University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Zero in on Big East Foe Providence
1/11/2001 12:00:00โฏAM | Men's Basketball
ABOUT PROVIDENCE: Providence College is 10-4 overall and 1- 1 in the BIG EAST Conference. The Friars are coming off a 76- 67 BIG EAST road win at Villanova (Jan. 9) and the UConn game is the BIG EAST season home opener for the Friars.
SERIES HISTORY: This is the 55th meeting in the sport of men's basketball between UConn and Providence, dating back to the 1927-28 season. UConn leads in the overall series, 34-20, and the Huskies hold a 27-15 edge in the series between the two schools as BIG EAST rivals. UConn has won the last games played against PC. This is the 21st meeting between Connecticut and Providence played in the Providence Civic Center and the Huskies hold an 11-9 edge in that series.
LAST SEASON'S MEETING: Connecticut and Providence met just once during the 1999-2000 season and the Huskies posted a 64-50 victory at the Hartford Civic Center. Albert Mouring led the way for UConn with 20 points while Jake Voskuhl added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. UConn lost two players to injury during the second halfguard Khalid El-Amin (thigh contusion) with 18:16 left to play and Kevin Freeman (back spasms) with 12:35 remaining. Karim Shabazz (17 points) and Erron Maxey (16 points) paced PC.
LEAGUE PLAY TAKES OVER: Connecticut, which has posted an 11-1 record in non-league competition this season, will play all but one of its remaining 14 regular season games against BIG EAST Conference opponents. Following the game at Providence, UConn will play its final regular season non- league matchup visiting Texas on Monday, January 15, for an ESPN Big Monday game at 9 p.m. (EST).
BUTLER CO-ROOKIE OF WEEK AGAIN: UConn freshman forward Caron Butler is the BIG EAST Conference Co-Rookie of the Week for the second consecutive week. Butler averaged 22.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in two contests (Boston College and St. John's) last week. He totaled career highs of 29 points and 13 rebounds vs. Boston College and followed with a 15-point, 8-rebound effort vs. St. Johns. He also hit a three-point shot at the end of regulation vs. St. John's to send the game into overtime, where Connecticut won 82-80. Butler shares the BIG EAST Co-Rookie of the Week award with Omar Cook of St. John's. He shared the Rookie of the Week award one week ago with Eddie Griffin of Seton Hall.
CARON ONLY FRESHMAN IN TOP 15 IN NINE CATEGORIES: Connecticut freshman forward Caron Butler is the only freshman in the BIG EAST Conference ranked in the league's Top 15 in nine different statistical categories. The 6-7 Butler is second in the league in steals (2.6/game), sixth in offensive rebounds (3.3/game), eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.96), 11th in rebounding (7.8/game), 12th in scoring (16.6/game), 12th in field goal percentage (47.8%),12th in defensive rebounds (4.5/game), 13th in assists (4.1/game) and 14th in free throw percentage (73.4%).
CARON SHINES AMONG HUSKY ROOKIES: UConn freshman Caron Butler is the first freshman in Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun's 15 years as Husky head coach to score in double figures in each of his first 12 collegiate games. Butler, who sat out the first three UConn games of the 2000-2001 season, started his Husky career with 20 points vs. Louisville (Nov. 22) and has followed that with scoring efforts of 21, 15, 18, 16, 14, 16, 14, 10, 29, 15, and 11 points. Butler's scoring average of 16.6/game ranks No. 2 under Jim Calhoun among freshmen in their first 12 college contests. Following are the scoring statistics in their first 12 collegiate games for other heralded UConn freshman players under Jim Calhoun.
