They have seen better days in Storrs, Connecticut. Far better days, really. And you have to look back a while for them as well.
Simply put, this is not the UConn program I grew up with. The Huskies were thumped at Temple 85-57 on Sunday night and looked out of their league, something that has happened all too often in recent times. They are becoming less relevant all the time.
In the waning days of Jim Calhoun, one wondered how the Huskies would go from there. When a legendary coach moves on, a continuation is far from a given. Whoever takes over, even if they are a program guy, is a different person, and they have to be who they are, not a “lite” version of their predecessor.
Kevin Ollie was part of the program rising up to be a national power nearly three decades ago, and he came back to the school to be part of the staff in Calhoun’s final days. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better representative of the school from many standpoints, whether it’s his history as a player, the fact that he lasted 13 years in the NBA on a series of one-year contracts, or the fact that he’s simply a high-character man. So you can’t blame the school for tapping him to succeed Calhoun, even if there were other options.
Ollie started off well, managing through a year where they had no shot at the postseason because of low APR scores, then winning a national championship a year later. But that national championship was even more surprising than the one three years earlier, and that one – with the great ride that Kemba Walker took them on – was one nobody saw coming. The Huskies of 2013-14 were relatively ordinary and ended up being a No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but rode being in the region where the regional rounds were at nearby Madison Square Garden into the Final Four, and then finished the job behind Shabazz Napier.
Last season was one to forget, but you could partially excuse it because they were ravaged by injuries. This season, Alterique Gilbert is once again lost for the season with a shoulder injury, but the Huskies are just 11-10 overall, including 4-4 in the American Athletic Conference. They have eight newcomers, but they are not the caliber of UConn recruiting classes of old.
The American is a nice conference, but it is nowhere near what the old Big East was, and the Huskies were powerhouses there. In The American, they are probably no better than about the fourth-best program right now behind Cincinnati, Wichita State and SMU, and frankly, Houston is probably in a better place right now as well.
In light of this, one has to imagine Ollie to be on a seat that is heating up. There isn’t much that will help anytime soon. The Huskies are in a bind in The American, as they have no natural or regional rivals and don’t play ones in non-conference like Providence, Boston College or UMass. That can’t help recruiting, and the Huskies’ recent fall in recruiting can’t be chalked up to their coaching staff. They have had good coaches and still do now.
Sunday was one more low point in what has been a tough season for UConn. Fans can only hope there aren’t more where that came from.
Side Dishes
Indiana gave Purdue all they could handle in Bloomington, but the Boilermakers found a way to pull out a 74-67 win. Earlier, Michigan State handled Maryland by an almost identical score, 74-68, and on the road just like Purdue, although the Spartans had to overcome a 13-point halftime deficit to get there.
Clemson got off to a rough start in Atlanta, trailing by 12 a couple of times in the first half. The Tigers got within two at the half, then managed a 72-70 win over the Yellow Jackets to go to 6-3 in the ACC.
Villanova got a close call against Marquette, but the Wildcats pulled it out 85-82 behind 31 points from Jalen Brunson. Patriot League leader Bucknell had an easier time of it, going to Boston and beating Boston University 91-79 to go up two games in the standings as the road team won both games between the two teams this season. Lastly, USC beat Cal 77-59 to keep pace with Arizona in the Pac-12.
Missouri will be without Terrence Phillips for an unknown period of time, as the junior has been suspended indefinitely. A starter two years ago, he now comes off the bench in a significantly reduced role, and the school’s Title IX office is investigating him.
Tonight’s Menu
It’s a light night, though not in the Atlantic Sun, MAAC, MEAC, Southern and SWAC.
- Duke tries to bounce back against a Notre Dame team that is struggling in the face of injuries (7 p.m.)
- Northwestern looks for a big road win as they go to Michigan (7 p.m.), then in the nightcap, Wisconsin hosts Nebraska (9 p.m.)
- The SWAC has a big showdown as Jackson State visits Arkansas-Pine Bluff (7:30 p.m.)
- A rivalry game helps close the night as Kansas State hosts Kansas (9 p.m.)
