The UConn men’s basketball team is coming out of the Phog a little beat up after a physical game against Kansas on the road Friday. With little time to rest, the Huskies have to turn around and prepare for another challenge against ninth-ranked North Carolina – their second top-10 matchup of three in this two-week stretch – on Tuesday in the Jimmy V Classic.
With good news, like highly-touted freshman guard Stephon Castle being available to return after missing the last six games with a knee injury, comes the not-so-great. Cam Spencer (big toes on both feet), Donovan Clingan (toe) and Alex Karaban (finger) were all limited in practice. All three are game time decisions however, head coach Dan Hurley said, and “it’s gonna take a lot for them not to give it a go.”
Castle, the former McDonald’s high school All-American, looked comfortable in his first game-and-a-half before slipping on the court and tweaking his knee against Stonehill. He averaged 14.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and two steals in his first two college games, both as a starter.
“As long as he comes out of today and into tomorrow feeling good after finally getting a couple of practices under his belt he’ll be available but with restrictions if he’s feeling good tomorrow,” Hurley said Monday. “It’s a tough first one to come back for but I know he’d like to be out there.”
Spencer entered Friday’s game against the Jayhawks bothered by the big toe on his left foot and was in visible pain after aggravating the same toe on his right foot during the game. He played through it but struggled, making just 2 of 12 shots from the field and 1 of 7 from beyond the arc.
Still, he’s the team’s second leading scorer and a critical piece to have on the perimeter, where he’s the only Husky shooting above 40% on 3-pointers (43.4%).
“We were lucky to add him to this group,” Hurley said. “The personalities and the tough men that we lost from last year’s team… we couldn’t just bring in a basketball player, we needed to bring in a really good basketball player but also a really tough man. And he’s a really tough man. Most guys would’ve shut it down.”
Spencer’s availability, along with Karaban’s and Clingan’s, is a decision to be made after Tuesday’s shootaround.
“I want to see what they look like tomorrow,” Hurley said. “Because it’s a long season and this isn’t the type of opponent you want to play against if you can’t run at full speed because they run really fast.”
UConn will have a few days before Saturday’s buy game against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and then prepare for a flight across the country for another top-10 matchup against seventh-ranked Gonzaga on Dec. 15.
“These are great games, we’re getting a chance to play truly the best teams in the country in our big nonconference games,” Hurley said. “Indiana, Texas, Carolina, Kansas, Gonzaga – that’s going to prepare you for your Big East conference play. Those are as tough of tests as you could face. Obviously we wish we could be playing these games healthier because they will impact potentially NCAA ramifications, seeding and some things. These games are hard enough to win at full strength, being a little bit banged up going in maybe I wish there was a game in between.”
Karaban’s slump
The last two games haven’t been too kind to redshirt sophomore forward Alex Karaban, who shot 40.2% from beyond the arc last season and was at an improved pace to start the year. He’s made just two of his last 13 attempts from beyond the arc.
What does he have to do to get out of the slump?
“Just do more things,” Hurley said. “Cut more, get on the offensive glass, if they’re gonna switch ball screens then you have the mismatch versus smaller guards, call for the ball closer to the basket. If he doesn’t get a catch and he’s guarded by a smaller guy and we put something on the rim, go get it. Make a play defensively to kind of get himself going. Drive it and attack the front of the rim and finish and get to the 3-point line.”
But Hurley isn’t worried about Karaban, who led last year’s national championship team in minutes.
“You’re gonna have stretches like this, he went through it last year and obviously he found his footing,” he said. “He’s Alex, he’s probably the last guy on the roster I’m worried about right now.”
Another battle of the bigs
In spite of his toe being a bother, Tuesday’s game will be yet another test for Clingan against one of the best centers in the nation, 6-foot-11 Armando Bacot. Bacot, in his fifth year of college hoops, is averaging 16.3 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.
“Donovan needs every one of these experiences, he needs every practice rep to be playing like an experienced junior type of player,” Hurley said. “Not being able to work the last two days much in preparation for Bacot, who is a really old player who’s been in college forever. It’s certainly a disadvantage for a player who’s a little lacking in experience.”
Bacot, more of a back-to-the-basket, classic low-post big is similar to former Husky Adama Sanogo, who Clingan went up against every day in practice last season.
“He’s got definitely physical similarities, size, rebounding, inside toughness. A two-year older version of Adama,” Hurley said. “Big guys, it’s amazing the way they’re undervalued the way they are at the NBA level. Watching Hunter Dickinson the other night, making three 3s at 7-foot-2 like it’s nothing and wondering what is he still doing in college.”
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