Khalid El-Amin 209 points=17.4/game Caron Butler 199 points=16.6/game Ray Allen 169 points=14.1/game Doron Sheffer 144 points=12.0/game Richard Hamilton 135 points=11.3/game Donyell Marshall 131 points=10.9/game Nadav Henefeld 120 points=10.0/game Scott Burrell 113 points=9.4/game Tate George 98 points=8.2/game Chris Smith 81 points=6.8/gameRIP-ONLY FRESHMAN LEADING SCORER: In Jim Calhoun's first 14 years as head coach of the Connecticut basketball program, Richard Rip Hamilton ranks as the only freshman to lead a UConn team in scoring for an entire season. Hamilton averaged 15.9 points per game as a freshman in 1996-97. Freshman Caron Butler currently is No. 1 on the 2000-2001 UConn team in scoring with a 16.6/game average. Butler also leads the team in rebounding (7.8/game).
TALIEK RECORDS BACK-TO-BACK DOUBLE FIGURE ASSISTS: UConn freshman guard Taliek Brown has become the first player in Connecticut basketball history to record double figure assists in back-to-back BIG EAST Conference regular season games. Taliek totaled 12 assists (Jan. 6) vs. St. John's and followed that effort with 10 assists vs. Pittsburgh (Jan. 10). Fellow UConn freshman Caron Butler had back-to-back double figure assist games in non-conference play in December (10 vs. Fairfield, 11 vs. Rhode Island). Former UConn star Kevin Ollie also had back-to-back double figure assist games during the BIG EAST Tournament in his junior season (1993-94) with 10 each against St. John's and Providence.
THIRD HUSKY WITH DOUBLE DOUBLE EFFORT: UConn freshman point guard Taliek Brown scored 10 points and added 10 assists in UConn's 73-53 win over Pittsburgh on January 10. He became the third member of the 2000-2001 Husky squad to record a double-double this season. Senior forward Edmund Saunders had back-to-back double-doubles in UConn's first two games of the season (15 points, 11 rebounds vs. Quinnipiac and 10 points, 14 rebounds vs. Dayton). UConn freshman Caron Butler has registered three double-doubles (21 points, 12 rebounds vs. Brown, 16 points, 10 assists vs. Fairfield, 29 points, 13 rebounds vs. Boston College). Butler also notched a rare triple-double with 14 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists vs. Rhode Island.
100 YEARS OF UCONN BASKETBALL: The University of Connecticut men's basketball program is celebrating a Century of Husky Hoops during the 2000-2001 season. The first varsity season for Connecticut Basketball was the 1901- 1902 season and the 2000-2001 season will complete 100 Years of UConn Basketball.
CONNECTICUT HAS 209 WINS IN LAST EIGHT SEASONS: During the past eight basketball seasons (beginning with the 1993- 94 season), Connecticut has won 209 games (209-46), ranking the Huskies No. 3 in the nation among 318 NCAA Division I schools for total victories during that span. UConn has averaged 28 wins per year during the past seven full seasons. The only Division I schools with more wins than UConn during the past eight years are Kentucky and Kansas.
13 STRAIGHT NATIONAL POST-SEASON BIDS: The Connecticut basketball program is one of only EIGHT schools (among 318 NCAA Division I institutions) to advance to national post- season tournament competition (NCAA or NIT) in each of the past 13 seasons (dating back to the 1987-88 season). Under the guidance of head coach Jim Calhoun, UConn has earned nine NCAA bids (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000) and four NIT bids (1988, 1989, 1993, 1997). The eight institutions which have advanced to national tournament play for the past 13 consecutive seasons include: Arizona, Arkansas, CONNECTICUT, Georgetown, Indiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Temple.
NATIONAL RANKING FOR 65 CONSECUTIVE POLLS: The University of Connecticut men's basketball program has been ranked in the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 National Poll for a school-record 65 consecutive polling periods (including the AP poll of Jan. 8), dating back to the 1997-98 season.
UCONN TOUGH AT HOME: Since the start of the 1989-90 season, Connecticut has posted an overall home courts record of 164-26 against collegiate opposition. During the past 12-year span, UConn has been 90-15 at home in the Hartford Civic Center, 69-11 at home in the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion, and 5-0 at home in the Hugh S. Greer Field House. During the past 12 seasons, UConn is 76-22 at home in BIG EAST Conference play (39-8 in Gampel Pavilion, 37-14 in the Hartford Civic Center) and the Huskies are 88-4 at home against non-BIG EAST opponents (53-1 in the Hartford Civic Center, 30-3 in Gampel Pavilion, 5-0 in the Hugh S. Greer Field House).
