As is the tradition of UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams, the Huskies will celebrate the start of their season with “First Night.” The event is designed to be player and student centered, with only students and pass holders having access.
The festivities will begin around 2 p.m. on Friday, when students can first line up outside the Gampel Pavilion to enter. At 5 p.m., UConn will host a block party on Jim Calhoun Way, which will likely include food trucks and lawn games. One hour after the food trucks, the doors will open. At 6:45 p.m. the show will begin, with a wide range of events. They usually start with player introductions to help students get to know the players better before the season.
Afterwards, there will be a mix of a student half-court challenge to win $10,000, a three-point competition and a dunk contest that includes guest judges and potentially a mixed scrum.
Last year there were supposed to be full-court scrums, but that didn’t happen due to a malfunction in the basketball hoops that prevented them from standing up, which significantly ruined the event. .
The three-point contest favorites are Azzi Fudd and Jordan Hawkins, both of whom are absolute marksmen. Fudd shot 43% from deep last year, with an injury hampering his ability to get into a rhythm. While that number puts Fudd in the upper echelon of shooters, there’s reason to believe she could eclipse the 50% mark this year if she’s able to minimize her injuries. Hawkins made just a third of his threes last year, but his shot from depth is pure enough to think he should be able to hit around 40% this season. Similar to Fudd, consistency will be key for the sophomore contender.
For the dunk contest, Hawkins is the leading contender to win material on the men’s side, while female rookie Ayanna Patterson should raise eyebrows with her home-hitting ability. Andre Jackson would have been there too if he hadn’t hurt his little finger. Hawkins was on the better side of some dirty posters last season, so students should get a first-hand look at what he’s been working on over the summer. Although Patterson hasn’t dunked it in the game yet, she has shown the ability to do so regularly in practice, which is a testament to her crazy athleticism.
When it comes to each of the team’s prospects for the season, the projections are as similar as they have been for several years.
For the men’s team, several question marks surround the Huskies. With so much turnover and four new transfers on the roster, the talent is there, but it’s unclear how solid the team will be. Jackson and Hawkins look set for breakout years as Adama Sanogo looks to extend the magic he had throughout the first part of last season throughout this year. Perhaps the most important factor will be what Samson Johnson can do. The Togolese striker has all the tools but has not yet had an effect. If he shines, the Huskies will too.
The women’s team will be without former national player of the year Paige Bueckers, which significantly lowers its cap. There is still plenty of talent on the team to make another championship run, but the presence of Fudd and Caroline Ducharme will be key for any magic to happen. The transfer of Fairfield Lou Lopez-Senechal should also be able to take a leap with the increased level of competition, but the biggest key? Find a center who can compete with South Carolina star Aliyah Boston when teams play. Junior Aaliyah Edwards and rookie Ice Brady are up for it, but only time will tell.
Regardless of anything else, as long as the hoops are able to hold their own and there are no injuries, it should be a good night for everyone involved. Players will be able to bring excitement to their respective teams, giving students a brief taste of what to expect this season.
As is the tradition of UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams, the Huskies will celebrate the start of their season with “First Night.” The event is designed to be player and student centered, with only students and pass holders having access.
The festivities will begin around 2 p.m. on Friday, when students can first line up outside the Gampel Pavilion to enter. At 5 p.m., UConn will host a block party on Jim Calhoun Way, which will likely include food trucks and lawn games. One hour after the food trucks, the doors will open. At 6:45 p.m. the show will begin, with a wide range of events. They usually start with player introductions to help students get to know the players better before the season.
Afterwards, there will be a mix of a student half-court challenge to win $10,000, a three-point competition and a dunk contest that includes guest judges and potentially a mixed scrum.
Last year there were supposed to be full-court scrums, but that didn’t happen due to a malfunction in the basketball hoops that prevented them from standing up, which significantly ruined the event. .
The three-point contest favorites are Azzi Fudd and Jordan Hawkins, both of whom are absolute marksmen. Fudd shot 43% from deep last year, with an injury hampering his ability to get into a rhythm. While that number puts Fudd in the upper echelon of shooters, there’s reason to believe she could eclipse the 50% mark this year if she’s able to minimize her injuries. Hawkins made just a third of his threes last year, but his shot from depth is pure enough to think he should be able to hit around 40% this season. Similar to Fudd, consistency will be key for the sophomore contender.
For the dunk contest, Hawkins is the leading contender to win material on the men’s side, while female rookie Ayanna Patterson should raise eyebrows with her home-hitting ability. Andre Jackson would have been there too if he hadn’t hurt his little finger. Hawkins was on the better side of some dirty posters last season, so students should get a first-hand look at what he’s been working on over the summer. Although Patterson hasn’t dunked it in the game yet, she has shown the ability to do so regularly in practice, which is a testament to her crazy athleticism.
When it comes to each of the team’s prospects for the season, the projections are as similar as they have been for several years.
For the men’s team, several question marks surround the Huskies. With so much turnover and four new transfers on the roster, the talent is there, but it’s unclear how solid the team will be. Jackson and Hawkins look set for breakout years as Adama Sanogo looks to extend the magic he had throughout the first part of last season throughout this year. Perhaps the most important factor will be what Samson Johnson can do. The Togolese striker has all the tools but has not yet had an effect. If he shines, the Huskies will too.
The women’s team will be without former national player of the year Paige Bueckers, which significantly lowers its cap. There is still plenty of talent on the team to make another championship run, but the presence of Fudd and Caroline Ducharme will be key for any magic to happen. The transfer of Fairfield Lou Lopez-Senechal should also be able to take a leap with the increased level of competition, but the biggest key? Find a center who can compete with South Carolina star Aliyah Boston when teams play. Junior Aaliyah Edwards and rookie Ice Brady are up for it, but only time will tell.
Regardless of anything else, as long as the hoops are able to hold their own and there are no injuries, it should be a good night for everyone involved. Players will be able to bring excitement to their respective teams, giving students a brief taste of what to expect this season.