UConn basketball continues to roll after a dominant 101-65 victory over DePaul.
Dan Hurley had a lot to love about UConn basketball’s victory this Valentine’s Day. His top-ranked Huskies led comfortably in what was another ho-hum victory before their highly anticipated matchup against #4 Marquette this Saturday.
UConn’s defense was stifling, holding the Blue Demons to just nine points in the first 10 minutes of the game to build up a double-digit lead which they maintained throughout the game. Quick foul trouble for both Donovan Clingan and Samson Johnson did allow DePaul to score in the paint which is where they did most of their first-half damage. The Blue Demons hit a deep three to beat the halftime buzzer which was about all that went right for Depaul as they went into the break down 52 to 29.
It didn’t get much better for DePaul in the second half as UConn continued to pile it on. All five starters reached double figures for UConn. Alex Karaban was the standout, hitting an impressive five long balls and finishing with 21 points.
UConn once again showed why they are the team to beat in the Big East and why they deserve their position in the AP Poll.
Takeaway #1: UConn Hass a dog
Not enough praise can be said for what Hassan Diarra has provided the Huskies this season. With several key departures from last year’s national championship squad, there needed to be returning players stepping up their game which Diarra has done.
He’s vastly improved his three-point shooting, hitting them at an impressive 36% clip. What he truly provides is a defensive edge to this team. Every time he touches the floor, he makes all the little plays. From deflecting passes to diving for loose balls, to making timely assists, he put it all on display Wednesday night.
He was everywhere on the court in the first half, tallying an impressive four steals and scoring eight points. In the second half, he displayed his ability to get his teammates involved and finished the game with four assists and honestly could have had more.
Dan Hurley has said numerous times this season that Diarra may be the most important player for the Huskies and it’s games like this that make that crystal clear.
Takeaway #2: Next year can’t come soon enough for DePaul
DePaul is not a good basketball team. Enough said.
I would be surprised if the Blue Demons manage to win a conference game this season. They’ll need to have a slam-dunk head coaching hire and hit the transfer portal if we’re to see any real change for the Big East’s perennial basement dweller.
Takeaway #3: The rich get richer
Highly touted freshman Jaylin Stewart came into the game averaging just 2.3 points per game. The minutes haven’t been there for Stewart as the Huskies have a team loaded with NBA talent ahead of him. Well, the minutes were there Wednesday night as he played 16 minutes, double what he has averaged this season.
Stewart was outstanding and showed signs of what is to come for the freshman. He finished with a career-high 11 points and managed to catch fire from deep, hitting three shots from behind the arc in a matter of two minutes.
Every year, a second-year player seems to take a leap. James Bouknight and Jordan Hawkins are both examples of players who elevated their games to become lottery picks after two years with the Huskies. Karaban is the guy this season, and Jaylin Stewart may very well be that guy for UConn basketball next season.
Next game for UConn: vs. #4 Marquette (Feb. 17 – 3 p.m.)
Next game for DePaul: at Providence (Feb. 17 – 7:30 p.m.)