UConn men’s basketball looks to bounce back from its first loss of the season on Wednesday night with a get-right game against the Bryant Bulldogs in Hartford. The Huskies (4-1) hung tough with No. 4 Arizona
without star big man Tarris Reed, but couldn’t seal the deal late and fell to the Wildcats at Gampel Pavilion as Arizona dominated in the paint. While UConn likely won’t have Reed available against the Bulldogs, the Huskies have an opportunity to get back on track and build some positive momentum before a big-time showdown with No. 8 Illinois on Black Friday at Madison Square Garden.
Bryant comes to Hartford as the reigning America East champions, but the Bulldogs are struggling mightily after losing head coach Phil Martelli Jr. to VCU. Jamion Christian’s Bulldogs enter Sunday night’s matchup with a 1-4 record and fresh off a 78-61 loss to Virginia Tech on the road. Bryant ranks No. 318 in KenPom and boasts an offensive efficiency ranking of No. 338, one of the worst in the country. The Bulldogs were predicted to finish sixth out of nine teams in this year’s America East coaches’ poll, two spots behind UMass Lowell, who UConn defeated 110-47 earlier this month.
TV: truTV, stream will be available on HBOMax
Radio: UConn Sports Network, Sirius XM 84, Sirius/XM online streaming
Odds: As of press time, the odds were not posted. They will be posted as soon as they become available.
Location: PeoplesBank Arena — Hartford, Connecticut
KenPom Predicted Score: UConn 88 Bryant 57 (99.7 percent win probability)
Series History
This will be only the third time these two New England teams will have met on the hardwood. UConn has won both games which came at Gampel Pavilion in 2008 and 2014. In the 2014 matchup, the No. 17 Huskies beat the Bulldogs, 66-53, and were led by Ryan Boatright’s 24 points while Amida Brimah had 12 points and five blocks.
Inactives report
In a press release before Wednesday’s game with Arizona, it was announced that Tarris Reed Jr. and Braylon Mullins are both considered game-to-game with ankle injuries. With no media availability before Sunday’s game, we won’t know until gametime if either player will play.
What to Watch For
Take care of business
This Bryant game has all the makings of a trap game. With Reed likely out, two big games in the rearview mirror and Thanksgiving and the Illinois game looming, UConn has to take care of business. Even without Reed, the Huskies have enough size and talent to overwhelm this Bulldogs squad.
Bryant does not shoot it well and struggles offensively, but does have significant size throughout its lineup as the tallest team in the country per KenPom. Four starters are 6-foot-8 or taller, and while they may not be as physical as Arizona was on Wednesday, UConn needs to ensure it controls the boards and squashes any shot of any extra possessions for the Bulldogs.
Timofei Rudovskii is Bryant’s leading scorer at over 12 points per game, but stopping 6-foot-8 senior guard Quincy Allen will also be key. The Chicago State transfer is the only other Bulldog averaging double figures and also leads Bryant in rebounds (5.8), steals (1.8) and blocks (2.2) per game.
Running it back with Reibe
Freshman Eric Reibe got the start with Reed out against Arizona, and while the German big did look like a true freshman at times, he still managed to hold his own against a tough Wildcats frontcourt. Reibe scored 15 points, added four rebounds and blocked two shots in 28 minutes before fouling out late in the second half. While Reibe didn’t help much on the boards, he secured a few key rebounds late in the game to keep the Huskies in the mix.
Should Reibe start again Sunday, he should have a chance to post similar numbers against the Bulldogs, but an improved performance on the glass and on defense would show that he’s trending in the right direction as more critical non conference games loom and with conference play fast approaching.
Get Solo shooting
Solo Ball’s junior season is off to a bizarre start. He’s scoring 15.4 points per game this season and is about as efficient as a scorer as he’s been while at UConn despite significantly more usage. But Ball, widely regarded as one of the top shooters in the country, is struggling from the 3-point line to start the year. He’s shooting just 26.5 percent from three this season, and was 1-for-8 in the loss to Arizona.
Ball is still shooting it well overall with a true shooting percentage of 57.6 percent, and has showcased more versatility to his game with improved finishing around the rim and an effective midrange package. But getting Ball going from deep again would turn the UConn offense from an incredibly efficient one to potentially the best offense in the nation. If the junior can shoot his way out of his slump against the Bulldogs, it would be a good omen.
