looking forward to 2015.”

(on whether UConn has definite plans for its 13th scholarship)

“Not yet. Hopefully a 7-footer parachutes down, and I’ll be right there to catch him. But I don’t know if that’s gonna happen. I look up all the time, hopefully he’s coming down soon. But if he doens’t come down, we’ll have that extra scholarship, and I’ll look at possibly a walk-on filling it. But it’s still open, there are still some activities around there. We’ve still got our antennae up, like always, checking and seeing what’s happening through the wire. So if you all hear something, make sure you put it on your Twitter account, OK?”

UConn announced that Sam Cassell, Jr. has been cleared for basketball activities on Wednesday, completing his long road back from a stress fracture injury in his right leg back in January.

If it seems like a long time for Cassell to recover, particularly since there was hope in Husky camp that he could return for the postseason in March, remember that doctors told Cassell it would be a 3-6 month recovery.

"I knew it might be a long process," Cassell said late last week. "I was hoping (to return last March), but the doctor was telling me not to rush it. Because at the time, when the AAC tournament was going on, it was healing, but it wasn't all the way healed."

Cassell has been on campus, bonding with his new teammates, working out, trying to get his legs back under him this summer and doing everything except playing in pick-up games. Now, he can.

"I'm anxious," he said. "I've been waiting for a long time to get back out there."

Count me as one who believes Cassell will be a nice help for the Huskies this season. He shot the ball very well in some early games last season (albeit in exhibition games and/or against weaker competition). He's also a guy who averaged 18.4 points per game for a strong Chipola Junior College team the year before.

Obviously, his shot suffered a lot in the weeks before his injury, and he wound up shooting just 27.6 percent from the floor and 26.5 percent from 3-point land. But I wouldn't give up on him yet. Can you envision Cassell as a zone-breaking shooter off the Huskies' bench this season?

The stress fracture may have ultimately been a bit of a blessing in disguise.

“This injury helped me get my confidence back," he explained. "Working out, I see my shot going in much more, so it’s building my confidence back up.”

Still, last year was tough for the junior guard.

“It hurt me. It felt like me in JUCO sitting out all over again. But my health was much more important. Even though I struggled, I know sitting out hurt me even more.”

*** Meanwhile, it appears Scott Burrell could wind up as Southern Connecticut State's next head coach.

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."

Jim Calhoun was at the 30th annual Franciscan Sports Banquet & Silent Auction on Tuesday in Southington.

Realized that, during his tenure at UConn, he almost never took in transfers (Ed Nelson was one of the few). Yes, it was an entirely different era. But Calhoun doesn't like what's going on with the mass epidemic of transfers in college basketball these days. He stresses that it has nothing to do with the fact that UConn has been as active (and successful) in the transfer market than any program. It's simply not a good thing for the entire sport, Calhoun said, and he wishes rules would be put in to help curb the mass exodus of players.

Here's what Calhoun had to say:

"I'm not a transfer guy. It's a different age, and everybody has to do it, I think. But honestly, overall -- it's got nothing to do with UConn or anybody right now -- it's got to do with the sport. I just don't know ... it's not great for the sport. One-and-done is not particularly great, but a kid comes, is great and leaves, it's understandable."

Calhoun said about 44 percent of all players transfer these days.

"I saw the kid from Rhode Island (Kuran Iverson) just got eligible, because he and the coach didn't get along. I know there are more extenuating circumstances ... I don't think everybody's against that kind of thing. There are questions: Bringing the 3-point line out, widening the lane, putting the arc in there and, quite frankly, the one-and-done's and, at the other end, we've got to make sure that, if you transfer, you've got to sit out. I think that would change a lot of people's mind about things. Yet, if I'm sitting in that seat today, and I'm thinking about the fact that I've got to fill roster spots, I've got to fill them. So, it's not UConn, it's not anybody. It's not Fred Hoiberg at Iowa State. Our team might be close to 50 percent this year -- (Sam) Cassell, (Rodney) Purvis, the three other kids ... I will embrace those kids. I think I met the (Sterling) Gibbs kid when we were recruiting him, actually .I've met the (Shonn) Miller kid and (Terry) Larrier -- I'll welcome to the Husky family and hope that they're accepted well, and so on. But the more and more I get a chance to go different places nationally, it will affect the game."

(can you understand why Kevin Ollie would be bringing these guys in?)

"You mention Kevin, I'm not mentioning Kevin. You take it that way, then it's Coach Calhoun is knocking UConn. Of course I"m not doing that. I said, if Jim Calhoun was sitting at this seat today, and recruiting hadn't gone quite as well as I wanted to and could get two fifth-year, all-league players? No-brainer."

"The backdraft of this is that there are coaches from other teams that just had players taken away from them. How would you like to have some of our players taken away? In all honesty, I'm not (helping) Kevin Willard here, but they're pretty good players he's losing. We could look at anybody -- the Mississippi State kid, (Rodney) Hood at Duke. It's not Kevin, if you mix that up, you're trying to make something that's not there. What it is is, I think a developing problem in college athletics and college basketball."

Interesting stuff.

A few quotes from after UConn's practice today, in advance of Saturday's bout with SMU:

RODNEY PURVIS:

(on SMU)

“They’ve got speed, they’ve got size, they’ve got balance -- guards and inside. They have all the qualities of a good team. They all share the ball and play well together.”

