UConn: 23-10 last season, 35% of scoring returns
Projected starters:
G: Tristen Newton 6’5 200 SR, 17.7p, 4.8r, 5.0a, 1.4s, 33.3 3p%, 43.5 fg% (stats from East Carolina)
G: Nahiem Alleyne 6’4 195 SR, 9.6p, 2.8r, 1.5a, 37.3 3p% (stats from Virginia Tech)
G: Jordan Hawkins 6’5 175 SO, 5.8p, 2r, 33.3 3p%, #51 recruit of ‘21
W: Andre Jackson 6’6 205 JR, 6.8p, 6.8r, 3.1a, 1.2s, 42.6 fg%, 36.1 3p%
C: Adama Sanogo 6’9 250 JR, 14.8p, 8.8r, 1.9b, 2.3 TO, 50.4 fg%
Projected bench:
G: Hassan Diarra 6’2 197 JR, 6.2p, 1.8r, 1.4a, 0.7s, 32.4 3p%, 37 fg% (stats from Texas A&M)
F: Samson Johnson 6’10 200 SO, 5.2 mpg, 1.7p, 1.1r, #57 recruit of ‘21
F: Alex Karaban 6’8 210 FR, #95 prospect of ‘21
G: Joey Calcaterra 6’3 165 GR, 8.5p, 2.8r, 1.3a, 0.7s, 34.7 3p% (stats from San Diego)
C: Donovan Clingan 7’1 255 FR, #46 prospect of ‘22
F: Richie Springs 6’9 225 JR, 3.5 mpg, 1.3p, 1.1r,
UConn was a program in transition when it hired Dan Hurley prior to the 2018-2019 season. After their first consecutive pair of losing seasons since the end of the Dom Perno and start of the Jim Calhoun era, Hurley has steadily started to rebuild the program, leading the Huskies to the tournament in each of its two seasons in the Big East. However, first round losses in both appearances have left Hurley and fans yearning for more.
With four of its five top scorers graduating, UConn entered the offseason with a tenuous idea of how the roster will look for this season. One of the last greats to have played for Bob Hurley at St. Anthony High in Jersey City, NJ, point guard RJ Cole was UConn’s leading scorer, rim attacker, distributor and de facto captain. Originally recruited by Dan Hurley during his time at Rhode Island, Tyrese Martin parlayed his physical guard play, elite rebounding and improved efficiency to a selection in the second round of his year’s NBA draft. Isaiah Whaley, admirably self-anointed as “The Wrench” was UConn’s glue guy with an infectious motor that made him a menace protecting the rim, aggressively hedging on the perimeter while also providing offensive efficiency and improved shooting from deep. The last graduate was Tyler Polley, a 6’9 stretch forward who hit a total of 185 career three-pointers at a 37.2% rate.
Most programs would expect a rebuilding season following the level of talent graduating from UConn, but three homegrown talents are poised to be major contributors of his season’s retooling, led by All-Big East First Team selection Adama Sanogo. Making a huge jump in his sophomore season, Sanogo added rim protection (1.9 blocks/game) to his low post dominance and two-way rebounding. The next stage of his development is improving his vision and kick out abilities, which will help improve his assist/turnover ratio (1.0:2.3).
Sanogo’s kick out options are projected to improve thanks to a change of offensive philosophy by Hurley and his staff. Wanting to play more of a four-out system, incoming junior Andre Jackson is a big ingredient to help make this system come to fruition. One of the best athletes in program history, the 6’6 210 Jackson flashes five-tool ability: his vision, passing, rebounding, switchability on defense and improved strength projects Jackson as the team’s 4 spot in the four-out offense. Named to the Big East All-Freshman team, Jordan Hawkins is anticipated to take the biggest jump in the roster. Penciled into a starting position, Hawkins’ above the rim athleticism, soft shot and three-point range has fans drooling over what he can be this upcoming season, especially after a full season in the weight room.
With lots of playing time up for battle, Hurley and his staff aggressively hit the transfer portal, like most teams, at levels unforeseen in school history. The four-man transfer haul helped improve the team’s shooting and versatility, two major ingredients for a successful, almost positionless four-out system from the 1-to-4 spots .
