Huskies’ boardwork has been offensive — and that’s good
UNCASVILLE — It takes a tough, hard-nosed player to be a good rebounder. It takes an even tougher, harder-nosed player to be strong off the offensive glass.
UConn has won the rebounding battle in it first three games, against different-sized teams: small (Central Connecticut), medium (Hartford) and large (USC). The Huskies have grabbed 41, 42 and 43 boards in those respective games, and it doesn’t take Pat Lenehan to figure out that averages 42 rebounds per contest.
Perhaps more impressive has been UConn’s ability to grab offensive rebounds. The Huskies swiped 19 off the offensive glass against CCSU, 17 against Hartford and 15 against USC’s skyline frontcourt. That’s 17 offensive boards per game (again, no MIT degree needed to do that math).
So, what does it take to be a strong offensive rebounder?
“Effort, obviously motivation, a nose for it, a feel for it, being able to trace it,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said.
Sounds a lot like Isaiah Whaley. And sure enough, Whaley’s 10 offensive boards over the first three games leads UConn, which faces NC State on Saturday (noon, ESPNU) in the final game from “Bubbleville” inside Mohegan Sun Arena.
“Isaiah’s such an underrated player ,” Hurley said. “I’m not sure that I’ve coached many guys with as much a will, competitiveness. The guy just has an incredibly strong will. What he does defensively,
the energy that he plays with, was the difference for our team (Thursday night). It’s been the difference, really, going back into last year. He’s a heck of a forward, that guy.”
Added sophomore guard James Bouknight: “He brought all the energy (Thursday), and he helped us pull through for the win.”
Whaley certainly came up big for the Huskies in Thursday night’s 61-58 win over USC, with 10 points, five boards and five blocks (he’s now blocked 10 shots in the past two games). But he wasn’t the star of the night.
That honor belonged to Josh Carlton, who rebounded from a “DNP—Coach’s Decision” against Hartford by bouncing off the bench for nine points and 11 boards in 30 minutes. Six of those rebounds were off the offensive glass as he scored on a couple of putbacks and generally wreaked havoc on the boards.
“Josh played with the type of desperation that older players play with when they’re seniors,” said Hurley. “He looked like a senior that understands how important every possession is, how important every game is.”
Freshman Adama Sanogo had five offensive boards (and seven total) in his collegiate debut against CCSU. Tyrese Martin, a URI transfer, had 10 rebounds overall (five offensive, five defensive) in his UConn debut against Hartford. Martin, a 6-6 swingman, is the team’s leading rebounder at 8.5 per game; Whaley is second at 7.3 and Bouknight, a 6-5 guard, checks in at 6.3
With Carlton, Sanogo, and potential further boards help from Andre Jackson, Richie Springs and 7-foot Javonte Brown, the Huskies aren’t likely to have their leading rebounder be a guard like Shabazz Napier or Christian Vital in recent years.
NC State (3-0) boasts some good size with three regulars standing 6-10 or taller. But the Wolfpack have been narrowly outrebounded by lesser opponents over their first three games. If UConn can continue to control the glass on Saturday afternoon, it can emerge from Bubbleville 2-0 and looking ready for the start of the Big East season against St. John’s on Friday.