“We got off to a really good start last game, and then our energy just dropped down. It felt like we were just fighting for our lives, as soon as we lost the lead. We’re home this time, their crowd was crazy there, the whole gym was packed. Hopefully, our gym will be packed-out tomorrow and we’ll come out with a whole lot more energy than what we did and play a well-balanced game.”

(on close calls vs. other ranked teams like Duke, Texas)

“I think we’re close enough. Those games were early in the year, we were a new team. I think that had a lot to do with it, not having our backs against the wall, things like that. I feel like we’re a far better team right now. We’re just looking forward to (Sunday)."

(on discrepancies between his first-half, second-half splits)

“I watch film all the time, and I just don’t understand it myself. I don’t get it.”

(the opposite of Niels Giffey, who would do almost all his scoring in the first half?)

“Niels could afford to do that. We had a really, really good team last year.”

(on Nic Moore)

“If he was 6-3, 6-4, he’d probably be in the NBA right now.”

(on his grandmother, Hildred Bownes, who was diagnosed with cancer about three weeks ago and is now in hospice care in Greenville, N.C.)

“She’s doing a little bit better, going through the radiation and things like that.”

RYAN BOATRIGHT:

“(Would be big) to beat them and let them know we’re not scared of them, and just to get that confidence that we can beat them. Because we’re gonna have to face them in the conference tournament to win it. We’re probably gonna be in separate brackets, or even if we’re in the same, we’re gonna have to see them. It’s definitely an important game tomorrow.”

(on teammates not being as reliant on him as earlier in season)

“I think they’re playing with a little more confidence. I think they’re taking the shots that the defense is giving to them, and they’re knocking them down better than they were before. I think they’re playing with more confidence, not necessarily relying on me. I’m definitely looking for them. I just think they’re making their shots now.”

(is it starting to sink in that his college career is almost over?)

“I was thinking about it the last few days. Senior Day is around the corner, so it’ll be my last game at Gampel. It’s a long time coming, man. I’ve been through a lot up here, had a great career. It’s crazy that it’s coming to an end. It went so fast. Hopefully, it’s not the end of my season. Hopefully, we can get into that postseason.”

KEVIN OLLIE:

“Glad to be home. It was a tough trip, but it’s always better when you win. I’m glad we got the win. Our guys played very, very hard the second half. We really played lockdown defense, allowed us to get out and run and execute on offense.”

(what UConn must do better this time vs. SMU)

“I mean, it’s the same thing. We’ve got to be real disciplined. We’ve got to take care of the basketball, got to rebound. Nothing’s changed. They had 20 points off our turnovers, we didn’t get back in transition, we didn’t allow it to be a game. Hopefully, we can take care of those mistakes. That’s something we can control.”

(on Nic Moore)

“He’s right there at the top of the list.”

“Whatever you think a point guard is, he does it. He’s mentally tough. When they need a bucket, he goes and gets it. When they need a stop, he goes and gets it. He’s a winner. They look at him for leadership, and he comes through every time.”

“We need a win. If it was South Florida, SMU, if was -- who’s No. 1? -- Kentucky. If it was Kentucky, we need a win. Whoever we face -- if a YMCA team came up to play at the XL, we’d need a win. We need to win these next three. You can’t win three if you don’t win the first one. We’re gonna try to win the first one.”

*** Rakim Lubin (concussion) didn't practice on Saturday. Even if he's cleared for Sunday, it's unlikely he'd see anything but emergency playing time.

*** Sam Cassell, Jr. (leg) is off crutches and will get another MRI on his stress fracture in a couple of weeks.

Ryan Boatright tells it like it is, which is refreshing. Never mind all the talk of a weak bubble, etc., etc. -- UConn's only real chance for a chance to defend its national title is to win next month's AAC tournament in Hartford.



Here's some more of what Boatright and Kevin Ollie had to say heading into Thursday night's clash with Memphis at FedExForum.

BOATRIGHT:

(on the ups and downs of this team)

“It’s irritating, it’s frustrating. But it’s my job, as the captain of this team, to stay with it and stay positive.”

“I’m always confident going into a game. It’s gonna be a tough game. You can’t look past anybody. They haven’t had a great season as well. They’re hungry to get a win, just like us. We’re on the road, where we have trouble. It’s gonna be a tough game. We’ve got to go in there and have the right mindset.”

OLLIE:

(on whether the team prepares any differently knowing Austin Nichols, Memphis's best player who's missed the last two games, may not play)

"We're gonna stay pat with what we do. We're prepared for him to play. It doesn't change anything."

“They’ve got two bigs that are playing well, when Nichols is out there. They get in transition -- that’s a big key. Makes or misses, they’re out, kinda like Tulsa. We struggled with that against SMU, so hopefully we can do a better job.”

(on whether Kedren Johnson has solidified the point guard position, which Memphis struggled at earlier this season)

"Yeah. Johnson and (D'Kar) Cunningham. Cunningham is a blur when he gets in the game. He’s adding a new dimension to their team, pushing it up."

“(Johnson) had a phenomonal season at Vanderbilt, probably was gettiing acclimated to what Josh wants, definitely getting in better shape, pushing the ball, shooting it better. They pose a challenge. But it definitely starts from the inside out with them.”

