Freshman Jalen Adams Emerging As Key Contributor

STORRS, Conn. - Freshmen moments are expected, but Jalen Adams doesn't dwell on them. The 6-foot-3 guard from Roxbury, Mass. has already become too valuable on the floor to spend much time on the UConn bench.

Nine games into his career with the Huskies, Adams is logging almost starters minutes - 20.3 per game - as Kevin Ollie's first option off the bench. Even though fifth-year senior Sterling Gibbs is the starting point guard, Adams has become the most effective backcourt option to run the offense.

Adams has been seeing more time with the starting unit, including last Saturday's 75-55 win over Ohio State where he scored 11 points with four rebounds, four assists and one turnover in a season-high 29 minutes.

"I'm not really sure," he said, about playing with the starters more frequently. "I just come out there and try to play my game, take my time and just look for my teammates because once I get them going I can get myself going."

Adams scored a season-high 14 points with six assists against Furman, but his value was on display in the Bahamas when he tried to help the Huskies rally against Gonzaga after falling behind by 21 early in the second half.

He was also on the floor in the second half as the Huskies tried to rally against Maryland last week as well.

"He's just getting better and better and better right in front of everybody's eyes," Ollie said. "He's really taking his time on pick and rolls, being patient, finding the open man."

In nine games, Adams has 6.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists while logging the sixth-most minutes on the squad. His eight steals are tied for third with Shonn Miller.

"I feel more under control and just taking my time - letting the floor open up for me," he said.

The opportunity to play with the starters, which include Miller, Gibbs, Amida Brimah, Daniel Hamilton and Rodney Purvis, has helped Adams' game grow.

"Just being out there with the starters, it opens the floor up a lot more," Adams said. "It helps me, so I can get to the basket. (The other team) has to play Shonn, they have to stay down on Amida and the wings have to stay out on Rodney and Daniel, so it just makes everything much smoother."

The 25th-ranked Huskies (6-3) are in the midst of an eight-day break for exams and will return to action at 4 p.m. Sunday against UMass-Lowell at the XL Center in Hartford.

With losses to Syracuse, Gonzaga and Maryland, the Huskies missed out on picking up some quality wins, but still have the American Athletic Conference schedule - which includes two meetings with top-25 teams SMU and Cincinnati - ahead along with a non-league game against Georgetown in January.

So, there's still plenty of work ahead for Adams and his teammates.

"We feel pretty good we just have to keep on working on out of the gate playing strong and playing full 40-minute game," Adams said. "I think we played at a Level 4 (against Ohio State, but) we need to play at a consistent Level 5."