University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
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Delaware State University
1-4,0-0MEAC
Centers Lead UConn MBB To Dominating Win Over Delaware State
11/20/2022 9:06:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UConn Athletic Communications / Nov. 20, 2022
UConn-Delaware State Game Quotes
HARTFORD, Conn. – The center position of the UConn men's basketball team produced 42 points, 13 rebounds, 4 blocked shots, and had a field goal percentage of .773 as the No. 25 Huskies completed a sweep of their season-opening, five-game homestand with a 95-60 romp over Delaware State on Sunday at the XL Center.
Junior Adama Sanogo poured in 26 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, while freshman Donovan Clingan had a season-high 16 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks as the Huskies (5-0) broke out to an 18-5 lead in the first 5:00 and were never headed.
"You have two centers who can both create problems for the other team," UConn coach Dan Hurley said. "It's huge if teams have to prepare for our center position, and they're two different types of players, and the spacing that they create with the way that the team is constituted, forces people to pick their poison. Adama is really difficult to deal with in one-on-one situations and if Donovan plays that position and gets in a ball screen game and rolls to the rim, it puts the other team in a bad position to give up either a lob dunk or give up a three."
Delaware State (1-4) was at a distinct disadvantage even as the game began, since top scorers Brandon Stone and Khyrie Staten were taken ill before the game and were not able to play.
But the visiting Hornets were likely to have had their hands full trying to hold down UConn on a night when the Huskies shot 57.4 percent from the floor, scored 44 points in the paint, got 33 points off the bench and handed out 25 assists on 35 field goals.
"It really helps both of us playing against each other every day," Clingan said. "It helps me to go against a strong guy like Adama and it helps him to go against a 7-footer."
"I have to try to find a way to score when I play against Donovan," Sanogo said. "He's not an easy guy to play against. Yes, it helps both of us."
The competition grows a lot tougher for the Huskies beginning next week, when they travel to Portland, Ore., to compete in the Phil Knight Invitational over Thanksgiving. First opponent for UConn will be homestanding Oregon on Thanksgiving Day (8 p.m. EST, ESPN2).
"These guys have played basketball at a high level their whole careers," Hurley said. "Our quality will show. I think we are ready to attack those type of opponents. I'm excited about it."
Besides Sanogo and Clingan, the Huskies received double-figure scoring from sophomore Jordan Hawkins (11), grad Joey Calcaterra (11) and redshirt freshman Alex Karaban.
Jevin Muniz led Delaware State with 21 points.
UConn widened the gap to 57-24 at halftime and was never threatened in the second half. It was UConn's highest-scoring game of the season and its widest margin of victory. Â
"That's the best team we've seen all year," said Delaware State coach Stan Waterman. "Man, they're really good. They've got a lot of pieces -- they've got size, they've got shooters, they defend, they're well-coached. That was a pretty impressive performance by UConn. There are levels to this thing and we got a chance to see what it's like at the highest level."