Ollie said Sam Cassell, Jr. will have an MRI on the hairline fracture in his leg next week. The swelling and inflammation are down, but the MRI will determine whether he plays again this season.

(on walk-on Dan Guest of West Hartford)

“He’s been playing very, very well in practice, putting pressure on our defense, breaking guards down, getting in the thick of the defense. If it comes down to it, we might throw him in there for a couple of minutes to make plays for us. You never know.”

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.”

After practicing at Tampa Prep on Sunday, UConn practiced at the University of Tampa on Monday afternoon (both are a lot closer to the Huskies' downtown hotel than the USF campus). And by the way, the facilities at the University of Tampa are absolutely beautiful and state-of-the-art -- especially considering it's a Division II program.



Of course, the Huskies face USF on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Here's the game capsule, and here's some video and quotes off of today's practice:

KEVIN OLLIE:

(on Amida Brimah's "two" blocked shots vs. Florida)

“I don’t want to get fined or anything, but those stats were not right. I saw where he made three blocks in a row, and they just gave him two (for the game). It is what it is, you can’t go back and change them. But I just want him to continue doing what he’s doing.”

(on Brimah's 10 rebounds)

“That was accurate. Not only 10 rebounds, he was just snatchin’ them. He was snatchin’ ‘em at the rim, they weren’t just falling to him. I think sometimes with Amida, they just fall to him and he gets lucky. But this game, he was going over the rim and grabbing them, being strong, against some big-time players. I was happy to see that. Of course you wanted to see him score a little more, but we have scorers.”

(on USF guard Anthony Collins)

“We know how good a player he is. He doesn’t shoot it outside all the time, but he can just control the game. Very smart, very heady, gets everybody involved. We’re really gonna have to contain him, pressure him.”

(on USF's first-year coach Orlando Antigua)

“He’s putting his stamp on it. I think he’s got three starters back, so it’s kind of hard to put a stamp on it. I know they’re working hard, they’re staying in games. Orlando’s gonna be a great coach, comes from great pedigree, different coaches he’s been under -- especially (John) Calipari. They know how to win. I think he’s gonna get the right players in here, and he’s gonna build a great program.”

(on building team chemistry during this five-day stay in Florida)

“We’ve been together beforehand (in) Puerto Rico ... my main job as a coach is to get them to have team chemistry. Hopefully, we’ll just keep building on it and keep tracing the lines that we’ve already drawn around our team.”

“Nice weather, hanging out in the pool, doing different things like that -- it’s great to see our guys bond like that. Hopefully, it contributes to them bonding on the court, talking more.”

(on not dropping to 0-2 in league play, as UConn did last year)

“It was a helluva climb we had to take upon. We want to win the day, win every day in practice, then come in and win a game. I think we’re getting to that point where we’re winning every day in practice. we’d love to be 1-1 going back up to Connecticut. I hear it’s gonna be like four degrees when we get off the plan, but it’ll be a little warmer being 1-1.”

(on packing it in against the Bulls, who don't shoot well from outside)

“They’re a load down inside, so we want to make sure we control the inside, not give up offensive rebounds, not give up strong positions, fire out on their shooters but understand who are the shooters and who aren’t the shooters. Then we’ve got to rebound the basketball. Just like teams are doing to us, they don’t want to give us layups. They want us to prove it from the outside, and we’re going to have to continue to get better. I know Orlando is getting those guys in positions to make shots. We just don’t want them to have their breakout game against us.”

RYAN BOATRIGHT:



“We’ve got a good opportunity to get back on track.”

(on Collins)

“He’s a great floor general. Everybody knocks his jump shot, but when he has time to set his feet, he can knock down a 3. He runs his team extremely well, he’s the enine of that team. As long as we can stop him from going off and controlling the whole game, we’ll be in good shape.”

(on what the Huskies have been doing this week)

“Relaxing. I’ve been connected to the ice machine, 24/7. We’ve just been chillin’, man, enjoying the weather, sitting back watching TV, guys playing spades all week. Just chilllin’, relaxin’.”

(on Brimah's 10-rebound game)

“Coach has been on him all year. (After) the Temple game (six rebounds in 29 minutes) he dogged him in the locker room. I knew he was embarrassed. He came back and responded with 10 rebounds. Coach couldn’t even get it out before he said, ‘I had 10 rebounds,’ in the locker room. It was good to see that.”

RODNEY PURVIS:

“The main thing is just getting better, at the end of the day. Winning or losing shouldn’t affect how hard you go. The main thing is just maintaining a level 5.5, and everything else will take care of itself.”

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.”

Video, notes and quotes off UConn's somewhat "logey", 68-59 win over Assumption:

Daniel Hamilton on his impressive game:




(on team's overall energy on Sunday)

“I think we could have had better energy throughout the whole game. It’s just been up and down. I think we’ve just got to keep the light switch on, because when we play good teams, that’s not gonna be able to happen.”

Kevin Ollie:

“We had a couple of guys that played UConn basketball, and a couple of guys that didn’t.”

(on Rodney Purvis, who had five turnovers in 16 minutes and scored just six points)

“I think he was trying to go through too many people, he had a couple of charges, didn’t finish a couple of plays. That’s something we can correct ... He hasn’t played in 20 months. He’s gotta keep practicing, be coachable, work hard, let the game come to him a little bit.”

