The Huskies open up the XL Center with an old Yankee Conference foe.
UConn men’s basketball returns to action Saturday night against New Hampshire fresh off a convincing blowout over Sacred Heart in the team’s season opener. The No. 3 Huskies (1-0) head to Hartford to play their first game of the year at the XL Center, where they will face off against a 1-1 Wildcats squad that ranks No. 330 in KenPom. After losing 101-74 to UMass in its season opener, New Hampshire bounced back with a 99-69 win over Division III UMass Boston.
TV: FS2
Radio: UConn Sports Network
Odds: UConn -35, over/under 152.5
Location: XL Center
KenPom Predicted Score: UConn 92, New Hampshire 59 (99.9 percent win probability)
Series History
UConn and New Hampshire have faced off against one another 120 times in a series that dates all the way back to the 1906-07 season. UConn has only faced Rhode Island more in the program history, but the Huskies haven’t lost to the Wildcats since Jan. 9, 1983 and hold a 95-25 record all-time. UConn beat UNH 84-64 at Gampel Pavilion last season.
What To Watch For
Frontcourt foul troubles
Samson Johnson fouled out in 16 minutes of gameplay in the win over Sacred Heart, one of the few low spots in the Huskies’ dominant win over the Pioneers. Johnson certainly looks to have improved his 1-on-1 defensive abilities in the low post, but picked up a few of his fouls on hand checks far away from the basket. While it didn’t matter against the Pioneers, Johnson needs to stay out of foul trouble consistently this season if the Huskies want to make a deep run in March. Tarris Reed (three fouls in 23 minutes) wasn’t much better. Much like Sacred Heart, New Hampshire doesn’t offer much size but does do a decent job on the offensive glass (78th in offensive rebound percentage). Johnson and Reed will need to once prove themselves on the boards and keep the Wildcats’ bigs in check without racking up too many fouls.
Starting five shakeup
The only real surprise on Wednesday night came right before tip-off, as UConn head coach Dan Hurley rolled out a slightly different starting lineup from when the Huskies took on Rhode Island in a mid-October exhibition. Saint Mary’s transfer Aidan Mahaney got the start over incumbent point guard Hassan Diarra, who was the first Husky off the bench. Mahaney struggled in his UConn debut, going scoreless in 23 minutes on 0-for-3 shooting, but did contribute three assists on the night.
“In the exhibition it was Aidan’s night. He had 17, and he was super efficient. We have a deep team and a high-level team,” Hurley said after the win over Sacred Heart. “Tonight just wasn’t his night.”
After the game, Hurley threw another wrench in the mix, stating that sophomore Jayden Ross, who did not dress for the game due to an ankle injury, would have started if he was healthy.
“Jayden Ross would have started this game if he was available. Jayden Ross has been just a rocket ship for the last two weeks.” Hurley said following the win over Sacred Heart. “I mean, this guy has looked like our best player at times or one of our — he just changes things for us. Just a 6-foot-7 athlete that’s making 3s and on the glass and just getting to the rim.”
That’s seven players vying for five starting spots, and that doesn’t even include Reed or Jaylin Stewart, talented players in their own right who are already looking like mainstays in the rotation, even though the latter struggled in game one.
With such a deep roster and rotation, Hurley may spread the playing time around enough where starters may not necessarily get significantly more minutes, but these non conference games serve as an opportunity for players lacking on-court experience to get their feet wet and vie for a spot in the starting five.
Hurley told the media Friday that Ross might be able to play Saturday night, but likely will be a game-time decision.
Jayden Ross has a “real shot” at playing Saturday night, per Hurley.
— David Borges (@DaveBorges) November 8, 2024