University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Butler
UCONN MBB, BUTLER START BACK-TO-BACK, HOME-AND-HOME SERIES
1/17/2022 9:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UConn Athletic Communications / Jan. 17, 2022
HARTFORD, Conn. – Due to a rescheduled game from Jan. 1, the men's basketball teams from UConn and Butler find themselves in an unusual situation that will result in two games against each other in a span of three days and 850 miles.
The No. 25/25 Huskies (11-4 overall, 2-2 BIG EAST) will play host to the Bulldogs (9-7, 2-3) on Tuesday at the XL Center in Hartford (7 p.m., FS1) and Butler will return the favor on Thursday at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis (9 p.m., FS1).
Tuesday's game was originally scheduled for Jan. 1 in Hartford, but was postponed due to Covid issues.
UConn and Butler have only met three times overall, the first time in the 2011 NCAA Championship game, a 53-41 UConn win, and twice in last season's home-and-home series, both UConn victories.
The Huskies have not played since Jan. 12, when they topped St. John's, 86-78, in overtime at Gampel Pavilion, led by sophomore Adama Sanogo's 26 points, 18 rebounds and 6 blocked shots – a performance that earned him BIG EAST Player of the Week honors. Grad student R.J. Cole added 19 points and 8 assists to the win, while senior Tyrese Martin and sophomore Andre Jackson chipped in 11 points apiece.
Cole is UConn's top scorer (16.4) and also leads in assists (4.9), while Sanogo also averages double figures (15.9) and leads the team in rebounds (7.8). In just conference games, Sanogo leads the BIG EAST in overall rebounding (12.0) and offensive rebounds (4.3) and is second in defensive rebounds (7.7), field goal percentage (.538) and blocked shots (3.3).
The Huskies are the top three-point shooting team in the league (.394) and also lead the conference in three-pointers made per game (9.3). They are fourth in scoring (76.0) and seventh in scoring defense (73.8).
Butler is in the midst of a demanding schedule stretch which included three straight road games at Georgetown (Jan. 13), at Villanova (Jan. 16), at UConn (Jan. 18), back home to play UConn again (Jan. 20), and at Providence (Jan. 23) – five games in 11 days, four of them on the road.
The Bulldogs feature a balanced attack with five players averaging between 8.6 and 10.5 points per game, led by guard Chuck Harris (10.5). Bryce Nze is the top rebounder (5.4).
In BIG EAST games, Butler is scoring 61.0 ppg, but allows 71.4 and is at a minus-6.8 rebounding disadvantage.
Following the back-to-back games against Butler, UConn will return to Gampel Pavilion on Tuesday, Jan. 25, to entertain Georgetown.       Â
