UConn has only played two games this season, but their game plan is already clear: give senior guard Ryan Boatright the ball and let him do the rest.
On Thursday afternoon, in the first round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off tournament in San Juan, Boatright validated the strategy by leading the Huskies in points, rebounds and assists en route to a 65-57 victory over the College of Charleston Cougars.
Despite Boatright’s star-quality performance, UConn was fairly lucky to escape with the win. The Huskies showed their collective youth, squandering opportunities by missing ten free throws (17-27), and committing 11 second half turnovers. The Huskies allowed the Cougars to shoot 52% from the floor after intermission, and were outscored in the second half 36-35.
UConn also showed several of the same flaws that were on display in their season debut versus Bryant. Their big men again struggled with foul trouble — Phil Nolan picked up two in the first half, while Amida Brimah was relegated to the bench late in the game with four.
Outside shooting was also inconsistent. UConn finished the game at 37.5% (6-16) from deep — fine. But Boatright, Sam Cassell, Jr., and Terrence Samuel combined to shoot 1-7. Daniel Hamilton hit back-to-back threes late in the first half, with Rodney Purvis duplicating that feat midway through the second. UConn will need to find more consistency to capitalize on their open looks.
If you’re looking for the glass-half-full part of this recap, Hamilton appears ready to play Robin to Boatright’s Batman. Jean Claude DanHam™ (thanks, Alex) finished with 15 points and five rebounds while playing very well down the stretch. While Rodney Purvis, making his official UConn debut, had an inconsistent game, the duo should form a dynamic combo when paired with Boatright.
Speaking of Boatright, it’s clear that he is the smartest player on the court at all times. With a wealth of experience under his belt, he appears to be seeing the game at a different speed than everyone else. He is reading defenses well, getting into space, and knocking down mid-range jumpers. On defense, he’s continuously disruptive. Despite having only one steal on Thursday, his on-ball pressure forced several Cougar turnovers, and helped keep UConn focused during a brutal first half stretch when their shots weren’t falling.
All told, it was a forgettable win for UConn, but a win nonetheless. They continue onto the winners’ bracket of the tournament and will face a Dayton team on Friday who bested Texas A&M with a last minute tip-in earlier in the day. Tip off will be approximately 2:30pm and the game can be seen on ESPN2.
