He was a forgotten man on the UConn roster for much of the season, but Isaiah Whaley was ready to ball when his number was called.

The 6-foot-8 junior-to-be came off the bench in the American Athletic Conference opening-round game against USF to provide some inside presence for the Huskies. Whaley delivered a season-high eight points, four rebounds and one steal in 11 minutes in UConn’s 80-73 victory.

Not only was it a highlight to a quiet season from Whaley, but also opened the door for a bigger role with the Huskies this year backing up junior-to-be center Josh Carlton.

“I probably didn’t give him as much of a chance as I probably should have,” second-year UConn head coach Dan Hurley said. “Eric (Cobb) to me with his early season play earned that role behind Josh with what he did at (Madison Square) Garden and being a senior, I wanted to kind of reward that.”

Whaley was out of the mix early in Hurley’s tenure with a high-ankle sprain during the preseason, which allowed Carlton and Cobb to emerge in the battle for front-court minutes.

After starting 12 of 30 games as a freshman under old coach Kevin Ollie, Whaley would play in just 23 contests – with zero starts – last season for the Huskies (16-17).

“There probably were more opportunities Isaiah should have gotten as a back-up center, but I think he has enough athleticism and basketball ability that he could be a back-up four or a back-up five and give us quality minutes,” Hurley said.

The spot behind Carlton in the lineup might be the most glaring hole for Hurley to fill at this point. The team could still look outside the program to fill that role, if a scholarship were to open up, but Whaley might have the early edge.

“He’s kind of an intangible guy anyway, so we are going to work with him and we feel like we can develop him,” Hurley said.

Carlton and Tyler Polley, who were also both members of Ollie’s last recruiting class, were able to emerge last season working with the new staff. Carlton made the largest leap, locking up the Huskies’ center slot and earning co-AAC Most Improved Player.

With Cobb, fifth-year senior Kassoum Yakwe and Kwintin Williams all gone, UConn is a bit thin upfront. Though, 6-8 freshman Akok Akok – a top-50 recruit who joined the program in January - will now be in the mix as well as 6-8 sophomore Sydney Wilson.