(on Hamilton's ability to pass the ball, see the whole floor)

“The first time I saw him play, I knew he had it. He has a point guard mindset, he can make passes. A couple of those lobs to Amida after spin-dribbles, he just has vision. He’s a great rebounder, a great player. Once he starts settling down and being more consistent on the defensive end ... I can’t fault in his game for the last two games, because his energy has been so great. He does a couple of freshmen mistakes that I can see. But other than that, his effort, his energy, the way he’s connected to his team, it’s wonderful to watch. He’s just gonna keep getting better and better, because he’s kind of obsessive about improvement. He’s in the gym every day, energy every day. That’s what we want from our basketball players.”

(When asked about Sam Cassell, Jr.'s ability to come off the bench)

“Who said he’s gonna be on the bench? How he’s playing, he’s gonna be in the starting ro’ soon.”

Ryan Boatright:

“I think the intensity wasn’t there, the aggression wasn’t there in the beginning. I don’t know if we see Assumption in front of us and we just can’t get up, or it’s an early game. I don’t know what it was, but we can’t have any excuses.”

(on Hamilton)

“He’s impressive every time we suit up. He plays extremely hard on both ends of the floor, and that’s all we can ask for. If you come to UConn, you play real hard, you’re gonna stand out.”

(on Purvis)

“I mean, I don’t really know ... it’s only two games, I can’t really judge him off that. I’m gonna talk to him. From what I see, I think he’s just pressing a little too much and he’s thinking a little too much out there, instead of just laying. I think he’s down on his confidence with his shot. He’s passing on wide-open shots to take harder shots, or he’s taking a charge. He just needs to relax and play basketball like he knows how to play basketball.”

Cassell:

“I’m just trying to play my game. Starting lineup or coming off the bench, I’m not worried about it. As long as we win games, that’s all I’m really worried about.”

“When I come off the bench, I just get myself going in the layup line.”

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

Kevin Ollie wasn't pleased:

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

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

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

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

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



Said Ollie:

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

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

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

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

Rodney Purvis on Cassell:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy to be an Associated Press Top 25 voter again this season. Our preseason Top 25 and five-man All-American team is due by Friday. The first AP Top 25 will be released on Oct. 31, with the All-America team moving on Nov. 3.

Here's what I'll be submitting:

1.       Wisconsin

2.       Kentucky

3.       Arizona

4.       Duke

5.       Kansas

6.       North Carolina

7.       Louisville

8.       Texas

9.       Wichita State

10.   Iowa State

11.   Villanova

12.   UConn

13.   Florida

14.   Gonzaga

15.   Virginia

16.   SMU

17.   San Diego State

18.   Michigan State

19.   Virginia Commonwealth

20.   Michigan

21.   Harvard

22.   Ohio State

23.   Stanford

24.   Syracuse

25.  Memphis

All-America:
Montrezl Harrell, Louisville
Sam Dekker, Wisconsin
Georges Niang, Iowa State
Marcus Paige, North Carolina
Fred Van Vleet, Wichita State

I’ve never particularly liked the Wisconsin men’s basketball team. Just hasn’t been very aesthetically pleasing over the years, a bit too … boring, we’ll say. Yeah, boring.

But the Badgers won me over last season, led by big Frank Kaminsky and dynamic Sam Dekker (who’s anything but boring). Now, pretty much everyone’s back from last year’s Final Four team that fell a few points short of a date with UConn in the national championship game. That’s why I’m picking them as my preseason No. 1.

It seems most people are going with Kentucky, the team that beat the Badgers in last year’s Final Four, after all. The Wildcats have a record nine McDonald’s All-Americans on their roster, including key players from last year’s runners-up like the Harrison twins (Aaron and Andrew) as well as Willie Cauley-Stein (whose injury for the national championship game undoubtedly helped UConn).

But Kentucky also loses key players like Julius Randle and James Young. They’ve got great freshmen coming in, led by Karl Towns, but so often we’ve seen teams with great newcomers have trouble jelling and, ultimately, disappointing. 

I'll side with teams like Wisconsin -- veteran, experienced teams who truly love being in college and value their entire collegiate experience -- over teams stacked with talent but, too often, have too many guys with one eye on the next level and perhaps aren't buying into the whole team concept.

Sure, every now and then there’s a team like 2012 Kentucky, which rolled to a national title behind freshmen and sophomores, led by Anthony Davis. But look no further than 2014 Kentucky. Remember, some pundits were predicting an undefeated season for a team led largely by freshmen? The Wildcats wound up disappointing through much of the season and were a No. 8 seed for the NCAA tournament. Kentucky started to come together at just the right time, of course (John Calipari deserves a lot of credit there) and wound up in the national title game … where it fell to UConn.

Ah yes, UConn. What to do with the Huskies? It’s funny to look at the preseason coaches’ poll and see four of the teams UConn beat in last year’s NCAA tournament (Kentucky, Florida, Villanova and Iowa State) all ranked ahead of the Huskies. But it’s somewhat understandable.

