The Huskies will hit the hardwood for the first time in the 2024-25 season on Monday night.
UConn men’s basketball kicks off its 2024-25 season Monday night with a charity exhibition game against Archie Miller and the Rhode Island Rams. The event, officially dubbed the Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Game benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer, will take place at Mohegan Sun Arena with a 6:00 p.m. tip time.
The event marks the first time the Huskies have participated in a charity exhibition since 2017, when UConn played Providence at Mohegan Sun with proceeds benefitting the American Red Cross for hurricane relief. Typically, UConn has not played public exhibition games during Dan Hurley’s tenure as head coach, but Monday’s matchup against his former team is a noted exception.
Game info:
When: Monday, Oct. 14 at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Mohegan Sun Arena (Uncasville, Connecticut)
TV info: NBC Sports Boston/UConn+
Radio: UConn Sports Network
What to watch for
Old friends in new places
Dan Hurley isn’t the only person involved in the exhibition with ties to both UConn and URI. Current Rhody center Javonte Brown was part of one of Hurley’s first recruiting classes at UConn, which included future stars Andre Jackson and Adam Sanogo along with Brown and Richie Springs. Brown transferred to Texas A&M just a few games into his freshman season at UConn and spent two seasons there before spending last season with Western Michigan. The 7-footer is now a redshirt junior for
“Javonte was a guy that practiced really really hard, was a gun guy to be around. A true big man… We wished he would have stayed but we understand,” Hurley said
Associate head coach Tom Moore was also on Hurley’s staff at URI.
A potential peak at a new-look starting lineup
With Donovan Clingan, Steph Castle, Cam Spencer, and Tristen Newton off to the NBA, UConn’s starting lineup will have to look a lot different than it did last season. Despite all of the changes, one certainty is that Alex Karaban will be one of UConn’s five starters Monday night and for the duration of the season.
“I don’t even know who’s going to start in a couple of spots,” Hurley said. I’m more concerned with my ball screen defense, transition defense, our rebounding”
Big man Samson Johnson likely has an inside track to joining Karaban in the starting frontcourt, while veteran guard Hassan Diarra is also a safe bet to start due to his experience and defensive skills. Aside from that, there are still plenty of spots for grabs. Solo Ball has gained national attention for how he has performed in practice this offseason, and the likes of Jaylin Stewart and freshmen Liam McNeeley and Isaiah Abraham have impressed as well.
Saint Mary’s transfer Aidan Mahaney is another legitimate option as well. It’s entirely possible that Hurley rolls out a different starting lineup in November in the season opener against Sacred Heart, but fans will get a glimpse into what Hurley is thinking when they face off against the Rams.
Battling with (and between) the bigs
With Clingan gone and a solid big on URI in the aforementioned Brown, UConn will need to rotate the front court of Johnson, Tarris Reed, and Youssouf Singare in a much different way than how the team has handled things in the past.
Johnson has experience in the defensive system Hurley has put together, but Reed offers more strength to bang with larger bigs down in the post. It’s possible the two split minutes or that their minutes vary depending on the matchup. It’s also possible that the team uses a smaller wing as a center for extended stretches to try and speed opponents up — something both Karaban and Stewart did for stretches last season as Clingan dealt with foul trouble and injuries throughout the season.