Dan Hurley hit a milestone Monday night, but the mood after UConn’s season opener suggested the Huskies still have room to sharpen things up.
No. 4 UConn rolled past Gardner-Webb 86-46, giving Hurley his 200th win since taking over the program before the 2018-19 season.
He’s now 200-75 at UConn, a .727 mark that trails only Jim Calhoun in program history. Calhoun’s teams went 625-243 from 1986-2012.
Even with the lopsided final score, Hurley wasn’t fully satisfied with what he saw. Postgame, he wasn’t all that happy with the team’s performance. More on that Tuesday.
Braylon Mullins looked like he had never left.
After missing much of the summer and the first two preseason games because of an undisclosed injury, Mullins came out with energy and emotion. He finished with a team-high 20 points in 25 minutes, going 7-for-12 from the field and knocking down four 3-pointers.
Nik Khamenia also made a strong first impression in his new role. The Duke transfer has big shoes to fill as he steps into the spot left by program icon Alex Karaban, and he showed plenty of activity on both ends against Gardner-Webb. Khamenia scored 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting, grabbed six rebounds and handed out three assists.
The freshmen delivered, too.
Colben Landrew and Junior County entered UConn with plenty of expectations, and both looked ready for the stage in their debuts. Landrew was especially composed, with his first college game never seeming too big for him. He scored 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, added five rebounds and three assists, and was one of four Huskies to finish in double figures.
County had five points and three rebounds, along with one assist and one steal. The early signs suggest he can grow into a dependable backup for point guard Silas Demary Jr. as the season unfolds.
UConn also got encouraging work from its centers. Na’jai Hines and Oskar Giltay showed they could be capable successors to Tarris Reed Jr. and Eric Riebe, with Giltay posting seven points, three rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes.
Just as important, both bigs stayed out of foul trouble - a problem they had run into together in the first two preseason games, especially. Hines picked up two fouls, while Giltay was whistled once.
In Other News...
UConn Rolled In The Opener But Hurley Already Sees A Problem
UConn opened the season the way a defending power is supposed to, rolling past Gardner-Webb 86-46 and getting a big night from Braylon Mullins, who led the way with 20 points. Nik Khamenia and Najai Hines also chipped in as the Huskies controlled the game from the start, giving Dan Hurley a comfortable debut to build on as the schedule quickly turns more demanding.
Hurley still had enough to nitpick afterward, which is usually the sign of a coach who expects more than a lopsided opener can offer. The next test comes against Michigan, and with the competition about to rise, UConn will need to sharpen the details and settle into a cleaner rhythm before the first real measuring-stick game arrives. [Read more 🡒]
UConns 2027 Class Just Added Another Intriguing International Piece
UConns 2027 recruiting picture got a little more international this week, with the Huskies adding another frontcourt piece to a class that is already starting to take shape. The program has commitments from Jordan Page and NaVorro Bowman Jr. for that group, and the newest addition gives Dan Hurleys staff another long-term option to develop as it continues to cast a wide net overseas.
There was more movement on the same front, too, as Serbian shooting guard Matija Luki made a campus visit. For a UConn program that has increasingly leaned into global recruiting, the combination of a commitment and a visit in the same stretch underscores how active the staff is staying in building out the next wave, even with the 2027 class still well ahead on the calendar. [Read more 🡒]
Former UConn QB Suddenly Carries Major Weight For The Ravens
Joe Fagnanos path from UConn to Baltimore has suddenly taken on real significance, with the former Huskies quarterback reportedly expected to start for the Ravens on Thursday. His rise into that role has been shaped by a wave of injuries at the position, after Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley were both unavailable and Baltimore added more quarterbacks for insurance. Fagnano also flashed enough in the preseason to stay in the conversation, and he was on the field in the Ravens previous game against the Bills.
Now the question is how much the Ravens can lean on him with another start looming so soon after he was banged up in that same game. Baltimores quarterback room has been in constant motion, and Fagnano has gone from depth option to a player carrying major weight for a team trying to keep its offense on track. The next step will say plenty about where the Ravens stand behind center, and how much trust they are willing to place in a quarterback who was not supposed to be in this spot this quickly. [Read more 🡒]