UCONN 109-13 AT HOME IN LAST EIGHT YEARS: Since the start of the 1993-94 season, Connecticut has posted an impressive 109-13 home courts record against collegiate opponents in the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs and the Hartford Civic Center. During the past eight seasons, UConn is 63-7 in Hartford and 46-6 in the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. NOTE: The record does not include three neutral court wins over Massachusetts in the Hartford Civic Center.
UCONN HEAD COACH JIM CALHOUN: Jim Calhoun (American International '68) is in his 15th season in charge of the Connecticut basketball program. In his 29th season as a collegiate head coach, Jim Calhoun has an overall career record of 592-269 (68.8%), having spent 14 seasons as the head coach at Northeastern University before taking over at Connecticut in 1986-87. Calhoun sports a 342-132 (72.2%) record at UConn and he registered a 250-137 (64.6%) mark at Northeastern. He is the only basketball coach in NCAA Division I history to have recorded at least 250 wins at two different schools. Jim Calhoun is the winningest coach in both UConn and Northeastern basketball history. Jim Calhoun has an 18-11 overall record vs. Providence as UConn head coach and the Huskies are 7-5 in games played in the Providence Civic Center since Jim Calhoun became head coach..
JIM CALHOUN-WINNINGEST COACH IN NEW ENGLAND HISTORY: Jim Calhoun's 29-year career as a collegiate head coach ranks him as the winningest NCAA coach in New England college basketball history. Jim Calhoun enters the Providence game with 592 career wins. He posted 250 wins in 14 years at Northeastern (MA) University and has added 342 wins at UConn in his 15 years at Connecticut.
JIM CALHOUN VS. NEW ENGLAND OPPONENTS: In his 15 seasons as head coach at Connecticut, Jim Calhoun has compiled a stunning overall won-loss record against New England-based collegiate rivals of 121-18 (an 87.1% winning effort). While coaching at UConn, Jim Calhoun is 78-3 against non-BIG EAST Conference New England opponents and sports a 43-15 mark against BIG EAST foes Providence College (18-11) and Boston College (25-4).
JIM CALHOUN NO. 9 IN WINS AMONG ACTIVE NCAA DIVISION I COACHES: Jim Calhoun's 29-year overall collegiate head coaching record of 592-269 places him No. 9 in total wins among NCAA Division I active coaches. The UConn head coach needs eight more victories to join an elite list of 23 NCAA Division I coaches (all-time) who have compiled a minimum of 600 college coaching wins.
NCAA Division I Winningest Active Coaches Through Games of January 10, 2001 1. Jim Phelan, Mt. St. Mary's 812-474 2. Jerry Tarkanian, Fresno St. 746-182 3. Lefty Driesell, Georgia St. 745-374 4. Lou Henson, New Mexico St. 731-372 5. Eddie Sutton, Oklahoma St. 668-262 5. Denny Crum, Louisville 668-286 7. John Chaney, Temple 640-232 8. Lute Olson, Arizona 622-224 9. Jim Calhoun, Connecticut 592-269 10. Jim Boeheim, Syracuse 589-200 11. Mike Krzyzewski, Duke 585-220JIM CALHOUN IMPRESSIVE IN POST-SEASON: UConn head coach Jim Calhoun currently sports an impressive 76.2% winning percentage (32-10 overall) in national post-season tournament play in his first 14 years as Husky head coach. Jim Calhoun is 21-7 in NCAA play at UConn and is 11-3 in NIT competition. That post-season winning percentage is higher than Coach Calhoun's overall winning percentage at Connecticut (342-132=72.2%).