The graduation of Shabazz Napier is huge. Yes, Ryan Boatright is a terrific player who really matured last season – particularly in the postseason – as a true point guard, a leader and a defensive whiz. Yes, Amida Brimah should be one of the best shot-blockers in the nation. Yes, Rodney Purvis, Daniel Hamilton and Sam Cassell, Jr. are outstanding additions. Yes, Terrence Samuel boasts championship pedigree, and if Omar Calhoun can turn things around … watch out!

But it’s hard to quantify just how much Shabazz meant to this program that past couple of seasons. There were so many games in which his late heroics saved the Huskies from defeat. Never mind the obvious ones like Florida and Indiana last season; don’t forget South Florida on the road, where Napier delivered an inspirational halftime speech (after the Huskies had played their worst half of the season and trailed by six), then scored 11 of UConn’s final 14 points in a 61-56 win. Or how about against Quinnipiac in the 2012 Paradise Jam, when he scored 23 of his 29 points in the game’s final 3 ½ minutes of regulation and two overtimes? Those are just two of too many other examples to list.

I like UConn this season. There’s a lot of talent, but I see it taking a while for it all to jell together. It’s going to take a couple of months for guys like Hamilton, Purvis and Cassell, Jr. to learn how to play together, share the ball and do what’s best for the team. I don’t worry about Boatright – I think he knows he’s got to prove to NBA scouts that he’s a distributor and that he can make his teammates better. He’ll do that. But there are a lot of shots to go around, and it’ll be interesting to see how everybody co-exists. It’ll also be interesting to see if UConn still has some long-distance threats now that Napier, DeAndre Daniels and Niels Giffey are gone. Early returns are that Cassell may just be that guy.

So, I like the Huskies more than some (for instance, Lindy’s magazine has them ranked No. 36. Even though I did the UConn and AAC season previews for this edition, I’ll take no blame for that low ranking. Wasn’t me). However, it wouldn’t shock me at all if SMU beats out UConn for the AAC championship. If Emmanuel Mudiay had stayed at SMU rather than zipped off to China, that might be a no-brainer. Even without Mudiay, however, the Mustangs return just about everyone from last year’s 27-10, NIT runners-up, including all-AAC picks Nic Moore and Markus Kennedy, former McDonald’s All-American Keith Frazier and talented Xavier transfer Justin Martin. And, let’s not forget, SMU beat UConn last season both times they met. This Larry Brown guy can coach a little bit.

In fact, I was prepared to rank SMU even higher and pick it to win the AAC until reports the other day that Kennedy may be sidelined for at least the early part of the season due to academic issues. If Kennedy misses part (or all) of the season, it’s a big blow to the Mustangs.

As usual, UConn's first practice of the season consisted mostly of running, running and more running. The Huskies started practice in Guyer, doing almost nothing but running, then finished the last hour or so in Gampel Pavilion. There, we saw some very spirited box-out/rebounding drills.

At one point, Kevin Ollie shouted at freshman Rakim Lubin, telling him, "The only way you're gonna play is to get some rebounds!"

“He thought I was going too soft against my teammates," Lubin explained afterwards. "But I didn’t want to hurt anybody. Once he told me if I don’t go harder against my teammates I was gonna have to run, I had to get in there and get rebounds.”

In all, Lubin came out of his first UConn practice pretty well.

“Rebounding drill’s not too tough," the 6-foot-8, 265-pound frosh said. "I was able to get my three and get out of there every time. The rest of those guys, it looked pretty tough.”

“He got through it pretty well," said Ollie. "He used his physicality, played very well, played hard. He got winded a couple of times, like everybody did, but he didn’t give in or quit. That’s a good mark for a UConn basketball player, when he has that will.”

Said Ryan Boatright: “Rock surprised a lot of us. He worked extremely hard.”

Another frosh, Daniel Hamilton, had an impressive battle with 7-foot Amida Brimah, grabbing several boards and getting his entire team to cheer wildly for him. After that sequence, however, Hamilton looked pretty gassed and could seemingly barely move for a few moments.

A tough first practice, as always -- particularly for the freshmen and newcomers. But overall, a good one. Here's some of what the Huskies had to say afterwards:

Ollie:



Boatright says running and getting out on the fast break is a key emphasis this season:



Not surprisingly, Sam Cassell, Jr. said he's never been on a team with so much talent in the backcourt.



Ollie:

“We want to be a better fast-breaking team than we were last year. We want to get more easy buckets. We can’t have Shabazz bailing us out with 35-footers at the end of the shot clock. We want to definitely run a little bit more, get our athletes out in space where they can create for themselves and for others.”

(can team be a strong perimeter-shooting group again)

“I hope so. They’ve got to work. We lost a lot of great shooters, everybody knows that. DeAndre and Neils and Shabazz were our three best 3-point shooters and those guys are gone. We’ve definitely got to have some people step up. I like my team, I like how hard they’re playing, I like how they compete. Hopefully Amida establishes himself in the low post more so we can go down low. Phil, we can go down low, Rock and Kentan -- all those guys got better. So, hopefully it gives me an option to do that a little bit more.”

(on competition for playing time)

“Coach (Calhoun) used to bring a different point guard in every year. You learn from the best.”

“My dream is to have four guys who can get it off the backboard, push it and be a point guard. That’s what I’m recruiting for ... Let’s go, let’s push it, let’s play fast-break basketball. I don’t want to call a lot of plays. I can if we need to ... but I want us to use our athleticism.”

