UConn Hoops: Huskies dismember Georgetown on road
Just over a year ago, the UConn men’s basketball team went to Capital One Arena in downtown Washington D.C. following a rough stretch of games. They were fresh off a January slump that saw them win just two of eight and were still figuring out how to put the pieces together. They ultimately beat the bad Georgetown squad by six in a nail-biter, but not many were thinking “National Championship team” as they walked off the court. Eventually, they figured things out and went on to have one of the most dominant tournament runs ever.
That game–and seeing a win in any capacity–was a big confidence booster for Connecticut in the season’s journey. This year’s team? They needed no such revelation. The top-ranked Huskies walked onto the court with business on their minds and got the job done, winning 89-64. From the jump, it looked like a contest between a top team and a mid-major, with it never coming close to being in-doubt.
UConn dominated in most facets of the game, but what really stood out was their sensational scoring. They moved the ball well, assisting 26 of their 33 made shots and converted on 45% of their triples. Everyone got involved in some way, which made it a fun offensive game to watch. That is, unless you were rooting for the Hoyas.
Alex Karaban was the unquestioned star of the show, going nuclear in the first half. Last time UConn played Georgetown, he scored 26 and poured in 25 this time. The forward’s efficiency was incredible, hitting on 10 of his 14 tries and going 4/7 from downtown. This is just another example of the Huskies being able to have a huge game from anyone on any given day. Karaban doesn’t need to do this every time out, but Saturday was his day and he feasted on the opportunity.
Also great was guard Steph Castle. After struggling in Tuesday’s battle against Butler, he picked up right from where he left off on his recent scoring surge. He posted 17 points on 11 shots against the Hoyas, but didn’t do much else. It was the freshman’s first collegiate game without an assist, typically one of the biggest parts of his game. As is true for UConn often though, no player has a defined role. Just as Karaban isn’t going to get 25 points nightly, Castle doesn’t have to always dish the ball if someone else is in a groove there.
The first of the set that got their teammates going was Tristen Newton, who played the game he needed to. His six point total was modest, but he rebounded well and posted a team-high nine assists. While not wowing anyone with deep shooting or finishing abilities, he made the right plays to help the team win and had a plus/minus of +28 to show for it, nine higher than anyone else.
Donovan Clingan had an unexpectedly poor outing on the scoring end, but did show flashes in the passing game. He managed four points and five boards, which are much lower than he typically contributes, but blocked four shots and added six assists. It’s known that Clingan is an above average playmaker positionally, but he’s never demonstrated it to this extent.
Another Husky who had a quieter night was Cam Spencer, who–like Newton–also made winning plays. He tacked on 10 points, seven assists and six rebounds and as always was a team-player. Spencer has been invaluable to the team this year, bringing unrivaled super-senior leadership to a team that benefits from it.
All said, the common theme for the squad is that it can be anyone’s day, any day. There are at least five players capable of exploding for 25+ in any given matchup. That’s a great omen for the team’s future, as they can sustain poor play from one of their stars.
As it stands, the Huskies remain in great shape in the Big East. They’re 12-1 in conference after winning 12 straight and are 22-2 on the season. Dan Hurley's Huskies usually start off weaker and surge towards the end of the season. There has been no such weak start this year. They still have road games left at Creighton and Marquette, but have plenty of talent to win either.
They won’t be challenged next time though, facing DePaul on Wednesday, who has not won a game in conference and is 3-20.
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