East Carolina transfer Tristen Newton highlights the transfer class. The 6’5 200 senior “point wing” was Mr. Everything on the offensive side of the board with his 28.0% possession rate ranked #124 nationally amongst all D1 players. Newton led East Carolina in points, free throw attempts, free throw percentage and assists while ranked second in rebounds, steals and three-point percentage. Clearly the most talented member on one of the perennial bottom feeders of the AAC, at times Newton had to force the offense, evident of his conference high 3.5 turnovers/game. At UConn, Newton is penciled in as the team’s point guard and similar to RJ Cole, who transferred in from Howard, a decrease in usage rate should improve Newton’s turnover rate.
Virginia Tech transfer Nahiem Alleyne is one of the new additions who will help share the offensive load, improve the team’s shooting and versatility in the backcourt. The 6’4 195 senior played the 3 guard in Mike Young’s shooting friendly offense where he provided efficiency from outside and on the line (37.3 3p% with 1.7 made threes per game, 85.2 ft%) and limited mistakes on the offensive end (just 1.1 turnovers/game).
Texas A&M transfer Hassan Diarra is the younger brother of former UConn forward and current Director of Player Development Mamadou Diarra, who got an early start to coaching after a promising career was cut short due to injuries. With modest overall career numbers, Hassan Diarra is looking to parlay his strong finish to his sophomore year (8.2p, 1.9a, 45.5 2p%, 37.8 3p%, 18.9 mpg in his last 14 games) to a featured role in the UConn rotation that can develop into a starting spot in the future. His ability to play both guard spots will certainly help him carve out a big role this season.
The most recent transfer addition is San Diego grad transfer Joey Calcaterra. A solid June addition to the program, the 6’3 165 Calcaterra averaged 10.6 points, 1.6 assists, 1.4 three pointers made at a 36.2% rate across his last three years at San Diego. Playing anywhere between the 1 and the 3 for the Toreros, Calcaterra will be counted on as a shooter and secondary ball-handler off the bench.
Similar to conference mates Villanova, most of UConn’s bench is built with promising homegrown talent. Sophomore Samson Johnson flashed his stretch forward ability whose style closely resembles the recently departed Akok Akok, who took his talents to Georgetown. A late-bloomer who didn’t seriously play basketball until he was 16, the former four-star from the Patrick School (the same high school program that groomed Adama Sanogo) oozes with potential and another offseason in the weight room should help prepare Johnson for more of a regular rotation role this season.
Few UConn recruits have been more homegrown than Bristol, CT native Donovan Clingan. The 7’1 255 top-50 prospect’s omnipresence behind the UConn bench last season has made it seem like this UConn Superfan has already spent a year with the team. Primed to be UConn’s “Next Great Big” Clingan will start the upcoming season earning backup minutes behind Sanogo.
An early enrollee last year, IMG Academy's Alex Karaban will look to crack the rotation as a combo forward. The 6’8 220 forward originally from Massachusetts is a bit of a nightmare matchup who is capable of doing a little bit of everything on both sides of the floor thanks to his skills and will. As it stands, redshirt junior Richie Springs is the last piece of the UConn bench. With just 41 career minutes played across two seasons, the 6’9 225 forward now has his best opportunity to compete for a role in the rotation thanks to his work on the boards and his comfort playing a face up offensive game. With two more scholarships left to fill, there remains a possibility for a ‘23 reclass or a transfer to add rotation depth.
Entering his first season with a roster entirely made up of his own recruits, Hurley and his staff has a wealth of athleticism, toughness, skill and versatility for creative rotations. Combined with significant roster turnover and a dedicated fanbase ready to take the next step, not many coaches are in a situation like Hurley but the team has the pieces to make it work and remain as one of the top teams in the Big East.
OOC games as of 6/27/22
11/17 v Stonehill
11/24-11/27 Phil Knight Invitational. Three games against possible opponents:
Alabama, Iowa State, Michigan State, North Carolina, Oregon, Portland, Villanova
12/1 v Oklahoma State
12/7 @ Florida
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