Oregon
UConn MBB Set To Meet Oregon In First Game Of PKI – University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn Athletic Communications / Nov. 24, 2022
UConn Recreation Notes
Oregon Recreation Notes
PORTLAND, ORE. — The UConn males’s basketball workforce will play its first recreation away from dwelling on Thanksgiving evening.
A great distance from dwelling.
The No. 20/22 Huskies (5-0) have traveled all the best way throughout the nation to compete within the prestigious Phil Knight Invitational – honoring the 85th birthday of the founding father of Nike — on Thanksgiving weekend in Portland, Ore.
UConn is one in every of 16 males’s basketball groups taking part in in two separate brackets – the Phil Knight Invitational (PKI) and the Phil Knight Legacy (PKL) — at three totally different arenas in Portland.
UConn opens play within the PKI in opposition to Oregon (2-2) on Thursday at 8 p.m. (EST) on the Moda Heart. That recreation is adopted by the (#12/15) Michigan State vs. (#18/18) Alabama recreation. The 2 winners meet on Friday at 10 p.m. (EST) at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, whereas the 2 losers conflict at 12:30 a.m. (EST) at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The Huskies come into the match after 5 victories during which they scored at the very least 84 factors a recreation and gained by a mean of 30.0 factors per recreation. They’re taking pictures .514 general as a workforce and .364 from three-point vary whereas permitting opponents to shoot solely .365 general and .243 from three. UConn has outrebounded opponents by 12.2 per recreation.
Oregon, nonetheless, clearly provides UConn its hardest check of the younger season. The Geese’ energy is their dimension – they boast three gamers 6-11 or taller, every of whom performs at the very least 20 minutes per recreation. The Geese are outrebounding opponents by 11.0 rebounds per recreation and common 7.3 blocks per recreation.
“The shot-blocking is the very first thing that stands out after which the rebounding and the issues they create there,” UConn Coach Dan Hurley stated. “They have been taking part in two of these guys at a time they usually actually have a four-man taking part in the three. They’re huge and bodily. They use their size nicely and they’ll attempt to use it tomorrow.”
The Geese are led by 6-11 N’Faly Dante, who leads the workforce in scoring (14.9) and rebounding (9.0). He’s supported by 7-0 Nate Bittle (9.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and 7-0 Kel’el Ware (7.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg). Senior guard Will Richardson can also be averaging double figures (10.0) and arms out essentially the most assists (4.0).
UConn junior Adama Sanogo can have the duty of battling the Oregon huge males. The 2-time BIG EAST Participant of the Week is UConn’s prime scorer (21.4) and rebounder (8.0). Three different Huskies are averaging double figures – Tristen Newton (11.2), Alex Karaban (11.0), and Jordan Hawkins (10.3).
UConn and Oregon haven’t met since they have been matched within the PK80 5 12 months in the past in Portland, a 71-63 UConn victory. The one different time they met was the earlier season within the Maui Invitational, a 79-69 Oregon triumph.