It's not Two Fer Tuesday but the Notebook version, combining blogs on Thursday's basketball game and Saturday's football game.
The basketball team escaped with their unbeaten record in Buffalo. If not for Hasheem Thabeet, the game wouldn't have been close. Jeff Adrien also played well but this night belonged to the Big Fella. His numbers were impressive but it was his impressive presence in the middle that won the game for UConn. If it wasn't Hash in the middle, Rodney Pierce would have gone up with a game tying shot, not try to pass the ball to Max Boudreau. The first eight games have been proof positive to Thabeet's improvement.
The shooting of the guards was again off. Kemba Walker didn't even take a shot. That can't happen against better teams. A.J. Price is in a shooting slump over the last eight games and while Jerome Dyson and Craig Austrie didn't shoot well, they both contributed to the win.
When we see the Huskies in ten days against Stony Brook, they will be a different looking team. Stanley Robinson and perhaps Ater Majok will have been added to the roster, We know what Sticks brings to the table, the hope is he brings it on a more consistent basis. The 6'10" Majok is the unknown element but combined they could help make UConn the type of team they were in 1999 and 2004.
Onto Football. The regular season ends Saturday at the Rent against Pittsburgh. I think the Huskies record is right where I thought it would be before the season began. The chance to get to 8 wins is impressive considering the loss of Tyler Lorenzen, Steve Brouse and Darius Butler at different times during the season.
I don't think the game will come down to a 1-1 battle between Donald Brown and LaSean McCoy. Both are terrific, both are first team All Big East running backs...No, I think it will be decided by which team passes the ball better and which team converts turnovers into touchdowns.
The Senior Day Ceremonies began at 11:45. I have stopped harping on the late arrival into the Rent of the crowd. It's your option when you come in to the game. But on this date, I think it would be nice to get there in time to pay homage to a great senior class. Kids like Lorenzen, Brouse, Beatty, Gray, Cody Brown, Lunn, Williams, Deleston and the other 11 seniors playing their final home game. Make the effort to get there early.
Enjoy the game!
