These guys saw the majority of backcourt minutes and were the most productive among the guards.
UConn fans got their first look at what the Huskies’ backcourt will look like in a post-Tristen Newton world when the team battled the Rhode Island Rams in a charity exhibition game Monday night at Mohegan Sun.
Despite some first-half struggles, there were bright spots from just about everyone as the Huskies prevailed 102-75.
Coming into the year, questions arose on the team’s ability to replace the backcourt production of Newton, Stephon Castle, and Cam Spencer — all of whom departed Storrs for the NBA following the Huskies’ second consecutive national championship. Newton and Spencer made every start across UConn’s 40-game schedule last season, with Castle contributing 30 starts in 34 games played.
Just as importantly, Newton was the heartbeat of the team, quarterbacking the offense through two National Championships as a sure-handed and confident point guard. Spencer brought a lot of spiritual leadership for a one-year guy and was also a killer scorer and adept passer. They were two of the team’s three top scorers all year.
With Newton gone, Hassan Diarra seems like the natural successor to assume point guard duties, though his starting position isn’t guaranteed. He made the most of his opportunity on Monday, scoring four points and dishing out a team-high nine assists in 20 minutes. A fan favorite, Diarra showed last year that he wasn’t done growing his game, improving his scoring ability while maintaining his high-level defense.
Sophomore guard Solo Ball started next to Diarra on Monday and seemed to fit the role perfectly — not that it should be a surprise considering how he started last year before his playing time slipped. After appearing in 39 games in 2023-24, Ball shined Monday against the Rams, scoring a team-high 18 points on 7-10 shooting from the field and 3-6 from beyond the arc.
Ball needs to take a big step forward for the Huskies in his sophomore season, and early returns looked promising at Mohegan Sun. In addition to his offensive success, Ball tallied two blocks and two steals.
The performance was a testament to Ball’s offseason training regimen. He said postgame that he was able to stay committed to improving his game because he saw an opportunity to elevate his role on the team coming into the new season.
“It only made me want to work 10 times harder,” Ball said. “Offensively and defensively, [I wanted] to become a guy that could help the team win.”
Junior guard Aidan Mahaney came off the bench Monday but made a strong case for a starting spot. He displayed efficient scoring ability, tallying 17 points in 23 minutes off 6-9 shooting with three triples.
A transfer from Saint Mary’s, Mahaney attributed his comfort in his first game as a Husky to his coaches and teammates.
“You can tell it’s different here from the moment you walk into the arena, to being around the coaches and guys every day,” Mahaney said. “This has been a great experience for me and everything that I could have hoped for, to be on a stage where you can really perform.”
Freshman Ahmad Nowell got a look in the second half and made the most of it. He played only six minutes but made both shots he took — two three-point attempts.
Though he likely won’t be competing for playing time, junior walk-on Souleymane Diaby is now officially a Husky. UConn announced his addition to the team on Tuesday to round out the roster.
While Alex Karaban is probably the only player locked into a starting spot, the win over Rhode Island provided the coaching staff with some more information on the personnel at their disposal. They have until the Nov. 6 season opener against Sacred Heart to determine exactly how they want to allocate minutes to start the year.