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STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Each time the topic of the starting lineup for two-time defending national champion UConn comes up, coach Dan Hurley is quick to heap praise on Alex Karaban as he heads into his third season as a starting forward. Pressed on the other likely starters, Hurley can do little more than shrug his shoulders.
Hurley’s main concern is preparing the third-ranked Huskies for the rigors of being the team that is in the crosshairs of pretty much everyone else in college basketball.
“We talk about it pretty consistently because it is the elephant in the room, you can’t hide from this opportunity,” Hurley said. “That is why I coach this team harder than any other team that I had because I know the challenge that lies ahead. The amount of people who have studied us and how we play, I know people are preparing to beat us and it is a target and just how relentlessly you have to strive to improve.”
Karaban led UConn with 27 minutes played in a recent exhibition game. Eight other players were on the court for anywhere from 17-24 minutes — a potential sign of the depth that could be a strength of a UConn team trying to become the first team to win a third consecutive national title since UCLA won its seventh straight in 1973.
UConn lost four starters to the NBA, but few expect a major drop in skill, talent and wins for the Huskies, who lost three to the NBA before last season. Different players will be asked to rise to the challenge with various combinations getting to share the court in what Hurley thinks could be his deepest team heading into his seventh season at UConn.
With battles for multiple starting positions starting to heat up, the intensity is even higher for the Huskies.
“You can see it from Day 1, guys all over the court making plays on offense and defense and it is a great thing to have,” senior center Samson Johnson said. “You can put nine or 10 guys on the floor that can impact winning and that is a great thing for us.”
Johnson, Hassan…
Source link : https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/no-3-uconn-seeking-third-195927154.html
Author : The Canadian Press
Publish date : 2024-10-24 19:59:00
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