JIM CALHOUN NO. 15 ALL-TIME IN NCAA WINS: UConn head coach Jim Calhoun, who directed Connecticut to the 1999 NCAA Division I National Championship, currently ranks No. 15 all-time in NCAA career victories. Calhoun is 24-12 overall in NCAA play (21-7 at UConn, 3-5 at Northeastern).
1. Dean Smith 65-27 (.707) 2. Mike Krzyzewski 50-14 (.781) 3. John Wooden 47-10 (.825) 4. Bob Knight 42-21 (.667) 5. Denny Crum 42-23 (.646) 6. John Thompson 34-19 (.642) 7. Lute Olson 32-21 (.604) 8. Jerry Tarkanian 31-14 (.689) 8. Jim Boeheim 31-20 (.608) 10. Adolph Rupp 30-18 (.625) 11. Eddie Sutton 30-20 (.600) 12. Rick Pitino 26-7 (.788) 12. Nolan Richardson 26-14 (.650) 12. Guy Lewis 26-18 (.591) 15. JIM CALHOUN 24-12 (.667) 16. Roy Williams 23-11 (.677) 17. Steve Fisher 20-6 (.769) 17. Al McGuire 20-9 (.690) 17. Joe Hall 20-9 (.690) 17. Rollie Massimino 20-10 (.667)ALBERT APPROACHING 1,000-POINT PLATEAU: Connecticut senior guard Albert Mouring is closing in on the coveted 1,000-point scoring plateau as a UConn player. Mouring will enter the Providence game having scored 976 points in 97 college contests (10.1/game). Currently, a total of 31 Connecticut men's basketball stars are members of the elite 1,000-point scoring club.
ALBERT MOURING ON WOODEN MID-SEASON TOP 30: Connecticut senior guard Albert Mouring is one of 30 collegiate stars listed on the John R. Wooden Award Midseason candidate list. The 6-3 Mouring, who is No. 2 on the Husky squad in scoring with a 16.2/game scoring average, is one of only four BIG EAST Conference players included in the Top 30 list. The other BIG EAST stars include Troy Murphy of Notre Dame, Preston Shumpert of Syracuse, and Eddie Griffin of Seton Hall.
EDMUND NO. 2 IN CAREER FIELD GOAL SHOOTING: UConn senior Edmund Saunders stands in the No. 2 spot on Connecticut's career field goal percentage shooting list. In 83 games during his Connecticut career, Saunders has converted 248 of 449 field goal attempts for a 55.2% field goal shooting performance. Chuck Aleksinas (1980-82) is No. 1 in career field goal shooting at 56.6% and Rod Sellers is No. 3 at 54.8%.
RECORD-SETTING SPAN: During the past 12 seasons (beginning with the 1989-90 season), head coach Jim Calhoun has directed the Connecticut basketball program to an overall record of 295-86 (77.4% winning effort), the fifth best overall record (total wins) among the 318 NCAA Division I teams in the nation. Prior to Jim Calhoun's tenure as head coach, Connecticut had only won as many as 23 games in a single season twice in the first 86 years of the program's history (1900-1986). Since the 1989-90 season, UConn has averaged 25.6 wins per season.
UCONNBIG EAST TEAM OF THE 1990'S: During the decade of the 1990's, the Connecticut men's basketball program was the winningest program among all BIG EAST Conference schools. From 1989-90 through the 1998-99 season, UConn sported a 10-year overall record of 257-74 (77.6%). In that same span, UConn's conference-best regular season record in BIG EAST games was 127-49.
UCONN HAS DOMINATED THE BIG EAST: Connecticut has won outright possession of five BIG EAST Conference regular season titles in the past seven years. UConn has also won three of the past five BIG EAST Tournament championships. In 1997-98 & 1998-99, UConn became the first program in BIG EAST history to win the BIG EAST regular season and tournament titles in back-to-back seasons.
HUSKIES WIN ON THE ROAD IN THE BIG EAST: The Connecticut basketball program is the clear leader in BIG EAST Conference regular season road wins during the past 12 years. Since the start of the 1989-90 season, Connecticut has posted a BIG EAST best 63-34 road record in league regular season games. Syracuse (59-39) is the only other BIG EAST school sporting a winning percentage in BIG EAST road games during the past 12-year span.
