11d ago basketball Edit

West Coast transfer guard Aidan Mahaney set for UConn Basketball visit

Zach Smart • UConnReport

Hoops Recruiting Analyst

UConn has tapped into the West Coast recruiting market, as the Huskies are anticipating an upcoming visit from St. Mary's transfer and Lafayette, Calif. native Aidan Mahaney. Mahaney is a crafty 6-foot-3 lead guard with an efficient around the rim arsenal and considerable 3-point range. This past season at St. Mary's, he averaged 13.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.6 steals.

With the Huskies bidding adieu to a dynamic 3-point shot maker and senior leader in Cam Spencer, as well as dart-throwing facilitator and scorer Tristen Newton, among others, the Huskies continue to build up their backcourt. They return a promising rising sophomore in Virginia native Solomon Ball, a versatile and athletic left handed guard who showed flashes during the regular season last year.

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Mahaney has been effective at picking his spots offensively, delivering high low passes and feeding the post with an innate awareness. He's able to stick shots from way beyond the confines of the 3-point line and also bury jumpers on the move and through heightened pressure and hard close-outs.

Against Gonzaga in what was his second to last final game in a St. Mary's jersey, Mahaney turned in a 23-point showing, on the strength of 5-for-7 from beyond the arc (9-for-15 FG). in a 70-57 loss. During a 77-60 trouncing of San Francisco, Mahaney scored a game-best 22 points, toting the hot hand as he stuck 5-for-10 from beyond the arc. Mahaney had a 25-point game, on a scintillating 8-for-11 from the field (including 4-for-7 from beyond the arc), along with six assists and four steals during an 81-70 victory over San Diego. Mahaney's pesky on-ball defense enabled him to surface into a stabilizing piece at St. Mary's.

Mahaney provides a tough, veteran guard with a high level skill set and knack for hitting poised shots. He provides the stability and big game experience which tends to make transfers a safer bet than high school/prep prospects. He averaged an identical 13.9 PPG during his freshman and sophomore seasons at St. Mary's, shooting it at 40 percent clip from 3-point range as a freshman and 36 percent as a sophomore.

Since entering the transfer portal, Mahaney has heard from the likes of the Huskies, Kentucky, Virginia, Michigan, Ole Miss, Colorado, St. John's, Duke, Alabama, Villanova, USC, Creighton, Xavier, Arkansas, and several others. Mahaney has recently visited Virginia and is anticipated to take visits to both Kentucky and UConn this weekend.