Getting this in early
arkansas.rivals.com
To gain insight on the 8-seed Arkansas Razorbacks' opponent in the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Tournament, HawgBeat went behind enemy lines to learn more about the 4-seed UConn Huskies from UConnReport.com.
Here's what UConnReport basketball writer Stratton Stave had to say about Thursday's matchup, which is set to tip at 6:15 p.m. CT at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on CBS:
One of the biggest storylines for UConn is its rollercoaster ride of a season that maybe indicates that the Big East is the strongest conference. UConn went undefeated in the non-conference, then faced a brutal 2-6 stretch towards the beginning of their conference slate.
They ultimately picked up their act finishing 13-7 in the Big East, but the fact stands that they're 13-0 out of conference and there's no league with more schools in the Sweet 16 (the SEC is tied at 3).
Another important storyline is UConn's lack of clarity at the point guard position. They lack the Shabazz Napier or Kemba Walker of years past, instead taking contributions from Tristen Newton, Andre Jackson Jr. and Hassan Diarra at the position.
Although Jackson and Newton are roughly even in assist totals at ~4.5 per game, Newton has been more ball dominant and has generally taken the reins. He has two triple doubles this year--one in a win against No. 2 seed Marquette--and has been as dynamic as anyone else vying for the starting PG role. He's lacked confidence at times and can get sloppy, but he's generally a calming force for the team and has been their best option.
The key to limiting Sanogo is to double him every time he gets the ball inside. Although he's gotten better with his passing, it's still a weakness of his game. In the Round of 32, Saint Mary's never had more than one guy on Sanogo, and you saw how that went. He's not super tall, but he is massive, and there aren't too many players who can stop him on an island.
For Hawkins, he's super reliant on catch and shoot threes, making up the vast majority of his buckets. Hurley likes to run a lot of off-ball screening action for the sophomore guard, with a lot of the team's offense revolving around him. If Arkansas can stay tight on him and not allow Hawkins to get a shot off, that's their best bet, but as soon as he releases the ball, the opposition is in trouble.
Although UConn is in the bottom half of the country in tempo per KenPom, the Huskies are at their best when they're playing with pace. They have a habit of going quiet with a lack of movement for multi-minute stretches, then exploding for a lot of points in small chunks of time, most of which come in transition.
Especially against Iona, but in both games, the ball had trouble moving in the first half, but flew around in the second half, especially as the Huskies got out on the fastbreak. It's no mystery why they're No. 3 nationally in offensive efficiency: when they're on, boy are they on.
As I mentioned earlier, the Huskies are the third best offensive team in the country. Unlike the team in previous years, they have a bevy of capable shooters and teams even have to respect Sanogo from deep, which really spaces the floor. Especially as they connect on their shots, the offense builds from there.
Also impressive is Connecticut's 3-point defense, holding their opponents to 30% from deep, which is top 20 in the country. Their top 30 height ranking also helps, but isn't terribly differentiating against a team with as much length as Arkansas.
For UConn, the keys to the game are to get Jordan Hawkins going early and often. In their two convincing wins, Hawkins hasn't had a complete game or even a complete half. He scores in bunches and is capable of hitting 5+ threes in a game, something he hasn't done in a month.
The battle on the glass will also be crucial, as Arkansas is one of the bigger teams UConn has seen, although they're barely in the top half of the NCAA in offensive and defensive rebounding percent. If UConn can get a 20+ point game from Hawkins and establish control on the boards, it's hard to see them losing this game, as long as the other members of the team do their part. I'll predict a UConn win.
UConn 78, Arkansas 68
HawgBeat - Behind Enemy Lines: Gaining insight on the UConn Huskies
HawgBeat gets insight on the UConn Huskies vs Arkansas Razorbacks from UConnReport.com.
arkansas.rivals.com
To gain insight on the 8-seed Arkansas Razorbacks' opponent in the Sweet Sixteen round of the NCAA Tournament, HawgBeat went behind enemy lines to learn more about the 4-seed UConn Huskies from UConnReport.com.
Here's what UConnReport basketball writer Stratton Stave had to say about Thursday's matchup, which is set to tip at 6:15 p.m. CT at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on CBS:
What are the top storylines for UConn as it enters the Sweet 16?
One of the biggest storylines for UConn is its rollercoaster ride of a season that maybe indicates that the Big East is the strongest conference. UConn went undefeated in the non-conference, then faced a brutal 2-6 stretch towards the beginning of their conference slate.
They ultimately picked up their act finishing 13-7 in the Big East, but the fact stands that they're 13-0 out of conference and there's no league with more schools in the Sweet 16 (the SEC is tied at 3).
Another important storyline is UConn's lack of clarity at the point guard position. They lack the Shabazz Napier or Kemba Walker of years past, instead taking contributions from Tristen Newton, Andre Jackson Jr. and Hassan Diarra at the position.
Although Jackson and Newton are roughly even in assist totals at ~4.5 per game, Newton has been more ball dominant and has generally taken the reins. He has two triple doubles this year--one in a win against No. 2 seed Marquette--and has been as dynamic as anyone else vying for the starting PG role. He's lacked confidence at times and can get sloppy, but he's generally a calming force for the team and has been their best option.
What's the key to limiting Adama Sanogo and Jordan Hawkins?
The key to limiting Sanogo is to double him every time he gets the ball inside. Although he's gotten better with his passing, it's still a weakness of his game. In the Round of 32, Saint Mary's never had more than one guy on Sanogo, and you saw how that went. He's not super tall, but he is massive, and there aren't too many players who can stop him on an island.
For Hawkins, he's super reliant on catch and shoot threes, making up the vast majority of his buckets. Hurley likes to run a lot of off-ball screening action for the sophomore guard, with a lot of the team's offense revolving around him. If Arkansas can stay tight on him and not allow Hawkins to get a shot off, that's their best bet, but as soon as he releases the ball, the opposition is in trouble.
What kind of style and pace does UConn like to play?
Although UConn is in the bottom half of the country in tempo per KenPom, the Huskies are at their best when they're playing with pace. They have a habit of going quiet with a lack of movement for multi-minute stretches, then exploding for a lot of points in small chunks of time, most of which come in transition.
Especially against Iona, but in both games, the ball had trouble moving in the first half, but flew around in the second half, especially as the Huskies got out on the fastbreak. It's no mystery why they're No. 3 nationally in offensive efficiency: when they're on, boy are they on.
What makes UConn such a strong team metrics-wise?
As I mentioned earlier, the Huskies are the third best offensive team in the country. Unlike the team in previous years, they have a bevy of capable shooters and teams even have to respect Sanogo from deep, which really spaces the floor. Especially as they connect on their shots, the offense builds from there.
Also impressive is Connecticut's 3-point defense, holding their opponents to 30% from deep, which is top 20 in the country. Their top 30 height ranking also helps, but isn't terribly differentiating against a team with as much length as Arkansas.
What are your keys to the game versus Arkansas and what's your prediction?
For UConn, the keys to the game are to get Jordan Hawkins going early and often. In their two convincing wins, Hawkins hasn't had a complete game or even a complete half. He scores in bunches and is capable of hitting 5+ threes in a game, something he hasn't done in a month.
The battle on the glass will also be crucial, as Arkansas is one of the bigger teams UConn has seen, although they're barely in the top half of the NCAA in offensive and defensive rebounding percent. If UConn can get a 20+ point game from Hawkins and establish control on the boards, it's hard to see them losing this game, as long as the other members of the team do their part. I'll predict a UConn win.
UConn 78, Arkansas 68
