MEN’S BASKETBALL GAMEDAY
MARQUETTE at UCONN
When: Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
Where: Gampel Pavilion
Records: Marquette 11-12 (6-10 Big East), UConn 11-6 (8-6 Big East)
TV: FOX
Radio: UConn Sports Network (97.9 FMESPN Hartford, WAVZ 1300 AM, WICC 600 AM, WINE 940 AM, WGCH 1490 AM, WILI 1400 AM)
KEEP AN EYE ON
A Whaley of a game: Tyler Polley had a huge 23-point game off the bench in UConn’s Jan. 5 win at Marquette and ultimately earned Big East Player of the Week honors. But Isaiah Whaley had a huge game as well, notching a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Whaley currently leads the Big East with 2.8 blocked shots per game and could be a front-runner for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award. The senior forward has had a bit of a roller-coaster season, but when he plays well, typically so do the Huskies: UConn is 5-1 in games Whaley has scored in double figures this season.
Elliott’s increased role: Junior guard Greg Elliott didn’t factor much for Marquette when UConn beat the Golden Eagles 65-54 on Jan. 5 in Milwaukee, scoring just three points in 21 minutes off the bench. But Elliott has been inserted into Marquette’s starting lineup the past two games and has truly responded, with 17 points in a win over Butler and 15 in Wednesday’s win at North Carolina.
History lesson: UConn and Marquette have met just 10 times, but there have been some memorable battles. In their first meeting on Jan. 10, 2007, Marquette’s Steve Novak poured in 41 points in a 73-69 Golden Eagle win. On Feb. 25, 2009, the Huskies’ 93-82 win in Milwaukee was the 800th of Jim Calhoun’s career. On Jan. 1, 2013, Marquette spoiled Kevin Ollie’s Big East debut as head coach with an 82-76 overtime win in which the referees messed up which side the teams were supposed to be defending in OT. And, of course, on Jan. 5, UConn overcame an 18point first-half deficit (and an injury to James Bouknight) to score a 65-54 win.