Hartford, CT (My Sportsbook) - The lone game on the college
basketball docket today takes place in Hartford, as the second-ranked Connecticut Huskies play host to the Fairfield Stags at the XL Center. The Huskies enter this tilt having won 63 straight affairs against foes from the Nutmeg State, with the last loss coming in Jim Calhoun's first season at the helm.
Calhoun's Huskies have certainly looked the part of the national title contender this season and have earned their lofty ranking, as the team has won all 10 of its games, seven of which have come by double figures. UConn is coming off one of its toughest, but most impressive wins of the season, outlasting nationally-ranked Gonzaga in Seattle last weekend, 88-83 in overtime.
The Stags come into this tilt with a full head of steam as well, having won seven straight games, including a 66-60 decision against Drexel last time out. Still, Fairfield has been idle since that December 14th showdown with the Dragons and it remains to be seen if the team can shake off the rust and make this one competitive.
The series has been pretty much one-sided, with UConn winning 27 of the previous 32 meetings. In addition, the Huskies have won 17 straight against the Stags entering this season and are a perfect 11-0 against Fairfield at the XL Center (formerly the Hartford Civic Center).
The Stags are an impressive 8-3 on the season, but it is not due to flashy offensive stats. The team is shooting a healthy .466 from the floor this year, but the result is a rather pedestrian 69.0 ppg. Defensively, the team has done a solid job though, holding foes to just .432 shooting and a meager 67.6 ppg. While there are no prolific scorers on the roster, there is scoring depth, as four players are currently averaging double figures. Jonathan Han leads the way with 12.8 ppg, thanks in large part to his .492 shooting from behind the arc (30-of-61). Warren Edney is a close second with 11.9 ppg, followed by Greg Nero and Anthony Johnson at 11.1 and 10.5 ppg, respectively. Johnson and Nero were strong down low in the team's last win over Drexel, as both recorded double-doubles against the Dragons. Johnson finished with 14 points and 16 rebounds, while Nero netted 11 points and grabbed the same number of boards. Han finished with 12 points and seven assists, while Edney rounded things out with 11 points of his own.
The Stags will certainly need a strong defensive effort in this one, as UConn represents Fairfield's toughest opponent to date. The Huskies have the ability to win at either end of the floor and are currently boasting of a +21.2 scoring margin. Offensively, the weapons are numerous, with the team averaging 83.5 ppg, on .502 shooting. The defense has been just as impressive, holding foes to a mere 62.3 ppg and under 40 percent shooting overall (.385). It is a "pick-your-poison" decision when playing UConn, as the team has six players currently averaging double figures. Along the perimeter, the team looks to guards Jerome Dyson (16.0 ppg), A.J. Price (10.4 ppg), Craig Austrie (10.4 ppg) and Kemba Walker (10.0 ppg), while the interior game is dominated by center Hasheem Thabeet (14.3 ppg, 11.1 rpg) and forward Jeff Adrien (13.8 ppg, 9.1 rpg). In the big win over Gonzaga last weekend, the Zags decided to concentrate on stopping Thabeet and Adrien down low. They did just that, as the pair combined for just 17 points and nine rebounds. However, it came at a costly price for Gonzaga, as Price and Dyson were unstoppable. Price hit six three-pointers, pouring in 24 points, while doling out 10 assists. Dyson added 21 points, thanks to 10-of-12 shooting from the foul line. He also added nine rebounds, four assists and three steals for a solid stat line. Gavin Edwards was instrumental off the bench as well, recording his first double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds in 30 minutes of action.
