University of Connecticut Athletics
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UConn MBB Finishes Non-Conference Schedule At Home Vs. LIU
12/9/2022 6:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UConn Athletic Communications / Dec. 9, 2022
STORRS, Conn. – The UConn men's basketball team is chasing history as it wraps up its non-conference schedule Saturday against Long Island University, but the UConn players are hardly aware of it.
With a win over LIU (1-7) in Saturday's game at Gampel Pavilion (12:30 p.m., FS1) the fifth-ranked Huskies (10-0) would record the sixth undefeated non-conference season since UConn first joined the BIG EAST Conference in 1979-80.
A victory would also tie for the fourth-best start to a season in UConn basketball history – with the only better starts coming in 1998-99 (19-0), 1994-95 (15-0) and 1953-54 (14-0). An 11-0 start has been accomplished five previous times.
Still, the Huskies have remained focused on the job at hand, leaving all the records, rankings and expectations for other people to discuss.
"We have to just continue to execute, to play the same way we play in practice," said junior co-captain Andre Jackson Jr. "We are going to carry that over into the game and take the same approach that we take to every other game."
UConn Coach Dan Hurley is hoping that approach has become ingrained in the Huskies, no matter the opponent.
"Eventually, it becomes part of your identity and mentality," Hurley said. "There are areas where we haven't done a very good job – like turnovers, particularly from the guards, has not been good. It's got to improve.
"But there are the 'controlables' – the things you can do every single night, regardless of what the opponent does. Your defense can always be elite. Your rebounding can always be elite. Your relentless effort and being all about 'we' and not about 'me.' "
UConn, one of 10 undefeated teams in the country as of Friday afternoon, has obviously put together some impressive stats during its undefeated run from the start of the season. The scoring differential is plus-23.9, the rebounding differential is plus-10.3, the Huskies are shooting .479 as a team and allowing opponent to shoot only .377, UConn is shooting .368 from three-point range and allowing opponents to shoot just .279 from three. And, perhaps most impressive, none of the Huskies is averaging as much as 28.0 minutes per game.
"It's just been a team effort," guard Joey Calcaterra said. "I credit the coaching staff. They put us through hard practices and had us working together as a unit far before our first game."
LIU, going through a transition period under first-year coach Rod Strickland, has lost six straight and is obviously struggling. The Sharks have a victory over Mount Saint Vincent (D III) on Nov. 14, but has lost to Big East opponents Marquette and St. John's, as well as to Towson and UMass Lowell in its last two games. The Sharks are giving up 80.1 points per game, while scoring 66.5.
Hurley wants the Huskies to focus on giving the same kind of effort, not matter what kind of team they are facing.
"Not out-talenting our opponent, but playing an outstanding all-around game," he said. "Cleaning up areas that we need to, like turnovers, but really giving a sustained, full 40-minute relentless effort of execution and selflessness. Because that's what it's going to take to win conference games."
Led by Adama Sanogo (18.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg), Jordan Hawkins (13.5 ppg) and Tristen Newton (10.8 ppg, 4.1 apg), the Huskies have put forth that kind of effort in 10 games so far.
In 400 minutes of playing time, UConn has trailed for just 24:09, and has not trailed at all in any second half.
But that's just another impressive statistic that doesn't interest the Huskies. The only number that concerns them on Saturday will be trying to get victory No. 11. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
