New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Packing ’em in
Sellout crowd awaits Huskies in Big East opener
STORRS — UConn’s last Big East game played before a crowd was on March 9, 2013.
A sellout crowd assembled at Gampel Pavilion to watch the Huskies’ final game in the league it had helped make great, but was now being torn asunder by conference realignment.
As if the basketball gods wanted to put off the inevitable at least five more minutes, the game went into overtime, where
UConn won 63-59.
The Huskies’ opponent? Providence,
their regional rival.
On Saturday, UConn will play its first Big East game in front of a crowd since that March day. A sellout will jam the XL Center at 5 p.m. (FOX), and the atmosphere will be electric.
The 20th-ranked Huskies’ opponent? Providence, again.
“It’s exciting, this is what it’s all about,” coach Dan Hurley said on Friday. “You can’t wait to get to game night, get to the arena, play against a Top 25-level opponent — whether Providence is ranked or not, they should be ranked, based on what they’ve done to this point. Two top teams in a wild environment.”
“It’s honestly going to be crazy,” added junior guard Jalen Gaffney. “We haven’t played in front of a sold-out crowd at the XL Center in a while, not since ... the Memphis game? And that game was insane.”
Indeed, the last time the Huskies (9-2) played before a sellout in Hartford was Feb. 16, 2020 — an emotional, 64-61 victory. A lot has changed since then.
Akok Akok tore his left Achilles tendon a minute into that game, underwent surgery, barely played last season and is just starting to round back into his old self. On the heels of a 12point, three-block effort in UConn’s win over St. Bonaventure a week ago, the 6-foot-9 forward could play a key role in helping to neutralize Nate Watson, PC’s 6-10 center and one of the best big men in the country.
And, of course, that Memphis game was one of the last the Huskies played in the American Athletic Conference. UConn returned to the Big East last season, but because of CO