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Terry Larrier Looking to Fill a Key Role for UConn Men's Basketball

Terry Larrier was able to fly under the radar last season, but now all eyes are on him – especially UConn coach Kevin Ollie’s.

“KO’s definite all on me than he was last year,” Larrier said, after practice Thursday. “I wasn’t playing last year, so he wasn’t on me as much, but this year he’s holding me accountable for a lot.

“I’m coming out working hard and pushing myself and my teammates every day.”

While the Huskies brought in five freshmen to help restock their roster, perhaps the most important addition is the 6-foot-8 Larrier, who sat out last season after transferring from VCU. The redshirt sophomore has proven himself at the college level already with a 6.6-point and 3.0-rebound campaign on the way to Atlantic-10 All-Rookie team honors two years ago.

“It definitely helped me a lot,” Larrier said about being part of the Huskies’ practices last season. “The game definitely slowed down for me watching the game all of last year, so I think I am more than ready to get out on the court.”

Well, maybe not quite ready, according to his coach, but he’s making strides in the right direction.

“The first two weeks was good and then he took a nose dive for a couple days,” Ollie said. “And then we got him alive again and he came back and he’s been having two special days. It hasn’t just been shooting, it’s been everything else and that’s what I try to convince him. It’s not just shooting, it’s everything else – using your energy, using your length, being the most active guy, and like I told you, it’s about having juice. He’s been doing that and when he has juice, he’s a really good player.”

After losing forward Daniel Hamilton to the NBA, the Huskies could use a guy like Larrier in the lineup with his ability to play all over the floor and add some offensive punch. In 18.5 minutes per game at VCU, he shot 34.3 percent from the field and 26.2 percent on 3-pointers.

Despite not playing a minute for UConn, Larrier was named this week to the Julius Erving Award Watch List, which honors the top small forward in the country.

“It’s definitely an honor to be among the candidates, but I’m not too focused on winning awards,” he said. “I’m just focused on playing hard and winning games.”

On opening night against Wagner, it wouldn’t be a shock to find Larrier in the starting lineup with point guard Jalen Adams, and the three seniors – guard Rodney Purvis, forward Kentan Facey and center Amida Brimah. Ollie said Thursday he has not formulated a starting five, but that group are his most experienced players.

One area Larrier says he has grown during the year off is on the defensive side, which is an area Ollie stresses.

“I think my mindset defensively has gotten a lot better,” he said. “That’s one of my main focuses.”

If the Huskies hope to make some noise in March, they will need Larrier at both ends of the floor to be productive.

“We want him to get him to becoming a great player, being more efficient,” Ollie added. “He has to not turn the ball over as much as he’s been doing, but the other things have been great so far. Hopefully, he can keep it up.”

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