BOATRIGHT:

“It was probably one of the hardest practices a lot of these guys have ever been to. Everybody went hard, and we got better today.”

SAM CASSELL, JR.

(on competition among guards)

“It’s a good thing. All our guards are different, we all play different. It’s gonna help me in practice, because I have to guard these guys -- some of the best guards in the country. So, in the game, it’ll be easier for me.”

OMAR CALHOUN:

“(Ollie) wants me to be a leader, help them develop. He knows me as a vet and understanding what it takes to be a champion, that I’ll be able to help everytone, as well as me being able to be explosive on offense and challenge people defensively. He wants me to keep working, challenging myself, and not taking plays off. I feel like that’s embedded in me. We kind of have the same mindset coming into he season.”

“I can definitely shoot the ball, everyone knows that. I’ve been working on that, as well as every other part of my game. I should be able to do more than hit 3’s -- hit mid-range shots, find people, finish at the rim and affect games defensively, as well.”

LUBIN:

“It was a real tough practice, but we were prepared for it all preseason, so I was able to get through it ... I knew what to expect coming into it. I didn’t see the weight vests, we just saw the weight vests this year. But it was fun.”

RODNEY PURVIS:

“We have a lot of guards with different dimensions to our game. We can always switch things up. Sam is a pretty good shooter, me and Terrence are pretty much fast guards along with Boat. Speeding the game up and getting guys involved for open shots and things like that, we’ll be pretty good. Omar’s shooting the ball really, really well. We’ll be fine.”

“I know for a fact, there’s not many teams that really have a genuine love and care for each other as much as we do. We really want to show that each and every day. Even if you guys weren’t in here, we still would’ve been in here picking guys up, because that’s what we do. We take that back to our apartment, in the locker room, everywhere.”

“Guys don’t have to play 30, 40 minutes a game. We’ve got a lot of different guys who do different things. We can switch the game up a lot. Competition for playing time, that’s really not a huge issue, because we’re all on the same team and we have one goal: to win games. Whoever’s rolling that day, we’ve just got to go with that.”

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

Checked out the GHPA on Saturday and had nice conversations with Rodney Purvis, Daniel Hamilton and Sam Cassell, Jr. Purvis played in the late game and looked pretty good.

He certainly looked a bit Ferrari-like on this driving lefty layup:



And on this nifty spin move (the second of the two moves in this clip):



Purvis, who had played in a few pro-am games back in Raleigh, N.C. over the past month, said his surgically-repaired shoulder is 100-percent.

He's an even better interview. Here's some of what he had to say:

(on how he's helped Amida Brimah through his own, similar shoulder surgery)

"Any questions he had, I answered all his questions for him, helped him get through whatever he needed as far as helping him. The day of his surgery, I went to go see him, just to make sure he was in great spirits. Because it is a long process, with a six-month recovery. That's my brother, so I had no choice but to be there for him."

Brimah was also at Crosby High on Saturday and reported that his shoulder is coming along fine.

(on just how difficult it was sitting out an entire season as a transfer from NC State)

"I heard from different guys that it was rough on them. Of course it's rough, having to sit out, but I really couldn't play anyway because of my shoulder. It is what it is. I was around a great group of guys, they always kept me in the loop and never made me feel like I was outside. The only thing I didn't do was play in games. Everything else, I did. I felt a part of the team."

(on Kevin Ollie's constant references to him last season as a "Ferrari in the garage, that I can't use")

"I can't believe he said that. I took advantage of everything, going against guys like Shabazz and Boatright in practice every day. I was in Shabazz's ear all the time, trying to pick up different things -- in the room, watching film with him. He really gave me a lot of great feedback before he left."

(on what was the key to UConn's national title)

"We stayed together, no matter what. Any time you saw one of us, there were probably five or six of us. We stayed together. I don't think people understand how far being close off the court carries you on the court. We don't put on a front for Twitter or the media or anything, we're really brothers. We take our relationship seriously among each other."

"I'm really strong on brotherhood, because that's just how I was raised. I saw what a brotherhood could do last season, and we want that same thing this year."

(on how excited he is to play alongside Ryan Boatright this season)

"I honestly feel like, just having the relationship we have off the court, that'll carry onto the court. That was my roommate last year, he kind of took me under his wing, helped me learn a lot of things. Not many people know this, but the whole entire year, me and 'Boat were in the gym every single night playing one-and-one, basically beating each other up, going back to the room not speaking to each other because one of us got the better of each other that one day. I just appreciate Boatright. He's a great guy, I can't wait to play alongside him."

Purvis added that he and Sam Cassell, Jr. are now roommates. He also noted that he checks in at about 205 pounds and noticeably more toned than when he first arrived last year at about 215.

Hamilton and Cassell, Jr. didn't play because they weren't able to get a ride to their scheduled 3 p.m. game. Both believe they'll definitely play next Saturday.

Here's some of what they had to say:

Hamilton:

"It's good to get on campus, just working out with the coaches and being able to adjust to the college life."

He said he'll head home to Los Angeles on Aug. 8 for a couple of weeks before returning to Storrs to start classes.

(on his new teammates)

"The funniest dudes I've been around. I just like hanging around them, because it brings joy to me. It reminds me of my brothers. That's why I like the atmosphere. It's just fun to hang around with these dudes and fun to be around this program."

