Husky ReView: Michigan State Exhibition

When considering the subjects to cover in UConn’s exhibition win over Michigan State at PeoplesBank Arena on Tuesday, I decided early on not to do a supercut of all 34 fouls UConn committed. You’re welcome. It may not have felt like it in the moment, but around the combined 56 fouls there was plenty of interesting stuff worthy of taking a second look into.

Jayden Ross Is Box Office

Dan Hurley was effusive in his praise for Jayden Ross after the game, referring to him seeing "that movie" before in practice many times.

Ross was aggressive driving to the rim, drawing several fouls. He pump faked, attacked closeouts, and took advantage of rules enacted last season that make it harder for secondary defenders to draw charges. When handling in the pick and roll, he did a great job recognizing a slower defender switched onto him, using a hesitation move to drive all the way to the rim. He also moved the ball, making the simple pass to open teammates. He drilled two catch and shoot threes, which will be a key to him sticking in the rotation as a contributing 3 and D player.

Speaking of D, Ross' defense was excellent, as it was last exhibition game. He took a tough charge in transition against Coen Carr, and rotated well throughout to contest shooters. His speed and length is key to helping the team defend in the pick and roll, as he frequently plays as the low man in the scheme, needing to be in the paint to help on the roll and then hurry back out to his man in the corner if the pass goes that way.

Demary Debut

I can probably speak for most UConn fans when I say that Silas Demary Jr.’s first game was something I was eagerly anticipating. Considering his assist rate at Georgia wasn't super elite, I was wondering what his playmaking would look like in the UConn scheme that mostly just requires a game manager to find guys at the right time coming off screening actions. He was in some foul trouble in the first half, but in the second half he performed well in that role. The offense flowed pretty smoothly, and shooters and curlers were able to get to their spots. He didn't make many flashy passes, mostly making the easy pass. He had a nice drive and dish to Ross for a spinning layup, but another dribble penetration attempt ended in an intercepted pass. Demary could have found the roll man a few more times in PnR, an area of potential improvement.

He was extremely unselfish in the game, only attempting three shots total, all from beyond the arc. Both of his made threes were near the start of the game and they were off the dribble, an excellent sign. He struggled a bit with his accuracy shooting off the dribble last season, and improved efficiency in that area could be a real ceiling raising factor for UConn. I didn't clip his defense, but other than a couple blow-bys in a tough matchup with one of the best point guards in the Big Ten, Jeremy Fears, he was excellent at the point of attack. He has great instincts, a knack for the ball, and the size and quickness to bother all types of ballhandlers.

Reibe Defending the Roll

Reed's re-aggravated hamstring meant that Eric got his second straight start in the exhibitions. These are important reps for the young German big and film for the coaching staff. The center is the anchor of the defense, and Reibe's handling of the pick and roll off the bench as a freshman will be important for the Huskies this season. As usual, the staff deployed him in various coverages depending on the location on the floor and personnel. He performed pretty well when hard hedging and playing flat to the screen, and having a partner like Demary makes his job easier. But Fears ate him alive pretty much every time he dropped, finding a lob to the roll-man several times. A lot of work to be done on his decision making, footwork, and technique in drop coverage.

In my video on his play in the FIBA U19s, I noted that his rim protection was good, but not great. He’s been even a little better than I expected here so far, with improved conditioning allowing him to cover more ground on the court. After improved conditioning, the next step is improved strength. He held his own on the boards, but a few times he got bullied or moved aside by the experienced, senior-laden frontcourt of the Spartans.

Ball In A China Shop

One of the other noteworthy things to take from the exhibition was Solo's continued rim pressure. If anything, he attacked the rim even more than he did in the first game. With the way the officials have called these exhibitions this year, getting to the lane and throwing your body at someone is some of the best offense a team can have. Despite his three point shot not falling, his evolution into a multi-dimensional player should make him one of the best scorers in the Big East.

Furphy’s Opportunity

With Mullins out injured, Jacob got a bit more time to shine in contested play this game. He came in earlier, and had a bigger impact on the court. He showed off his passion vision and feel, finding several open teammates for scoring opportunities. He missed a wide open three point attempt, but his shooting is the one thing I'm not worried about translating in the long run. A strong team player, he chipped in to help on rebounds and deflected an entry pass in help coverage on defense. The future with him is bright, and he'll get his chances to contribute over the next 5 or so weeks.