UConn Basketball Cruises Past Rhode Island: 3 Takeaways

UConn Basketball beat the Rhode Island Rams 102-75 in the 2024 Hall of Fame Enshrinement Exhibition Game.

College basketball is (un)officially back as Mohegan Sun hosted UConn basketball in a charity exhibition match against Rhode Island. Both Husky and Rhody fans showed up to support their teams as they got a preview for what the upcoming season may look like for each team.

The Huskies offense was explosive to open the game, but cooled off just as fast as fans were reminded why closed door scrimmages are common this time of year. Miscommunication and lack of chemistry created some ugly turnovers that UConn basketball fans are not accustomed to. Defensively, the Huskies were sloppy in the interior giving up 11 offensive rebounds in the first half alone (they allowed just 10 offensive rebounds per game last season).

The Rams took advantage of UConn’s woes with a 10-0 run and multiple lead changes to make the first half quite the competitive contest. Led by former Husky Javonte Brown’s 12 first half points, Rhode Island was able to test the reigning champs on both ends of the floor. 

Eventually, UConn basketball found their stroke from behind the arc as they took the lead with two minutes to play in the half and never looked back. The second half was all the Huskies as everything looked much more comfortable and they outscored the Rams 58 to 35. The problems on the interior were still there as the Huskies ended up allowing 18 offensive rebounds and sent Rhode Island to the free throw line 35 times on the night.

Getting to play an exhibition game in front of a packed arena is an invaluable experience for both teams. Rhode Island and Head Coach Archie Miller will be able to look back on that first half where they kept it extremely close with one of the best teams in the country and see what they can do to repeat that type of performance come November. On the other side, UConn and Head Coach Dan Hurley now have a clearer picture for how their rotations may look once they clean the mistakes up and begin the season. 

Takeaway #1: A Tale of Two Halves

The First-Half Huskies looked unrecognizable compared to the product on the court last season. From losing the ball on drives into the lane to intercepted pass outs to shooters to missed box-out assignments, it seemed like a matter of time before Head Coach Dan Hurley got heated with his team. In his post-game press conference, Hurley was particularly unhappy with his team’s rebounding performance saying it is “not typical of who we are and we won’t look like that moving forward”.

Whatever was said in the UConn locker room at halftime worked because the Second-Half Huskies looked completely different in all the right ways. The offense was red hot and approached the second half with an incredible intensity. Solo Ball led the way with 18 points as well as Aidan Mahaney with 17 points. Alex Karaban and Liam McNeeley rounded out the double digit scorers with 13 points and 10 points, respectively. The Huskies also took much better care of the basketball going from 12 assists, 9 turnovers in the first half to 17 assists, 3 turnovers in the second half. 

Of course, Monday night’s contest was an exhibition match in October so it’s important to take it with a grain of salt. There’s nearly three weeks before UConn basketball opens their season which gives them plenty of time to clean up the fouling and rebounding issues shown in this contest.

Takeaway #2: The Sophomore Leap

While UConn basketball’s 2023 recruiting class lost a member this off-season with Stephon Castle going to the NBA, the four returning players enter this season with a serious opportunity to become key contributors to the team’s success. The two names that received the most discussion are Solo Ball and Jaylin Stewart after both showed glimpses of promise last season.

One of the big storylines coming out of the Summer was how Ball improved his shooting and tonight made that storyline a reality as he shot 7 for 10 from the field and 3 for 6 from deep. Factor in the two blocks and two steals and it begins to feel like Ball has secured his spot in the starting lineup come the regular season.

Big night for number 1️⃣😤 pic.twitter.com/oVxIhtCvlh

— UConn Men’s Basketball (@UConnMBB) October 15, 2024

Jaylin Stewart had a first half to forget with just 7 minutes played, 2 personal fouls committed, and not a single shot attempt. In the second half, Stewart started to look like the player that finished last season so strong as he scored 6 points on 3 for 7 shooting. There’s a reason NBA Draft analysts project Stewart as an early second-round pick, expect him to have performances to continue backing that up once November comes around. 

Takeaway #3: Old Faces, New Places

UConn basketball’s roster this year features two transfers in Tarris Reed and Aidan Mahaney. Both address key needs for the Huskies who lost four starters to the NBA. 

While no one expects Reed to come in and instantly become Donovan Clingan, there is a need for a reliable center who can provide an interior presence on both ends of the floor. Reed finished the game with 8 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 0 fouls. It will be intriguing to see what kind of role Tarris finds himself in as the season gets under way. Don’t be shocked if he even works his way into the starting lineup when it’s all said and done.

Perhaps the biggest question for the Huskies this Summer is where they were going to get their points from. Aidan Mahaney provided at least part of that answer as he had an incredible shooting performance in the second half going 4 for 5 from the floor and 2 for 2 from beyond the arc. He showcased his ability to score at different levels with his long range shooting and ability to put the ball on the floor and go to the rim. In just forty minutes of October basketball, it is clear that Mahaney is going to be someone that UConn basketball can go to when they need a bucket.

Next game for UConn: vs. Sacred Heart (Wed., Nov. 6 – 7: p.m.)