MEN’S BASKETBALL GAMEDAY

UCONN at MEMPHIS

When: Sunday, 2 p.m.

Where: FedExForum, Memphis

Records: UConn 13-10 (4-6 AAC), Memphis 13-10 (5-5

AAC)

TV: CBS Sports Network

Radio: UConn/IMG Sports Network, WAVZ-New Haven (1300 AM), WICC-Brideport (600 AM), WINE-Danbury (940 AM), WGCH- Greenwich (1490 AM), 97.9 FM-ESPN Hartford

KEEP AN EYE ON

⏩ SLOW DOWN? Without Jalen Adams for at least the next month and Alterique Gilbert, most likely, for Sunday, UConn will have to change its approach. The Huskies currently rank second in the AAC in points per game (77.5) — behind only Memphis (82).

“We’ve got to tempo these games from here on out,” Dan Hurley said. “For me, these games are not uncomfortable. I’ve been in them before. I’ve had to play rock-fight games in my early years at Wagner and Rhode Island, before we really became whole. We’ve got to be willing to play long shot-clock possessions, walk the ball up the court, be really opportunistic only in transition offense. We’ve got to protect the paint, we can’t afford foul trouble, we’ve got to mix our defenses up more. There’s still a path to victory, it’s just obviously got a lot more narrow.”

“There’s still a way to win games,” he continued, “it’s just the margin is incredibly thin and we have to play it a certain way. It might not be the prettiest thing.”

That could include going with bigger lineups, including possibly pairing together Josh Carlton and Eric Cobb, who shared the court late in the game Wednesday after Adams went down.

“You see their athletes and it’s a scary thought, just because of their quickness and athletic ability,” Hurley said of Mempis. “But, we’ve worked on some things offensively and defensively that could allow us to have those guys on the court together, at both ends.”

⏩ ADAMS ‘FAMILY’: Jalen and Brendan Adams aren’t related (even though Brendan’s older brother Jaylen was a star at St. Bonaventure), but they are roommates on campus. Jalen has tried to provide encouragment for Brendan as he’s gone through some typical freshman struggles.

“All season, he’s been telling me to stay ready, just be prepared,” Brendan Adams said. “We’ll see what comes (Sunday).”

Brendan Adams will have to step up his game now that Jalen is out for at least a month. He’s has his struggles, averaging 2.8 points per game on just 30.6 percent shooting and 20 percent shooting from 3-point land.

“He’s a good shooter, he’s a good offensive player as a guard,” Hurley insisted. “You hear me say that, you might scratch your head, but he’s a very skilled offensive player. His struggles on defense affect his offense, especially when you’re a young playe and your coach is frustrated because you can’t guard at a high level.”

Hurley added that he hasn’t coached Brendan Adams as well as he could have this season and wants to let him play though his mistakes more often moving forward.