Spring Break
Releasing the hounds
Men's basketball season gets under way tonight against AIC
Marc Gauthier
Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: Sports
It has been 214 days since the men's basketball team lost to Michigan State in the 2009 Final Four.
In that time, UConn graduated three seniors, in addition to Hasheem Thabeet's decision to leave one year early for the NBA draft. Thabeet and A.J. Price were taken with the No. 2 and 52 picks in the draft by the Memphis Grizzlies and the Indiana Pacers, respectively.
In June, coach Jim Calhoun was hospitalized after he collapsed following a 50-mile charity bicycle ride during which he fell and broke five ribs.
It's been a busy off-season for the men in Storrs.
Tonight, the past 214 days become history, as the pre-season No. 14 Huskies open up the 2009-2010 season at the XL Center in Hartford with an exhibition game against American International College at 7 p.m.
"Everybody on the team can run, everyone on the team can jump, everybody can shoot," said UConn forward Ater Majok. "It's going to be a fun year."
Last season, UConn also opened up their exhibition play against AIC. Thabeet led the Huskies with 21 points as they beat the Yellow Jackets 83-58 at Gampel Pavilion.
This year, the Huskies will start play without the 6-foot-11 Majok after the NCAA clearinghouse declared him ineligible until the conclusion of the 2009 fall semester.
Until Majok can play, the frontcourt duties will be left to senior Gavin Edwards, senior Jonathan Mandeldove, junior Charles Okwandu, and freshman Alex Oriakhi.
But against the Yellow Jackets, the Huskies lack of size will be trumped by AIC's own lack of size. On the team roster, there are no Yellow Jackets listed at center, nor are there any players taller than 6-foot-6.
With the departures of Price, Thabeet, Jeff Adrien and Craig Austrie, Calhoun and the Huskies have added four freshmen to this year's squad.
Oriakhi, a 6-foot-9 forward/center combo McDonald's All-American from New Hampshire, adds another post threat to Calhoun's offense. Joining Oriakhi is his high school teammate is 6-foot-7 forward Jamal Coombs-McDaniel.
In that time, UConn graduated three seniors, in addition to Hasheem Thabeet's decision to leave one year early for the NBA draft. Thabeet and A.J. Price were taken with the No. 2 and 52 picks in the draft by the Memphis Grizzlies and the Indiana Pacers, respectively.
In June, coach Jim Calhoun was hospitalized after he collapsed following a 50-mile charity bicycle ride during which he fell and broke five ribs.
It's been a busy off-season for the men in Storrs.
Tonight, the past 214 days become history, as the pre-season No. 14 Huskies open up the 2009-2010 season at the XL Center in Hartford with an exhibition game against American International College at 7 p.m.
"Everybody on the team can run, everyone on the team can jump, everybody can shoot," said UConn forward Ater Majok. "It's going to be a fun year."
Last season, UConn also opened up their exhibition play against AIC. Thabeet led the Huskies with 21 points as they beat the Yellow Jackets 83-58 at Gampel Pavilion.
This year, the Huskies will start play without the 6-foot-11 Majok after the NCAA clearinghouse declared him ineligible until the conclusion of the 2009 fall semester.
Until Majok can play, the frontcourt duties will be left to senior Gavin Edwards, senior Jonathan Mandeldove, junior Charles Okwandu, and freshman Alex Oriakhi.
But against the Yellow Jackets, the Huskies lack of size will be trumped by AIC's own lack of size. On the team roster, there are no Yellow Jackets listed at center, nor are there any players taller than 6-foot-6.
With the departures of Price, Thabeet, Jeff Adrien and Craig Austrie, Calhoun and the Huskies have added four freshmen to this year's squad.
Oriakhi, a 6-foot-9 forward/center combo McDonald's All-American from New Hampshire, adds another post threat to Calhoun's offense. Joining Oriakhi is his high school teammate is 6-foot-7 forward Jamal Coombs-McDaniel.
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