HARTFORD, Conn. — UConn men’s basketball head coach Dan Hurley just wanted his team to “survive” the first five games of the season before tougher competition begins at the Phil Knight Invitational on Thanksgiving. On Sunday, the Huskies clinched win No. 5 with a 95-60 onslaught of Delaware State at the XL Center.
A pair of 3-pointers from Tristen Newton on his first two attempts set the tone early as the Huskies got off to their best start of the season from deep, getting 4 of the first 8 to fall. That, coupled with exceptional defense at every level, allowed UConn to a 30-11 advantage through the game’s first 10 minutes.
Adama Sanogo put on a post-move clinic, consistently forcing the Hornets off balance as he powered through to make his first four shots from the field, including a smooth looking 3-pointer that gave UConn a 40-13 advantage with seven minutes to go in the opening half.
Soon after, Andre Jackson dove onto the court for a loose defensive rebound – the score was 42-15.
UConn shot a season-best 57.4% from the field and 42.9% from deep.
Jordan Hawkins, who got out to a relatively slow shooting start compared to his teammates, provided a highlight sequence in the final two minutes of the opening half. Left open after a Joey Calcaterra screen, Hawkins converted a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer. As the Hornets buzzed down the court in transition, Hawkins took flight, sending Aaron Lemon-Warren’s layup attempt off the glass with authority.
Early in the second half, a second Hawkins block led to an electrifying alley-oop dunk in transition for Sanogo.
With a smooth layup early in the second-half, Sanogo surpassed the 20-point mark for the third time this season, finishing the game with 26 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals and a block. Hawkins totaled 11 points on 4 of 13 shooting and added a team-high 9 rebounds.
The Hornets, without their 6-11 leading scorer Brandon Stone, were dominated by the size and athleticism of the Huskies as Hurley continually rotated refreshed players off the bench. Donovan Clingan, able to give Sanogo some rest, scored 16 points with 5 rebounds, 3 blocks and a pair of steals, including a few aggressive two-handed dunks that got the enamored XL Center crowd to its feet.
Delaware State, which outrebounded Villanova in a 10-point loss Nov. 14, missed Stone as the Hornets were dominated on the glass (39-27) by Sanogo, Hawkins and company.
UConn nation got a glimpse of the future when Stephon Castle, a commit in Hurley’s top-five 2023 recruiting class, was introduced at center court during a second-half media timeout. He walked off, waving to the fans who erupted at the thought of another addition to the talented program that dominated the Hornets Sunday. Castle is a four-star recruit and the No. 23 player in his class, according to ESPN.
Entering Sunday averaging 85 points per game, the Huskies reached that mark with nearly eight minutes still to play as they led Delaware State by 37.
The Huskies, who have now started 5-0 in consecutive seasons, head to Portland, Ore. for the PKI, where they’ll matchup with Oregon on Thanksgiving night.
