Huskies’ season ends with a thud

Ollie’s future remains in question

ORLANDO — So this is how it ends?

Getting beat wire to wire by an injury-riddled SMU team minus its best player, in front of maybe 1,000 fans in an afternoon AAC tournament game at the Amway Center?

Maybe, considering how far UConn has fallen off the college basketball map the past couple of seasons, it was entirely fitting.

SMU led by 19 at halftime, by 21 midway through the latter half and survived UConn’s late comeback bid for an 80-73 victory in an opening-round league tourney game to put a merciful end the Huskies’ season

And, perhaps, an end Kevin Ollie’s career at the school.

Ollie’s job status is now front and center after the Huskies’ second straight losing campaign. Over the summer, on the heels of UConn’s first losing season in 30 years, Ollie told the Register: “I can’t keep going 16-17. We all know that.”

The Huskies finish this season 14-18.

“That’s unacceptable, and we have to get better in every category,” Ollie said. “And I’m (at) the top to evaluate myself, how I can get these guys to play better, how can I get my coaching staff to execute better and we’re all in this together.”

Asked if he believed he’ll be back coaching the team next season, Ollie simply stated, “Yes.”

UConn athletic director David Benedict wouldn’t say much about Ollie’s future after the game, saying he didn’t want to answer “hypothetical questions.”

“At the end of the day,” Benedict said, “we didn’t

hit the mark (this season).”

He wouldn’t guess how long the decision on Ollie’s future might take.

Leading scorer Jalen Adams, who had just six points and five turnovers on Thursday while bothered by a sore left wrist and thumb, reiterated his recent comments that he’s planning to return for his senior season. Asked whether or not Ollie’s return or dismissal would affect that plan, Adams said: “As of right now, I intend on him being back. Hopefully, he’s back. I love playing for him, so I’m looking forward to that.”

In a season marred by blowout losses, this appeared headed for the Huskies’ ninth setback of 20 points or more. SMU (17-15) scored nine of the game’s first 11 points and never looked back. The Mustangs hit 7 of 13 3-pointers in the first half while UConn missed all seven of its attempts. Jahmal McMurray scored 12 first-half points and was openly taunting the Huskies. SMU hit its final four shots to take a 42-23 lead into the break.

And all of this was without Shake Milton, the team’s leading scorer. In fact, SMU dressed just seven scholarship players.

UConn showed a bit of life to start the latter half, opening up with a 12-2 run to get within nine. But the Mustangs eventually countered with an 11-0 run midway through the half.

As is their wont, the Huskies made a furious late comeback and were actually within four inside the final minute. But SMU hit seven of eight free throws down the stretch to seal the deal.

And, perhaps, to seal Kevin Ollie’s career at UConn, four years as a player, two as an assistant and six as a head coach that includes a pair of national titles.

And, for the past two seasons, a pair of national embarrassments.

“When you get so accustomed to winning, from AAU to high school to my freshman year, and then have two down years backto-back, it’s a little frustrating,” said Adams. “But, it’s a humbling experience, and it kind of shows me and some of the young guys how hard you’ve got to work to get back to the top and get UConn back to where it’s supposed to be.”

The Huskies now enter an offseason rife with questions. Will Ollie be back? Will there be another mass diaspora of players like last season? Will the NCAA investigation into the program lead to stiff punishment?

“It’s going to be a long evaluation for myself, my coaching staff, my team,” Ollie said. “We’ve got to get players, and we’ve got to find out who is staying. And we’ve got our seniors, they’ve got to get replaced. Those are meetings that we’re going to have over the next two weeks, and we want to make sure our guys finish strong, their academics, too. So we can’t drop the ball on that, also.”

Plenty of hypothetical questions, too. If Adams returns, and if Christian Vital and Josh Carlton and Tyler Polley and Mamadou Diarra return, and if Alterique Gilbert is back in form after missing nearly all of the past two seasons with shoulder problems, and if St. John’s transfer Sid Wilson is as good as advertised, and if a trio of incoming recruits are as good as some believe ... Well, the seeds are there for a good team next season.

“Definitely, we can bounce back,” said Diarra, who had eight points and eight rebounds on Thursday.

Then again, as Vital noted: “I had the same feeling coming into this year, it just went the other way. I’m gonna still be optimistic, still take pride in my jersey, take pride in this program and playing for this program. I just appreciate the opportunity to play for a program like this, and I won’t take it for granted.”

RIM RATTLINGS

⏩ Adams said he wasn’t sure if he’ll test the NBA waters this spring, as players are allowed to do.

“I haven’t even talked to my parents about that,” he said.

⏩ Terry Larrier, a redshirt junior who will now turn pro, ended his college career on a down note, shooting 5-for-17 (0-for-4 3-pointers) with four turnovers. Representatives from the Puerto Rican national team are interested in Larrier joining the team. Larrier’s mother is Puerto Rican.

Associated Press file photo UConn head coach Kevin Ollie is seen here on the sidelines during a February game. Ollie and the Huskies were beaten by SMU in the first round of the AAC tournament on Thursday.