Good evening from the basement of Gampel Pavilion! It’s an exciting day at A Dime Back, as it is our first as credentialed members of the UConn press horde. So far, I have managed to not embarrass myself – but it’s only been a few minutes and that will inevitably change soon.
Meanwhile, the Huskies are preparing for a bout with the Vermont Catamounts tonight. Coming off a huge, nationally-televised win and subsequently ranked for the first time in over a year, UConn will have to avoid being complacent and build off their progress from Friday night halfway around the world.
Vermont is riding some momentum of their own, having won their season opener on a last-second layup against powerhouse Siena. Junior forward Luke Apfeld scored a team-high 16 points and guard Sandro Carissimo added 11, including the game-winner.
In theory, this game should be a cakewalk for UConn. Their lack of size down low shouldn’t be a factor – no Vermont player over 6’9” saw time against Siena. The Huskies’ main obstacle is their own focus. It would be easy to overlook the inferior Catamounts and this dreary Connecticut weather in anticipation of their weekend trip to the US Virgin Islands. Hopefully coach Kevin Ollie can keep the team focused and build off their success against Michigan State.
Things to watch for:
- Vermont’s guards are big, but not very quick. Look for Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright to continue to exploit the defense with their speed.
- Boatright rolled his ankle in the game against Michigan St. but says he’s ok and ready to play. If he appears limited at all, Ollie may give RJ Evans significant time in hopes of getting Boatright ready for the Carribean.
- DeAndre Daniels played very well overseas. Tonight will be a good test for him to continue his aggressive rebounding and inside/outside play.
I will update this post before the game with anything new or interesting. During the game – and immediately after – you can follow on twitter (@ADimeBack) and look for a summary post late tonight or tomorrow.
