With another win under their belt, it’s time to move on to the next contest for the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team. The Huskies’ next foe is Binghamton University, and while the Bearcats are 1-2 this year, the Huskies will not let anything slip in this matchup.
UConn, which stands at a 3-0 record on the year, is traveling to the XL Center for their second game at the site this year. While the team does not get as much time to play at this venue, as the familiar Gampel Pavillion, players look forward to playing in Hartford.
“For me, I actually like Hartford more than Gampel for some reason,” said forward Isaiah Whaley. “It just gets a lot louder.”
In the team’s previous game at XL Center, the Huskies took care of business by defeating Coppin State University 89-54 in a demoralizing blowout.
With his UConn debut in the books, freshman Jordan Hawkins will look to continue to add to the impressive play of the Huskies and back up the words of the UConn coaching staff.
“He’s got a superpower and that’s shooting,” said coach Kimani Young. “That can help especially when you got a guy like Adama Sanogo where teams are going to shrink the floor, trap and double him.”
Dependable players like R.J. Cole and Sanogo will look to have bounce-back games after disappointing performances against Long Island. In Wednesday’s blowout, Cole shot 3-9 with nine points, while Sanogo got into early foul trouble and had eleven points.
The team will have to bring their lockdown defense with plenty of double-digit scorers for Binghamton, like guards John McGriff and Kellen Amos. The Huskies have averaged 13.3 steals and 7 blocks per game. The team has held opponents to an average of only 47.3 points per game.
Binghamton comes into this matchup after a 77-85 loss to Columbia University. That game saw the Bearcats give up a 26-2 run to the Lions and take the loss in the last six minutes of regulation. Wednesday’s loss spoiled a 29 point career night from Binghamton guard Tyler Bertram.
UConn aims to keep their impressive play going, while the Bearcats are hungry for redemption. Saturday’s game between the two teams is sure to be an entertaining watch. Tipoff is at noon and will be televised on Fox Sports.
