Cincinnati and UConn Developing a Healthy American Conference Rivalry
Rodney Dangerfield used to be known for his catchphrase about getting “no respect.” Maybe another Rodney can borrow it this season.
UConn was picked second in the American Athletic Conference men’s basketball preseason poll on Monday morning in Philadelphia, but while finishing one point behind Cincinnati was not a complete shock, the absence of senior guard Rodney Purvis from the all-conference teams was.
Despite being the leading scorer on a Husky team that won 25 games, including the AAC Tournament and an NCAA Tournament game, Purvis failed to make either preseason all-conference squad. Sophomore Jalen Adams was chosen to the second team and freshman Alterique Gilbert was voted the Preseason Rookie of the Year on the Huskies, who received five first-place votes to finish behind the Bearcats. SMU, Houston and Memphis rounded out the top five.
“It doesn’t bother me, it doesn’t bother me at all, it’s all good,” said Purvis, with a smile. “It’s definitely motivation, but I’m not going to sit here and have a fit about it. I really don’t care too much. It doesn’t matter now, you’ll see who’s on there at the end.”
Ironically, the Huskies were voted 16th in the preseason USA Today Coaches Poll, which came out last week, but the Bearcats were picked 25th.
“It doesn’t really matter,” Purvis said. “We’re still the champions until someone else wins it, so I don’t really pay too much attention to the polls.”
The two former Big East schools have developed a healthy rivalry over the years that has come not only on the court, but off it with things like Shabazz Napier winning conference player of the year over Cincy’s Sean Kilpatrick in 2014.
“It’s just a great rivalry,” UConn coach Kevin Ollie said. “I think it comes down to the last possessions. Both teams are very well coach, both teams have athletes, student-athletes that play hard and competitive, so it’s always a great game. It’s great for the conference and hopefully we have some great ones this season.”
Cincinnati senior Troy Caupain and Memphis sophomore Dedric Lawson were voted co-players of the year. Both made the first team along with Cincy’s Gary Clark, SMU’s Ben Moore and Houston’s Damyean Dotson.
“I always look forward to the games and I make sure I pack the Pepto Bismol,” Cincy coach Mick Cronin said about playing UConn. “In all seriousness, it’s great for our league and both programs to have a healthy rivalry. The better are teams are the more the games mean.”
Of course, the last meeting between the schools came in the conference quarterfinals where Adams hit a 70-footer at the buzzer to save the Huskies season.
“It’s definitely going to be a very competitive game when we get to play them – it always is,” Adams said. “It’s fun to play against other good teams and compete like that.”
The Huskies open the preseason Sunday against the University of New Haven. Tip-off is 1 p.m. at the XL Center in Hartford. The regular season starts Nov. 14 vs. Wagner at Gampel Pavilion.