No. 5 UConn is off to a dominant begin this season, profitable every of its 9 video games by double figures with a median margin of 24.2 factors.
The Huskies (9-0), who will get their first highway check of the season Wednesday at Florida (6-3), haven’t performed this properly to begin a marketing campaign since 2013-14, the 12 months the Shabazz Napier-led Huskies received the varsity’s newest nationwide championship.
(*5*) UConn coach Dan Hurley mentioned. “Now, we’re trying to go from contenders to champions.”
UConn has posted its final 4 wins over KenPom Top 50 opponents, with its newest victory a 74-64 resolution in opposition to Oklahoma State on Dec. 1 as a part of the Big East-Big 12 Battle.
Balance has helped gasoline the robust begin for the Huskies. Five gamers are averaging 9 or extra factors for UConn, led by 6-foot-9 ahead Adama Sanogo (18.7 factors per sport, 6.9 rebounds per sport). Through 9 contests, UConn has had 4 totally different main scorers and 5 totally different main rebounders.
“We’re not going to be complacent,” mentioned UConn senior level guard Tristen Newton, who’s averaging 11.4 factors and 4.2 assists. “A top-10 rating isn’t what we wish. We need to win video games. There’s no level of being prime 10 if you happen to’re going to fiddle and find yourself dropping.
“We’re going to practice hard every day. We all want to win, and we have great depth, so I feel like we can carry it on.”
On protection, Connecticut is holding opponents to 58.7 factors per sport on 38.5 p.c taking pictures from the ground.
The Gators take a two-game win streak into their matchup with the Huskies. Defense has helped spark the run. Florida held Stetson to 33.3 p.c taking pictures in an 89-51 win over the Hatters on Sunday and has restricted opponents to a median of 56.5 factors and 33.9 p.c taking pictures from the ground over its previous two video games.
“We can be a very good team if we guard more,” mentioned Florida ahead Alex Fudge, who had 11 factors and eight rebounds whereas making his first begin for the Gators in opposition to Stetson. “Tonight was the first night, but we’re going to keep it up, consistency. We’re going to bring it to the next game and the next game.”
The Gators’ offense has been led by heart Colin Castleton (16.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.9 blocks per sport), guard Will Richard (13.6 ppg, .586 from 3-point vary) and guard Trey Bonham (10.2 ppg, 2.2 apg). Florida could possibly be with out start line guard Kyle Lofton (9.6 ppg, 4.1 apg), who has sat out the previous two video games due to again spasms.
Florida is about to face a ranked opponent for the primary time this season.
“It’s a great opportunity for us,” first-year Gators coach Todd Golden mentioned. “If we can find a way to get this thing done, it will be another way to build confidence for a team that is learning ourselves, is learning to figure out to be the best we can be.”
–Field Level Media