The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
MEN’S BASKETBALL GAMEDAY UCONN at No. 10 VILLANOVA
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
Where: Finneran Pavilion, Philadelphia
Records: UConn 10-5 (7-5 Big East), Villanova 13-3 (8-2 Big East)
TV: FOX
Radio: UConn Sports Network (97.9 FM-ESPN Hartford, WAVZ 1300 AM, WICC 600 AM, WINE 940 AM, WGCH 1490 AM, WILI 1400 AM)
KEEP AN EYE ON
Bouk report: James Bouknight took just five shots and scored just five points as a freshman last season in the Huskies’ 61-55 loss at Villanova. He’s a bit of a different player ow.
“They had really good depth without him,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said. “They add him and it makes everybody better and more fresh. His individual talent in transition, especially. I think (Tyrese) Martin and (R.J.) Cole are really good in transition, then you add a third guy in transition that can just go get his shot, whatever the numbers are. The play can break down, and he can just go one-onone and make a tough shot.”
Added ’Nova senior point guard Collin Gillespie: “He’s a great player, very dynamic, can do a little bit of everything, can get his shot off. He can get guys involved, and he’s really athletic. We know how great a player he is just from watching him this year and playing against him last year. We’ve seen his improvements.”
Bouknight came off the bench and scored 18 points in 25 minutes in his first game back in six weeks on Tuesday against Providence. It would seem likely that the 6-foot-5 guard moves back to the starting lineup for Saturday.
No weak links: Last year, Jermaine Samuels scored 19 points and hit a season-high four 3-pointers to help lead Villanova’s victory. Hurley admitted afterwards that he wasn’t expecting Samuels’ prowess from long distance. This year’s Wildcat team only goes about 7-8 deep, but any player can go off on any given night.
“Any of their starters could be the best player on the floor for them on a given night, could get them 20,” Dan Hurley said. “Multiple guys can do that.”
The Wildcats also employ a five-out type of offense, often posting up their guards, that is reliant on finding shooters for open 3s.
“If you turn your head or relax or close out short for a second, you don’t guard that 3-point line, you’ve got no chance to beat them,” Hurley said. “Obviously, guarding the line is critical.”
History lesson: Villanova is 36-31 all-time against UConn and has won the last three meetings, each of them nonconference matchups the past three seasons. The Wildcats won by 20 on Jan. 20, 2018 in Hartford and by 23 on Dec. 22, 2018 at Madison Square Garden. UConn got a lot closer last season, falling 61-55.
The Huskies’ last win came in an NCAA tournament second-round game on March 22, 2014 — a 77-65 win in Buffalo en route to UConn’s eventual national championship. The last time the teams faced each other as Big East opponents was on Feb. 16, 2013 — a 70-61 Villanova victory. The prior season, a sophomore named Shabazz Napier hit a 35-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer in overtime to give UConn a 73-70 win in Philly.