WILSON OFFICIALLY JOINS UCONN MEN’S BASKETBALL UConn women release a loaded nonconference schedule
Sidney Wilson is officially a member of the UConn men's basketball program. UConn announced Tuesday that Wilson, a top 75 recruit from the Bronx, is enrolled in school as a freshman transfer. He attended summer classes at St. John's before deciding to leave.
A 6-foot-7 wing player with a 7-foot wing span, Wilson averaged 17.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and shot 60 percent from the field last season for Brewster Academy, which went undefeated and won the national prep championship. He spent his first three years at St. Raymond's in the Bronx where he scored over 1,000 career points.
"We are happy and excited to welcome Sid to the UConn family," coach Kevin Ollie said in a release. "He is an outstanding player and a high-character young man, who has the kind of talent, versatility and athleticism that we want in our program."
Wilson will not be eligible to play this season unless the NCAA approves a waiver. At the very least, he will be able to practice with the Huskies. He has all four years of eligibility left.
"We have complete confidence that our compliance staff at UConn will work hand-in-hand with the NCAA to determine Sid's status," Ollie said. "I know that whatever the situation Sid faces, he will tackle with hard work and dedication.”
Ollie heavily recruited Wilson before the promising wing selected St. John's. The second time around, Wilson opted for UConn.
— Gavin Keefe
UConn announced its 2017-18 nonconference women's basketball schedule on Tuesday, a 13-game test that includes seven games against teams that advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament last season.
The Huskies open their season against Stanford on Sunday, Nov. 12, as part of the Countdown to Columbus event at Nationwide Arena, site of the 2018 Final Four. The Cardinal were 32-6 last year and reached the Final Four.
That game will be followed by the home opener against California on Nov. 17 and another tough home test two days later against Maryland, the Big 10 champion.
UConn then heads west to play UCLA on Nov. 21 and Michigan State on Nov. 25 as part of the Nike/PK 80 tournament at the University of Oregon. The event is being held in honor of Nike founder Phil Knight's 80th birthday. The Huskies will end their West Coast trip on Nov. 28 with a homecoming game for Gabby Williams against Nevada in Reno.
UConn returns home briefly to host Notre Dame on Sunday Dec. 3, before visiting another former Big East rival DePaul on Dec. 8 in Chicago.
Following a break for exams, the Huskies will end the calendar year with a game against Oklahoma on Dec. 19 in the Naismith Hall of Fame Holiday Showcase at Mohegan Sun Arena, and a trip to Hamilton, Ontario on Dec. 22 to play Duquesne in a homecoming for senior Kia Nurse.
Connecticut's other nonconference games will be played in 2018, including a game at Texas on Jan. 15, a game at reigning national champion South Carolina on Feb. 1, and a home game against Louisville on Feb. 12.
The sites for all nonconference home games have yet to be announced. UConn's American Athletic Conference schedule is also expected to be released later this month along with times and television information.
Of the 13 nonconference games, four will be at home, five on the road and four at neutral sites. In addition, eight games will be televised nationally, including four on ESPN, and 11 will be played against teams that played in the NCAA tournament last year.
— Day Staff Reports