UConnReport.com - Walker, Oriakhi lead UConn in exhibition

November 4, 2009

Zac Boyer
UConnReport.com Editor

HARTFORD, Conn. - Any questions about No. 12 UConn entering its first preseason game remain unanswered.

That's because the Huskies, despite defeating American International 106-67 on Wednesday at the XL Center, did so without guards Jerome Dyson, Donnell Beverly or Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, all of whom were declared ineligible to play before the game.

According to UConn, Dyson and Beverly did not play because the NCAA had not yet received documentation regarding their eligibility. As for Coombs-McDaniel, the NCAA had not yet approved his high school transcripts for collegiate athletic competition.

It didn't matter. Guard Kemba Walker assumed Dyson's role as the team's leading scorer and finished with 28 points, a number that would serve as a career high had the game counted, and 12 assists for the Huskies.

Freshman Alex Oriakhi scored 16 points and had 16 rebounds in 27 minutes, Stanley Robinson had 25 points and Gavin Edwards added 17 points for UConn.

"Overall, for a first night out, you need a starting point, and this was the starting point," said UConn head coach Jim Calhoun.

Jamaal Trice, who started in place of Dyson and finished with a nondescript nine points, opened the game with a long jumper from the right corner. UConn would make eight of its first nine shots, go on to shoot 75 percent in the first half and build a 57-29 lead.

The Huskies pushed the tempo in the second half, at one point relied upon a line-up consisting of the three available freshmen and junior Charles Okwandu and dropped into a zone defense in the final 10 minutes.

"I think it's kind of like we have to keep on adapting, because to go from the team we had last year to this year, and then minus two players two hours before the game, you just have to be able to play with whatever situation, roll with the punches and be able to play whatever," Edwards said.

Walker, a sporadic scorer as a freshman, took control of the game early. He showed confidence in his jumper and controlled the transition game, deferring to Robinson, Trice and Darius Smith when necessary.

The poise, Walker said, is due to additional time spent over the summer working on his jump shot.

"I never got a chance to really take a lot of shots [last season]," Walker said. "I think I shot the ball pretty well in high school, but college is a different game."

Oriakhi, making a bid to keep the starting job, had no problem controlling the paint on offense. He had lapses on defense, however, which are likely to cause issues as the Huskies play tougher competition.

"I don't care what it was - I was excited like it was the first game," Oriakhi said. "My thought was just to go out there and grab as much rebounds as I can. I knew my point guard, Kemba, and my other teammates would just give me the ball."

	Zac Boyer, the editor and publisher of UConnReport.com, covers UConn sports on the Rivals network. He can be reached by e-mail at zacboyer@rivals.com.
Home \| Latest Headlines \| Recruit Search \| Commitments \| Targets \| Visit Dates \| Message Boards