(on how good the team can be this season)

"We are loaded with talent, all we've got to do is play for each other and not worry about what other people have to say. If we just play for one another, we're good enough to be able to repeat."

(on what position he'll play this season)

"I'm not sure where he's going to put me, but I just know when I get out there, he wants me to make plays and contribute to the team. Not just scoring, but rebounding, passing, facilitating, playing defense. Much more than just scoring."

(on DeAndre Daniels, who he knew from growing up in L.A.)

"I'm a little disappointed I couldn't play with him, but I'm happy for him at the same time, to be able to see him make it to the NBA and accomplish that goal. That's big."

Cassell, Jr.:

"I"m definitely ready to step on the court and put a UConn jersey on."

"I want to be a point guard, but I can play point and two-guard, a combo. I can bring shooting to the team, leadership, defense keeps you on the floor. Whatever it takes for us to win, that's what I'm going to bring."

"It's a guard-oriented offense. K.O.'s a good guy, he knows what he's doing."

"Hard practices make easy games."

(on rumors that his dad was in the running for some NBA head coaching jobs recently)

"That's his goal. He's always wanted to be a head coach."

(on how tough it was being an academic non-qualifier and spending two seasons at Chipola Junior College in Florida)

"It was real tough, just because a lot of my friends went on to play college basketball and I had to take a longer journey. But, in the long run, I'm at the place where I want to be."

UConn and Duke will square off at the IZOD Center in New Jersey on Thursday, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. Tickets go on sale Friday.

Here's the press release sent out by UConn:

The Duke Blue Devils will face the National Champion UConn Huskies December 18th at IZOD Center (Meadowlands Sports Complex) in East Rutherford, N.J. Game time is 8:00 pm (ET).

UConn and Duke have met just nine times on the basketball court with Duke leading the series 5-4, but the Huskies have won four of the last five. One of their most memorable games took place at the Meadowlands in the 1990 NCAA East Regional Final with Duke winning 79-78 in overtime. UConn defeated Duke, 77-74, to capture the 1999 National Championship and the Huskies nipped the Blue Devils, 79-78, in the 2004 National Semifinals on their way to their second national crown. UConn and Duke last met in the 2009 NIT Tip-Off Championship Game at Madison Square Garden which Duke won, 68-59. The Blue Devils are 20-1 all-time (10-0 in NCAA Tournament games) at the Meadowlands, while UConn is 12-8 at the venue, 1-1 in the 1990 NCAA East Regional and 11-7 vs. former Big East rival Seton Hall.

Tickets will go on sale Friday, June 20 at 10:00 am (ET) through Ticketmaster and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com<http://www.ticketmaster.com> or by phone at 800-745-3000. Tickets will be available at the IZOD Center Box Office beginning Monday, June 23 at 11:00 am. For more information, visit izodcenter.com<http://www.izodcenter.com>.

"We are excited to have the opportunity to play Connecticut at the IZOD Center next season," said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski. "We have a strong fan base in the New York / New Jersey area and I am sure Connecticut will have great fan support as well. It is always special to play in front of terrific crowds and it should be an outstanding game between two talented teams. Connecticut is obviously coming off a championship season and has excellent personnel returning. Coach Ollie has done a terrific job running the program and we look forward to the challenge."

Duke, coming off a 26-9 campaign last season, returns three players with extensive starting experience and seven letterwinners overall. Senior Quinn Cook and junior Rasheed Sulaimon provide a veteran presence in the backcourt, while Amile Jefferson is coming off a solid sophomore season in 2013-14. Cook and Sulaimon combined to average 21.5 points and 6.8 assists per game a year ago, while shooting 38.6 percent (108-of-280) from three-point range and 79.1 percent (163-of-206) from the charity stripe. Jefferson shot a team-best 64.4 percent (94-of-146) from the field and averaged 6.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. Junior Marshall Plumlee (1.3 points / 2.2 rebounds per game) along with sophomores Matt Jones and Semi Ojeleye are prepared to take on larger roles this season after gaining valuable experience a year ago.

Duke's veteran group will be complimented in 2014-15 by the top ranked recruiting class in the country. Grayson Allen, Tyus Jones, Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow were each named to the McDonald's All-America team with all four players ranking among the top 35 recruits in the country by the Recruiting Services Consensus Index. Allen is a talented guard out of Florida that showcased his athleticism by winning the Powerade Jam Fest Dunk Contest. Jones, the top-rated point guard in the class, was a three-time Minnesota State Player of the Year and closed out his career with 2,909 points, 1,131 assists and 369 steals. Okafor, the No. 1 player overall by most recruiting outlets, was named the National High School Player of the Year after averaging 24.1 points and 11.3 rebounds while leading Whitney Young, to a 28-5 record and a 4A state title in Illinois. Winslow is a two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year out of Texas and one of the most versatile two-way players in the country. He averaged 27.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.1 blocks and 1.8 steals per game as a senior at Saint John's [Houston]. Jones, Okafor and Winslow also have extensive USA Basketball experience with each player winning a pair of gold medals as well as participating in the 2014 Nike Hoop Summit.

The UConn men's basketball team won the national championship in 2014 - its fourth since 1999. The Huskies began the tournament as a No. 7 seed and along their NCAA run beat a who's who of programs including Florida and Kentucky in the Final Four. The Huskies became the first no. 7 seed in the history of the NCAA tournament to win the national championship.

