The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Larrier will turn pro after season
Huskies will honor five players on Senior Night
STORRS — As Senior Nights go, it won’t be one of the most emotional in UConn history. In fact, not a single scholarship senior will be honored Wednesday night.
It will, however, mark the final home game for a pair of walk-ons who have been with the program the past four seasons. And UConn’s bout with Temple (7 p.m., CBS Sports Network) will also be the final game at Gampel Pavilion for Terry Larrier.
Larrier, the junior swingman who transferred from VCU three years ago, confirmed that he will be turning pro when this season is over.
“I’m graduating in May, so this will be my last one,” he said after practice Tuesday. “I’m just looking to enjoy it.”
After averaging 6.6 points per game as a freshman at VCU, Larrier transferred to UConn and sat out the 2015-16 season per NCAA rules. He played just four games last year before suffering a torn ACL that sidelined him the rest of the season.
He does have another year of college eligibility left, but doesn’t intend to use it — at UConn or anywhere else.
“(I’ll be) pursuing basketball and just see where it takes me,” Larrier said. “Hopefully, everything works out for the best.”
“Hopefully,” said UConn coach Kevin Ollie, “he gets a great opportunity where a
team takes a shot at him and he makes the best out of that opportunity.”
Larrier was bit by the injury bug again this season, suffering a fractured sinus wall against UCF on Jan. 10 that ultimately caused him to undergo facial surgery and miss three games. He has played with a mask ever since returning on Jan. 31 and has scored in double figures just four times in eight games.
“It’s definitely been interesting,” he said of his UConn tenure. “Not how I planned it to go, but things happen. But my time here has been great, it’s been fun. I just want to go out (Wednesday), get the win, play hard and enjoy the game with my teammates.”
Larrier did point out that he won’t have to wear his mask again after Wednesday night.
Also being honored Wednesday will be grad transfers David Onuorah and Antwoine Anderson, both of whom played just this one season for the Huskies after graduating from Cornell and Fordham, respectively.
Walk-ons Mike Noyes and Christian Foxen will also be playing their final games at Gampel. Noyes, a graduate student from Granby, was a practice player as a sophomore, a walk-on as a junior, earned a scholarship as a senior and is now a walk-on again.
“I’m just excited. I hope we win. That’s all that matters,” said Noyes, a 6-foot guard. “I think after the game, it’ll hit me. It’ll be a little weird not playing here anymore or having my family at the games. But it’s been a fun four years. Hopefully, the season doesn’t come to an end too soon. I mean, UConn and March — they go together.”
Noyes, who rooms with star guard Jalen Adams on the road, said he has a job as an actuary with The Hartford lined up after graduation, but would ultimately like to get into basketball analytics — either in the NBA or college ball. His best team memory is the Huskies’ AAC Tournament championship two years ago. Individually, it was just getting into some games during garbage time, scoring some points (seven total) and watching his fellow walk-ons score occasionally, as well.
Of course, with UConn’s roster depleted last season, Noyes actually played a few meaningful minutes.
“One of my goals was to get into a first half,” he said, with a smile. “I think it happened once here against Tulane or USF, and then it happened at the end of a Houston game, just to go in and foul. But those are the things you remember. That’s why you do it. I’ve had some great experiences.”
Foxen, a 6-foot-8 forward from Rocky Hill, was also a practice player as a frosh and has been a walk-on the past three seasons. He has scored four points in his career.
The Huskies will also honor Joe Spellman, the head manager who is working on his master’s degree in sports management. Spellman, from Hebron, is first cousins with Arizona Diamondbacks star outfielder A.J. Pollock.
“I’ve seen him mature a lot, change haircuts and styles,” Ollie said of Spellman.
“He’s looking like ‘Miami Vice’ right now. I remember he came here, he was cleancut and everything. I’m like, ‘Where’s that little kid who came in here clean-cut?’ Just seeing him grow up, seeing him mature. He’s done a great job with our group.”