Tonight marks the beginning of what will surely be one of the oddest seasons in UConn’s history. As the Huskies take the floor tonight against American International , they will do so knowing that there is no championship to compete for. There is no conference to win.
There is only tonight – this one game. And then the next. As a fan, this is a difficult reality to accept. There have been teams that have disappointed, missing the NCAA Tournament and left to flounder in the NIT. There have been teams that overachieved, leading to respectable seasons that understandably fell short of championships. In recent memory, there has never been a team with no hope of either.
Yet, there’s something about this team. These players that chose UConn when there were so many easy ways out. A coach with everything to prove and everything to lose. Fans who have spent the offseason reading article after article deriding their favorite team as cheaters, academically embarrassing under the eyes of their Hall of Fame watchdog. This is a team, an organization, a university, and a state with something to prove.
Head Coach Kevin Ollie has stated it very simply. No one will work harder than this team. It’s difficult to hear Ollie speak and expect anything less. This team will run faster than you. This team will defend you for 40 minutes. This team will fight you for every rebound. This team can be beaten, but they won’t make it easy for you.
As fans, that is enough. Disappointment can last a season but the work ethic and mantras of personal and team responsibility preached by Ollie should ensure UConn regains its place with college basketball’s elite. As fans, we listen to Ollie speak and feel comforted that the hallmarks of Jim Calhoun’s program have not retired. His work was not in vain and his legacy may last through another generation of UConn basketball through his tutelage of Ollie.
As the Huskies take the floor tonight, they will do so with a chip on their shoulder an eager fan base in their corner. Time to go to work.
