Huskies again go overseas for talent
Team adds second international player, Greece’s Roumoglou
Uconn men’s basketball signed Apostolos Roumoglou out of Greece to the 13th scholarship spot on the roster, the team announced Friday. Roumoglou, 6 feet 7, is the second international player the Huskies have added in the last two weeks, the other being forward Yarin Hasson from Israel.
Roumoglou spent time this season playing in the Greek Basketball Champions League with PAOK mateco. Now 19 years old, Roumoglou competed with the Greek 18-and-under team in the FIBA European Challenges last year. He shot 31.3% from the field and 37% from three.
“It’s important for us to get more guys in here so that we can practice the way you need to practice to prepare for Big East games, which are different than most conference games,” Uconn men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley said Friday. “Just give us some young players that have a chance to develop. Obviously it’s going to take them time because they’ve never even played basketball in the States here.”
Roumoglou arrived on campus Thursday night and attended the team’s practice Friday, though he wasn’t available to speak with the media.
Hurley understands the unique kind of pressure that can come with moving to a new country, beginning school and joining a competitive team at the highest level of college basketball, so he is taking things slow with the two latest additions. The rest of the team, however, is practicing with full intensity to prepare for the season.
“(Hasson) got in last week, and I think he’s on more stable ground,” Hurley said. “Apostolos (Roumoglou) I think will be
total yards, despite the fact that he completed over 70% of his passes.
“(Syracuse is) a Power-five team in the ACC, we’re a non-power Five team that’s independent — there is no pressure on us,” Mora said on Sunday. “The only pressure is just to go play the best that we can, cut it loose and go after it, and that’s what we’re gonna do.”
Uconn is looking for its second victory of the season, a win total the program hasn’t reached since 2019, when the team finished 2-10.
Here’s what you need to know:
Site: Rentschler Field, East Hartford
Line: Spread: Syracuse -22.5. Moneyline: Uconn +1050, Syracuse -2000
Time: 7 p.m.
Weather: Sunny, 83 degrees
TV: CBS — Meghan Mcpeak, Christian Fauria, Justin Walters
Radio: ESPN 97.9 FM — Mike Crispino, Wayne Norman, Adam Giardino
Tickets: Available on uconnhuskies. com from $10
Current record (2021 result): Uconn: 1-1 (1-11), Syracuse 1-0 (5-7)
Series: Uconn leads 6-5 (Syracuse won last three matchups)
Last meeting: Sept. 22, 2018 — Syracuse 51, Uconn 21
Injuries: Syracuse: FB Chris Elmore, LB Stefon Thompson (lower body injuries, both out for season), Uconn: QB Ta’quan Roberson (ACL, out for season), WR Cam Ross (broken foot, out for season), WR Keelan Marion (broken collar bone, hopeful to return near end of season)
Key notes
1. Turnovers: In order for Uconn to have a chance at the upset, it needs to protect the football. The Huskies have six giveaways in their two games thus far. Four came from Zion Turner (three interceptions and a fumble), while the other two were fumbles by Nate Carter and Dajon Harrison.
“I made some critical errors that can’t be made,” Turner said Wednesday. “Turning the ball over, critical errors. Forced turnovers — I can’t do that, but I feel like mentally I did way
better than the first game, relaxing and just keying in my reads, those things. I feel like mentally I was there, now it’s just getting it physically done.”
For Syracuse, Tucker’s only collegiate fumble came in the fourth game of his career on Nov. 7, 2020 against Boston College. Shrader has thrown just nine interceptions in his 412 career pass attempts. Defensively, Syracuse forced three Louisville turnovers last week (two interceptions and a fumble) and has registered at least one takeaway in 41 of 50 games dating back to 2017. Since the start of the 2018 season, Syracuse ranks seventh in the FBS with 90 takeaways.
Uconn’s defense has forced three turnovers this season, and the Huskies currently have a negative turnover ratio of six turnovers to three takeaways.
2. The offense: Expect to see a battle in the run game on Saturday. Uconn has been fueled by the legs of Nate Carter, whose 156.5 rushing yards per game rank him second in the FBS. Behind Carter, the Huskies have depth in speed backs Devontae Houston and Brian Brewton, as well as Robert Burns and freshman Victor Rosa. So far, as the offensive line continues to be one of the team’s biggest strengths, and the run game has been the focus of offensive coordinator Nick Charlton’s game planning.
However, as Turner continues to get more comfortable in the offense and as receivers continue to
work back from minor injuries, the pass game will continue to develop. Uconn faces a major size disadvantage against Syracuse, so Charlton has been creative throughout the week to try and counteract it.
3. Déjà Vu? This was once a game that optimistic Uconn fans considered winnable before the season, but it’s now one where, similar to the season
opener at Utah State, the Huskies come in as major underdogs. Like the
Aggies did before the season, Syracuse received votes in the Top 25 poll after Week 1. Uconn passed the first stress
test, but wasn’t able to bring home the win. This game has the same feel, but Uconn’s defensive plan will look substantially different.
Preparing for Utah State quarterback Logan Bonner, a strong passer who holds school records in several quarterback stats, was completely different than how the Huskies needed to prepare for Shrader and the Orange this week. Bonner did it with his arm, Shrader’s strength is exactly that, his power carrying the ball and ability to stay on his feet. Shrader rarely ever goes down or out of bounds, and he almost never slides. Counteracting the size of Syracuse’s entire roster, it could require groups of tacklers to bring down the Orange ball carriers.
While this opponent looks much different, Uconn will need to carry the same “nothing to lose” mentality into Game 3 that it did for Game 1.