UConn’s men’s and women’s basketball programs got a fresh look at Gampel Pavilion on Thursday, and the message from the new locker rooms was pretty clear: the Huskies are investing like the “Basketball Capital of the World.”
Both teams were back at Gampel a little more than a week before their first regular season games there, and both were shown the updated spaces. The two locker rooms are built the same, and they’re designed to match the level of a program that keeps selling itself on winning.
For the women’s program, that pitch is already easy. UConn will always be a major draw for recruits, but amenities matter too, especially to 16-18 year old high school players who are looking at more than just the trophy case. This setup belongs near the top of that list.
The same applies on the men’s side. UConn’s run to three national title games in the last four years gives the program plenty of recruiting power on its own, and the steady track record of sending players to the NBA only strengthens that case. Still, this locker room adds another layer for prospects who want to see a school willing to go all in on building a winner.
Silas Demary and Na'jai Hines were at the front of the line when the video rolled, and their reactions said plenty about the impression the space made.
After the tour, Demary addressed the room and thanked the athletic department for giving the program the resources it needs to succeed. It was a direct acknowledgment that building a top program takes more than players and coaches alone.
The women are 2-0 in exhibition play and will close out the preseason Sunday afternoon at Gampel against Army. Their regular season opens Nov. 2 against Cornell at Gampel.
The men are also 2-0 after victories over Syracuse and Michigan State. They’ll wrap up exhibition play Tuesday at PeoplesBank Arena against Purdue.
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UConn Faces One Big Test In A Rivalry Game It Should Win
Fridays matchup at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field has all the familiar trappings of a regional rivalry game, with UMass coming in to face UConn on Oct. 23 and the Huskies listed as a 14.5-point favorite. The game will be carried on CBS Sports Network and across radio stations, giving this one the feel of an old Northeast meeting that still draws a little extra attention even when the betting line suggests one side should have the clearer path.
UConn has handled this series well of late, but rivalry games have a way of testing how much that edge really matters once the ball is kicked. Both programs bring enough recent history and statistical context into the matchup to make it more than a routine home date, and the Huskies still have to navigate the usual trap that comes with being expected to win comfortably. [Read more 🡒]