Na’jai Hines didn’t need long to make his presence felt in UConn’s exhibition opener against Syracuse.
The Seton Hall transfer came off the bench at Mohegan Sun Arena and quickly gave the Huskies a spark, helping shake off a sluggish start in a 72-52 win. The game took a while to get moving - neither team hit a field goal for nearly five minutes - but Hines changed the feel of it with his work around the rim. He dunked home an alley-oop from Jayden Ross, then followed with a putback to help UConn build an early cushion.
Hines finished with a game-high 17 points in just 17 minutes. He shot 5-for-7 from the field, 7-for-8 at the foul line, and added eight rebounds, two blocks and a steal.
UConn’s shooting had plenty of help beyond its new big man. Duke transfer Nik Khamenia made a strong first impression in Connecticut, knocking down three 3-pointers on five attempts as the Huskies settled into a rhythm from the perimeter.
He ended up with 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. UConn hit 8 of 20 from deep overall, a 40% mark.
Silas Demary Jr. took on the lead-guard role and filled up the stat sheet even on an uneven shooting night. He scored 13 points while going 3-for-12, and also posted five rebounds, two assists and two steals.
The Huskies carried a 31-26 lead into halftime after closing the first half with a 3-pointer from the Big East Preseason Player of the Year and a jumper from Wofford transfer Nils Machowski at the buzzer. That edge came with some defensive bite, too: UConn forced nine Syracuse turnovers in the opening frame and held the Orange to just seven made field goals.
The second half opened with Khamenia connecting again from beyond the arc, and Colben Landrew kept making his case as well. The freshman scored his first college point at the free throw line and finished with eight points, four rebounds and two steals after going 3-for-6 from the field. Junior County also delivered off the bench, hitting two 3-pointers after halftime and finishing with nine points and seven rebounds.
One of the loudest reactions of the night came when Hines powered through for a layup that pushed UConn ahead 57-40 with under eight minutes left. County later added a third triple.
UConn ended the night 23-for-56 from the floor, and after a shaky start, the Huskies cleaned up the turnover issues enough to finish with nine. Foul trouble was part of the story, too: starting center Oskar Giltay fouled out after finishing with four points and two rebounds, and Ross was limited to two points in 20 minutes after getting into early foul trouble. As a team, UConn was whistled 23 times.
Syracuse struggled to find a groove offensively, shooting 15-for-49 overall and 4-for-19 from 3-point range. The Orange also committed 16 turnovers.
UConn now heads to East Lansing for its second exhibition game Tuesday at Michigan State, with tipoff set for 7 p.m.
In Other News...
UConns New-Look Roster Showed Something Big After A Shaky Start
UConns new-look group had to settle in after a shaky opening, but the Huskies found their footing quickly enough to turn the night into a comfortable one at Mohegan Sun Arena. Dan Hurleys team beat Gerry McNamaras Syracuse squad 72-52, and the rotation had a little bit of everything the Huskies will need as the season moves along, from energy off the bench to steady production from the younger pieces trying to carve out roles.
Najai Hines gave UConn a major lift, and Nik Khamenia and Silas Demary Jr. also played important parts in a win that felt useful beyond the final score. It was the kind of early-season test that can sharpen a reshaped roster, and it left both programs talking about the possibility of making this matchup a regular part of the schedule down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Hurley Is Pushing To Bring Back A Rivalry UConn Misses
Dan Hurley is trying to give UConn fans something they have not had in a while, a regular-season meeting with Syracuse that carries the edge and history both programs once took for granted. Hurley and Orange coach Gerry McNamara have both talked up the value of the rivalry, and each has made clear that the matchup still means something beyond nostalgia because of the people on the sidelines and the competitive tone it brings.
The renewed interest is about more than preserving an old Big East feel. Both coaches have praised the other sides staff and the standard that comes with these games, which is why the conversation has moved beyond the usual exhibition-type setting and toward something more permanent. For UConn, the appeal is obvious: a familiar heavyweight opponent, a bigger-stage feel, and a chance to revive a series that still has plenty of life left in it. [Read more 🡒]
UConns New Frontcourt Just Made The Rotation Battle More Interesting
UConns first exhibition of the fall offered an early look at how different the frontcourt picture could feel after an offseason of change. In a 72-52 win over Syracuse, the Huskies mixed new faces with returning pieces as they opened a three-game tuneup slate, and the early returns suggested the group already has more depth and more options than it did coming out of its national title game run in April.
Among the most encouraging signs were the performances of Najai Hines and Nik Khamenia, two newcomers who gave the rotation conversation some fresh life. Hines brought energy on both ends, while Khamenia showed a broader skill set than the usual comparisons might imply, giving UConn a different kind of frontcourt puzzle to sort out before the games start counting for real. [Read more 🡒]