University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Seton Hall
UCONN MBB GOES ON THE ROAD TO MEET SETON HALL
3/1/2021 10:14:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UConn Athletic Communications / March 2, 2021
Riding the potent 1-2 scoring punch of sophomore James Bouknight and junior R.J. Cole, the surging UConn men's basketball team heads for Newark, N.J., to challenge Seton Hall on Wednesday, March 3, at the Prudential Center.
The game is scheduled for a 6:30 tipoff and will be televised by FS1, with the radio broadcast on the UConn Sports Network.
With wins in four of its past five games, the Huskies (12-6 overall, 9-6 BIG EAST) have climbed to third place via winning percentage in the league standings. Already assured of a bye into the quarterfinals in the BIG EAST Tournament, UConn can finish as high as third with wins over Seton Hall Wednesday and in the regular-season finale Saturday at home against Georgetown.
The Huskies' climb has been keyed by their starting backcourt. Bouknight, in four games since returning from six weeks of recovery from elbow surgery, has averaged 20.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, with a pair of double-doubles. Cole, who Monday was named the BIG EAST Player of the Week, is averaging 16.5 points, 5.0 assists and 3.1 rebounds over his last six games.
Defensively, UConn has been led by senior Isaiah Whaley, who ranks among the top 10 shot blockers in the country at 2.8 per game. The Huskies lead the BIG EAST in scoring defense (69.8) as well as blocked shots (5.1).
Seton Hall (13-10, 10-7), which defeated UConn, 80-73, earlier this season in Storrs, has a Player of the Year candidate in senior Sandro Mamukelashvili, who leads the Pirates in scoring (17.8) and rebounding (7.1). Mamu has 22 points against the Huskies in their first meeting, while Myles Cale added 20.
Seton Hall is just one place behind UConn in the conference standings, as both teams seek to build their NCAA Tournament resumes. The Pirates will finish the regular season on Saturday at St.John's.
Not only is Wednesday's game a homecoming for UConn coach Dan Hurley (Jersey City), but for Cole (Union) and sophomore Jalen Gaffney (Columbus) as well. Hurley, a 1996 Seton Hall grad, is 1-2 as a coach against his alma mater, 1-1 while he was at Rhode Island and 0-1 while at UConn.
UConn is 5-3 on the road this season, while Seton Hall is 7-3 at home. Â Â Â
