University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Georgetown University
UConn MBB Faces Road Test At Georgetown
2/3/2023 8:50:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UConn Athletic Communications / Feb. 3, 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the UConn men's basketball team heads to Washington, D.C., for its second straight road game, this one against Georgetown on Saturday at the Capital One Arena (noon, FS1), the Huskies can think about getting even.
UConn (17-6 overall, 6-6 BIG EAST) will be out to even its record in true road games this year, currently at 3-4.
And the #24/#23 Huskies will also be trying to even their all-time series against Georgetown, currently at 35-36, dating all the way back to the 1958-59 season.
Meanwhile. Georgetown (6-17, 1-11) will have a similar type of motivation as it tries to even the season series against UConn after dropping an 84-73 decision to the Huskies on Dec. 20 in Gampel Pavilion.
The Huskies are trying to build on their 90-76 road victory at DePaul last Wednesday, in which three players – Jordan Hawkins (26), Adama Sanogo (25) and Tristen Newton (21) – combined for a whopping 72 points. It marked the first time this season that Newton has recorded back-to-back 20-point games.
"Tristen is really playing more like a guy who is in his second year with us, in terms of picking his spots and driving the ball and being more aggressive," UConn coach Dan Hurley said. "He's on a good run right now. He's figuring it out. The best thing I liked about the game was his effort."
The game against Georgetown, provides another opportunity for UConn to get on a roll.
"We have a chance to create some momentum." Hurley said. "I think we have some guys with some offensive confidence right now. But we have to get tougher and we have to defend for full games."
In the first game against Georgetown, UConn also received major offensive contributions from Newton (17), Hawkins (15) and Sanogo (14) and got another boost from guard Joey Calcaterra (14) off the bench.
Georgetown did not make it easy on the Huskies, however, going on a 14-2 run to start the second half to take a 54-49 lead and holding a 62-56 advantage with 10:31 remaining.
But 12 unanswered points by UConn put the Huskies back in front and then another 10-2 run put them in control for good.
Still, the Hoyas figure to play an even more aggressive game at home.
"There are no easy road games in this league," Hurley said.
The Hoyas are led by graduate guard Primo Spears, averaging 16.8 points and 5.3 assists per game. Guard Brandon Murray (14.4), guard Jay Heath (12.9) and center Qudus Wahab (10.3) are also averaging in double figures. Wahab is the leading rebounder (7.3). The fifth starter is former UConn player Akok Akok (7.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg).
"Georgetown has tremendous one-on-one players, in Murray and Spears, especially in creating their own shots," Hurley said. "And they get really good frontcourt play from Wahab and Akok. Their talent level makes them a scary team.
"For us, the equation is simple – we've got to have dominant center play on a nightly basis. We've got to have guys scoring for us on the perimeter. And the defense and rebounding have got to be there."
