Huskies anxiously await Jackson’s return
“It's critically important with this team the way we're constituted, to have any chance of winning we're going to need him to play really, really well because we're trying to find an identity of where we can go with the ball to get points.”
UCONN COACH DAN HURLEY, ON ANDRE JACKSON
Andre Jackson is a significant part of coach Dan Hurley's rebuilding plan.
A talented and versatile freshman guard, Jackson has yet to really have a chance to showcase his skills.
Jackson played only four games for the Huskies before breaking a bone in his left wrist during practice on Dec. 21. He's been on the sidelines ever since, missing six straight games leading up into UConn's Big East game against Butler Tuesday night at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs.
He could be back as early as this week. He's already returned to practice.
The sooner Jackson returns, the better. UConn is down to nine healthy players, with James Bouknight (elbow) and Akok Akok (shin) also missing time due to injuries.
"He desperately wants to be on the court," Hurley said about Jackson on Monday. "When you have injured players and you kind of look at them on the side, you see that's a guy that's desperate to get in there. So we're going to throw him in there.
"He's a huge part of this plan that we put together. Three major parts of it are on the side watching. So when he gets in there, we're going to give him the same opportunity to develop that we've given Adama (Sanogo) and invest in him."
Jackson arrived on campus as the marquee player in the incoming recruit class.
He averaged 18.8 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 2.7 blocks during his senior season at Albany (N.Y.) Academy. Fans flocked to Jackson's games to watch his highlight reel plays.
In his UConn debut in the season opener on Nov. 25, Jackson had four points, five rebounds, six assists and a block in 19 minutes in a rout of Central Connecticut. But he saw limited action in the next three games before suffering his wrist injury.
Hurley said on Friday that Jackson had another important appointment this week. If pain-free, Jackson could play at any point.
By this time this season, Hurley expected that Jackson would be a vital member of the rotation. Instead, Jackson lost valuable time to develop.
Sanogo, on the other hand, benefited from practice and eventually won the starting job over senior Josh Carlton.
A 6-foot-9 forward blessed with a soft shooting touch and old-school inside game, Sanogo's been one of UConn's most reliable players in the last two games, averaging 12.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in 18.5 minutes during that span.
"It's critically important with this team the way we're constituted, to have any chance of winning we're going to need him to play really, really well because we're trying to find an identity of where we can go with the ball to get points," Hurley said.
"His development into a championship level player at his position is critical to what we're building here. We would have seen this early if COVID didn't destroy his summer and preseason. Same thing with Andre."
Adams in a shooting funk
Brendan Adams, a junior, started for the fifth straight game on Tuesday. He stepped in to the first five when Bouknight was forced to the sidelines.
He's made a solid contribution on defense and in the rebounding department
but struggled offensively.
In the four games as a starter, Adams averaged 6.5 points while converting just 6 for 24 from the field, or 25 percent.
"We need Brendan to probably play with a little bit more offensive confidence...," Hurley said.
"I think we've got to try to get close to double figure points and just rock solid play on the glass and defensively. He's got to deliver that for us."
Adams has scored in double figures only once this season, tallying 15 in the season opener, and 14 times in 72 career games, including 12 last season.
Crashing the offensive boards
As of Tuesday, UConn ranked third in the country in offensive rebounds per game at 14.8. Only Houston (15.5) and North Carolina (15.8) are better.
No other Big East team resides in the top 50 in that category.
Individually, junior Tyrese Martin leads the team with 3.3 offensive boards per game, tied for 23rd in the country.
Staggering statistic
UConn has missed a ton of layups and close range shots this season.
The numbers back that up. According to hoop-math.com, the Huskies are shooting 52.7 percent on shots at the rim, ranking 325 out of 347 Division I programs. That includes dunks, tip-ins and layups.
“We're by far the worst team in the conference at twos, in particular good quality twos,” Hurley said. “The amount of layups that we miss and free throws, and obviously critical free throws, has to change if we want to be able to win with this group because our margin for error with this particular team right now is very thin.”
UConn entered Tuesday's game shooting 42.3 percent overall from the field, 35.1 percent from 3-point range and 70.5 percent from the foul line.
Three regulars in the rotation are converting under 35 percent overall — guards R.J. Cole (33.7), Adams (32.1) and Jalen Gaffney (34.1).
News and notes
Three more starting times were announced for UConn games: Seton Hall, Feb. 6, noon; at Providence, Feb. 10, 9 p.m.; at Xavier, Feb. 13, noon . ... Bouknight is one of the top 10 finalists for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year award, joining Austin Peay's Terry Taylor, Baylor's MaCio Teague, Gonzaga's Joel Ayayi, Iowa's Joe Wieskamp, LSU's Cameron Thomas, Michigan's Franz Wagner, Oregon's Chris Duarte, Jordan Goodwin of Saint Louis and Ochai Agbaji of Kansas . ... UConn will compete in the 2021 Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas on Nov. 24-26. The loaded field includes Baylor, Michigan State, Arizona State, Syracuse, Auburn, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Loyola Chicago . ... The Huskies started a busy stretch on Tuesday that features three games over six days. They host No. 3 Villanova on Thursday and visit St. John's on Sunday afternoon . ... After scoring 19 points in a win at Butler on Jan. 9, senior Tyler Polley scored just 19 points in the next three games . ... Entering Tuesday's game, UConn had a better road record (3-1) than at home (3-2). Big East home teams are only 2319 this season . ... During games through Sunday, the UConn coaching staff will be wearing Coaches vs. Cancer masks in support of an annual initiative by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).