-Jim Root
Key Returners: R.J. Cole, Tyrese Martin, Isaiah Whaley (extra year), Jalen Gaffney, Adama Sanogo, Tyler Polley (extra year), Akok Akok, Andre Jackson
Key Losses: James Bouknight (pro), Josh Carlton (transfer)
Key Newcomers: Rahsool Diggins, Jordan Hawkins, Samson Johnson
Lineup:
Outlook: After a tumultuous (but ultimately successful) season that included a return to the Big East, injury troubles all over the roster (James Bouknight’s elbow, Akok Akok’s struggles returning from his Achilles tear, etc.), and multiple COVID issues in the program early in the year, Coach Dan Hurley is not focused on the positive results. Instead, Hurley is beating a “45:07” drum, referring to the final 5:07 against Creighton in the Big East Tournament and the disappointing 40 minutes of the NCAA Tournament loss to Maryland. He wants the entire program – coaches, players, support staff – to be motivated by those disappointments, and considering the number of returners this roster has, they will not soon forget.
It should start on the defensive end, where UConn has nearly limitless potential. The roster is flush with quality individual defenders, with size and athleticism at basically every position. Hurley’s man-to-man system is physical and places an immense value on controlling the paint, and last year’s squad held opponents to 50.1% shooting at the rim, the 7th-lowest rate in the entire country.
That could become an even greater strength this year with Akok’s continued return to health; he logged minimal minutes last year after getting cleared to play, but an Achilles tear is often a multi-year recovery. He was a defensive terror as a freshman in 2019-20, showing an ability to guard multiple positions while ranking 28th in the country in block rate, and his burgeoning offensive game will only add to his on-court utility. Plus, the Huskies also return Isaiah Whaley and Adama Sanogo, the imposing starting frontcourt duo that helped UConn rank 10th nationally in block rate as a team. Even when opponents beat their man, finishing inside was a chore:
Add Akok to that mix, and scoring at the rim could be impossible.
Hurley also has defensive weapons on the wing, where Tyrese Martin and Andre Jackson are built like strong safeties. Martin is one of the best guard/wing rebounders in the country, and Jackson has been universally lauded as a future lockdown defender – and he may already be there in year two. Both can swallow smaller or weaker guards with their strength, and if Hurley starts them together, opponents are going to find scoring a massive challenge.
Of course, the wing rotation discussion is not complete without mentioning the absence of James Bouknight, a star who is off to the NBA after two seasons in Storrs. Despite his prolific offensive numbers, his impact was most pronounced on the defensive side of the ball last year:
Jackson’s continued emergence should help compensate for Bouknight’s loss, and freshman Jordan Hawkins has the length to make an impact as well. The Huskies’ biggest flaw defensively is sending opponents to the free throw line: the physicality goes over the top at times, and foes that handle the ball and can hit from the charity stripe can succeed.
The offensive end is where the questions linger – especially those of the “45:07” variety. UConn scored just three points in the final five minutes of the BET loss to Creighton and tallied just 0.93 points per possession against Maryland. Bouknight was often a “get out of jail free” card, but the crushing blow was likely an ankle injury to RJ Cole, the point guard who became a worthy Robin to Bouknight’s Batman. He missed that final 5:07 against the Bluejays and was limited against Maryland; the Huskies desperately need his creativity off the bounce, perimeter shooting, and deft passing vision to unlock defenses. Hurley is also high on junior Jalen Gaffney, whose development could ease Cole’s burden and even allow UConn to play dual point guard lineups at times.
Playing almost exclusively in the half court, UConn’s lack of shot-making outside of Cole and Bouknight often exposed itself. Sweet-shooting forward Tyler Polley had a few flashes, but even he admits he was not fully himself after returning from a torn ACL; expect more consistency as he, like Whaley, is using the extra year afforded by COVID. Ultimately, though, the biggest concern is shot selection – too often, the Huskies took difficult shots with plenty of time on the shot clock:
Both of those shots would be available at the end of the clock – it makes more sense to work for a better one. Bouknight, for all of his talent, took a ton of these:
I won’t go so far as to say that losing him makes the offense better, but a more democratic approach (and less of his 29% conversion rate from deep on tough shots) could prove beneficial.
The other key to UConn’s attack is offensive rebounding, where Whaley, Martin, and Sanogo form one of the most terrifying trios in the country. On the backs of those three, the Huskies ranked 4th nationally in offensive rebound rate, and that provides a security blanket when the jump shots are denting the rim.
An oddly notable item for the Huskies: with the explosion of the transfer portal this year, the Huskies have added only freshmen. Hurley trusts his veteran returning core, and he believes the newcomers can step in and contribute:
“We rely on our freshmen in general, we’re less transfer portal and more relying on our young players to get on the court and perform for us early in their careers.”
Considering the class consists of three top-60, 4-star recruits, that’s a solid approach. The Huskies do have plenty of rotation pieces back, but Hawkins, Rahsool Diggins, and Samson Johnson will all be pushing the incumbents every single day. Diggins is a Philly point guard who brings all kinds of swagger, while Johnson is another in the line of Hurley bigs who should be a beast inside and on the glass.
Bottom Line: With Hurley’s maniacal mindset and a wealth of experience, the Huskies should have a high floor. The interior defense will be outstanding, and if Akok is healthy, it could be elite, and the long perimeter players will challenge opposing guards, as well. The offense has some question marks in terms of shot creation, but the collective prowess on the offensive glass adds a layer of stability there. For the astute college hoop fans, if it sounds like I’m describing Houston, you would be spot on – Hurley has something of a “Houston Lite” blueprint going in Storrs:
Like the Cougars, the Huskies embody words like “competitive” and “relentless,” demonstrating the passion of their fiery coach. It may not always be the most aesthetically-pleasing style of play, but if UConn can imitate the Cougars’ run to a Final Four, Husky fans won’t mind one bit – especially since it will erase any and all memory of the final 45:07 of the 2020-21 campaign.