ALSO WINNING AT HOME IN THE BIG EAST: In addition to its highly-successful road record in the BIG EAST, the Connecticut basketball program has paced the entire BIG EAST Conference in regular season wins at home during the past 12-year span (beginning with the 1989-90 season). UConn has posted a 76-22 record at home in BIG EAST games during the past 12 years.
UCONN 172-101 AGAINST BIG EAST TEAMS UNDER JIM CALHOUN: The Connecticut men's basketball program has posted an overall record of 172-101 (63.0%) against BIG EAST Conference teams during Jim Calhoun's first 15 years in charge of the UConn program (152-91 in regular season play, 20-10 in BIG EAST Tournament games).
UCONN 170-31 AGAINST NON-CONFERENCE FOES UNDER JIM CALHOUN: The Connecticut men's basketball program has posted an overall record of 170-31 (84.6%) against non- conference teams in Jim Calhoun's 15 years in charge of the UConn program.
MOST WINS IN A THREE-YEAR STRETCH: The last three seasons of Connecticut Basketball have produced an overall record of 91-17 (32-5 in 1997-98, 34-2 in 1998-99, 25-10 in 1999- 00), the most wins in any three-season stretch in UConn's 100-year basketball history and an average of 30.3 wins per season.
FOUR IN DOUBLE FIGURES: Connecticut will enter the game against Providence with four players scoring in double figures. Freshman forward Caron Butler leads the way with an 16.6/game average. Senior guard Albert Mouring is next at 16.2/game. Junior forward Johnnie Selvie is third at 14.2/game and senior forward Edmund Saunders is fourth at 10.4/game.
SWAIN JOINS UCONN: Robert Swain, a 6-4 freshman from College Park, Georgia, has enrolled at the University of Connecticut joined the UConn men's basketball program beginning with the Rhode Island game (Dec. 26)wearing uniform No. 2. Swain will begin classes at UConn in January (spring semester). Swain averaged 29 points, eight rebounds and five assists a game during the 1999-2000 scholastic season in leading Tri-Cities High School (East Point, Georgia) to a 25-4 record and a regional championship.
GORDON SIGNS WITH UCONN: Ben Gordon, a 6-2 combination guard at Mount Vernon (NY) HS, signed a National Letter of Intent with the Connecticut Basketball program during the November signing period and plans to enroll at UConn for the 2001-2002 academic year. Gordon, rated among the Top 20 scholastic recruits in the nation and the USA Today New York Player of the Year as a junior, averaged 24.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 3.7 steals during his junior season at Mount Vernon in 1999-2000. Ben is obviously an important recruit for us, said UConn head coach Jim Calhoun. We believe he is one of the top 20 high school players in the country. He's a terrific shooter who can put it down, score, and do a lot of things on the court.
UP NEXT-TWO MORE ON THE ROAD: Following the game at Providence, UConn remains on the road for two more games.three straight contests. UConn plays its final non- league game of the 2000-2001 regular season by traveling to Austin, Texas for a Monday, January 15, ESPN Big Monday game at 9 p.m. against the University of Texas. Connecticut then moves on to Miami, Florida and resumes BIG EAST competition on Saturday, January 20, facing Miami at 4 p.m. at the Miami Arena.
TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR UCONN HOME GAMES IN HARTFORD: Reserved tickets, priced at $25 each, are on sale for the remaining Connecticut home games in the Hartford Civic Center (Villanova-Jan. 24, Providence-Feb. 6, Boston College-Feb. 13, Notre Dame-Feb. 26). Tickets are available at TicketMaster outlets throughout the state, by calling TicketMaster at (860) 525-4500 or (203) 624-0033, by ordering on-line at www.ticketmaster.com, at the Hartford Civic Center Box Office, or in person at the UConn Athletic Ticket Office in Storrs (cash or check only).