The 2014-15 Huskies will be led by senior guard Ryan Boatright, who was named to the NCAA All-Final Four team and averaged 12.1 points per game last year to go along with 3.4 assists. Junior Phil Nolan started 19 games last year - including all six in the NCAA tournament - returns at center. Junior guard Terrence Samuel, a Brooklyn product, scored 11 points in UConn's NCAA third round win vs. Villanova and showed great improvement as the season went on. Sophomore center Amida Brimah led UConn with 92 blocks and was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Rookie team.

The Huskies will be bolstered by the addition of former McDonald's All-American guard and North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year Rodney Purvis, eligible after sitting out last season following his transfer from North Carolina State. Purvis averaged 8.3 points and 2.4 rebounds for the Wolfpack in 35 games in 2012-13 and was an ACC Rookie of the Week selection. Also joining the Huskies will be freshman forward Daniel Hamilton, who averaged 20.5 points, 9 rebounds and 5.2 assists as he led St. John Bosco High to the California Division II state championship; Junior College First Team All-American Sam Cassell Jr., who averaged 18.7 points and 3.7 assists for Chipola College (Florida); and Rakim Lubin, the Georgia 3A Player of the Year, who averaged 20.2 points and 12.1 rebounds at Buford High School.

"We are very much looking forward to playing against Duke at the IZOD Center this December," said UConn head coach Kevin Ollie. "Our series against Duke includes some of the most exciting and most meaningful games in UConn basketball history and we have the utmost respect for Coach Krzyzewski and his program. Plus, it will be wonderful to return to the IZOD Center, where UConn has a long history. It not only gives our fans in the New York-New Jersey area a chance to watch us play, but is close enough to allow our great fans from Connecticut to come and support us."

One day after being honored by President Barack Obama at the White House, Kevin Ollie received another special honor Tuesday at the Aqua Turf Club.

Ollie was presented with the Saint Francis Award at the 29th annual Franciscan Sports Banquet and Silent Auction. The award is given annually to an individual who "honors Franciscan values while excelling on the playing field." The Franciscans are very near and dear to the heart of Jim Calhoun, a past Saint Francis Award winner, as well as Ollie.

"This is special," he said. "I come here every year. Just what the sisters do, the Franciscan life ... they mean so much to me. I always want to be a presence here. I thought all their prayers were all run up with Coach Calhoun, but I guess their prayers are still working. I'm glad they were praying for us and we got this fourth national championship."

Making the night even more special was the fact that Ollie was accompanied by his mother, Dorothy, who is on the road to recovery from breast cancer surgery back in March. It was only about the third time Dorothy has been out of her home since the surgery.

"She looks great," said Kevin. "That's where I get my toughness from. She had a couple of tough days, but she got through it. She's a tough lady, she's filled with faith, so it's great to have her getting back to her old self."

Last season was a tough one emotionally for Ollie. He lost his father-in-law shortly before the season began.

"It was difficult, but at the end of the day, life is not built on feelings ... it's built on principles. I made a commitment to UConn, and whatever I go through, I've got to continue to do my job. We ask our guys to do the same thing. They have a bad day, they've got to come into practice or play the right way. I try to live my life the same way. (Basketball) is kind of like my sanctuary, to get away from everything for 2-3 hours and concentrate on making them better basketball players and better people."

Ollie noted that Sam Cassell, Jr., who's been on campus for a couple of weeks now taking classes, is doing "excellent."

"He's a hard-worker, very mature kid. Loves to work, embracing coaching. From all things I've seen, on and off the court, he's gonna fit right in our program."

Prince Ali, a 2015 UConn commit, has apparently decided to re-open his recruitment.

After talking it over with my family I have decided to reopen my recruitment! I still love the Uconn and I am still considering Uconn!
— Prince Ali (@Princesmoove23) May 29, 2014

So much for Kevin Ollie's new contract having a positive effect on recruiting.

Ali is a 6-foot-4 shooting guard out of Florida who committed to UConn last November. While it's not known why Ali made his decision, it's possible he saw a logjam at his position in Storrs. The Huskies have Omar Calhoun back in the fold, with Daniel Hamilton and Sam Cassell, Jr. also coming in next year and Rodney Purvis eligible after sitting out a year as a transfer. UConn's only other 2015 commit is Will Jackson, another 6-4 shooting guard. All of those players could still be at UConn once the 2015-16 season starts.

And, the Huskies appear to be high on the lists of both Jalen Adams (more of a point guard) and Malik Newman, another pair of 2015 guards.

Rakim Lubin, a 6-foot-7, 260-pound bruising power forward out of Buford, Ga., has signed his national letter-of-intent to attend UConn next season,.

Some pics of Rakim signing: pic.twitter.com/OuPcL6FXMI
— UConn (@B_WRecruiting) April 27, 2014

Lubin is just the kind of big, physical forward the Huskies need, especially with DeAndre Daniels off to the NBA and Tyler Olander graduated. He could be a rebounding presence UConn has really needed the past couple of seasons.

Lubin joins elite wing Daniel Hamilton and JUCO combo guard Sam Cassell, Jr. as UConn's Class of 2014 signees.