Dom Amore: UConn fans could finally see all of what a healthy, smooth Jordan Hawkins can do, and the Huskies would benefit from Game 1

STORRS, Conn. — Flash back to last March 17, the night the UConn men’s basketball season flamed out in Buffalo with a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to New Mexico State.

The difference in the end was seven points, and we’ll never know what difference Jordan Hawkins might have made had he not been sitting out, recovering from a concussion. How many 3-pointers he might’ve made, if right, without breaking a sweat?

“Man, that hurt,” Hawkins said, after giving fans a full dose of his game in the Blue-White scrimmage last week. “It really hurt out there, especially sitting on he sidelines watching the guys play. It really, really hurt. The way we lost in the Big East Tournament and lost in the NCAA Tournament, I never want to feel that feeling again, and I’m going to take that with me into this season.”