The University of Connecticut Men’s Basketball team took on the University of Rhode Island on Monday, October 14, at Mohegan Sun Arena for their first unofficial game of the season.
Despite a slow start for the Huskies in the first half, they ended up prevailing with a 102-75 win.
This game will go down as an exhibition, meaning it was not an official game towards the team records. It went down as the inaugural “Hall of Fame Enshrinement Game” benefiting the “Coaches vs. Cancer” charity program.
“Coaches vs. Cancer” is a collaboration between the American Cancer Society and National Association of Basketball Coaches.
The program is designed to allow basketball coaches to increase cancer awareness through different efforts, fundraising activities, and advocacy programs, an example being this exhibition game.
While the “Coaches vs. Cancer” program specifically says their initiative is for “every cancer, every life,” this exhibition game did take place during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with breast cancer being one of the most common forms of cancer.
According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, more than 360,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024.
Dan Hurley and his wife, Andrea, have both done extensive work for the American Cancer Society ever since the passing of Andrea Hurley’s father from kidney cancer in 2005. This exhibition game was just another example of the Hurley’s efforts towards fundraising for cancer research.
As for the game itself, the Huskies had a slow start in the first half, founding themselves trailing. At the end of the first half, UConn held a narrow 44-40 lead over the University of Rhode Island Rhody Rams.
The second half was a completely different story, something that’s been seen from this group multiple times last season.
Connecticut outscored Rhode Island 102-75 in the second half, ending the game with a 27-point win.
UConn’s returning sophomore guard, Solo Ball, had a very promising performance, leading the game in scoring 18 points, along with five rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
The Huskies are looking to see Ball take on a bigger role this upcoming season, especially with the loss of four of their five previous starters to the NBA draft.
One of the new players on the team, junior transfer from Saint Mary’s, Aidan Mahaney, had an impressive showing as well, racking up 17 points including three, three-pointers.
Five-star rated freshman, Liam McNeeley, made his debut as well, scoring 10 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Veteran forward, Alex Karaban, was the only player to return to UConn from last year’s starting five lineup. Karaban had a productive game as well, scoring 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Connecticut also saw debuts from Tarris Reed Jr., a junior transfer from Michigan and two other upcoming first-year students on the team, Ahmad Nowell and Isaiah Abraham.
UConn’s next game will be their first official game of the season against Sacred Heart University on November 6, which will be taking place at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut.
