BIG EAST GAME PREVIEW: DEPAUL @ CONNECTICUT

February 19, 2008


Connecticut looks to continue their run of winning when they return home to host DePaul Tuesday night. The Huskies have won nine games in a row, seven in the Big East to put them in position for a run at the conference's regular season title. In those nine wins, eight of them have come with the game in the balance in the last four minutes, including their thrilling OT win at South Florida on Saturday afternoon.

DePaul has lost five of six and find themselves fighting for their Big East Tournament lives as we head down the stretch. Their upcoming schedule does not do them any favors with four of their last six games on the road and home dates with West Virginia and Notre Dame mixed in.

Here are the local media's game stories and previews on tonight's game:

Past Drives UConn (Hartford Courant)
No. 13 UConn Setting Lofty Goals (Republican-American)
UConn Puts 9-Game Win Streak On Line vs. DePaul (Chicago Tribune)
UConn's Goal: Keep Winning, Play Better (Connecticut Post)

Here are two teams heading in opposite directions, but the game is very important to each team. DePaul, sitting at 5-7, is in a dogfight with Villanova and Seton Hall for the last spot in the Big East Tournament. Each team has five victories, which is just one game in front of St. John's for 14th place. Of the four teams, two will be in and two will be out of the party at Madison Square Garden.

Connecticut is 9-3 in the Big East and their three losses is the least in the conference, joined by Georgetown, Louisville and Notre Dame. These four teams have separated themselves from the middle of the pack and look to be in pretty good shape for a bye in the conference tournament.

UConn's hot streak has been without the player many expected to be their top threat this season, Jerome Dyson, who has been suspended indefinitely by the University for a positive drug test following an alcohol-related citation on the UConn campus. Since that time, AJ Price has elevated his game into consideration for Big East Player of the Year, running the team flawlessly and scoring points when needed. The role for Craig Austrie has also expanded and the new found confidence gained with that role was never more obvious than his coast to coast drive that resulted in the 14-foot floater to beat USF on Saturday with 0:00.2 left on the clock in OT.

Like all Connecticut teams of the recent past, they still are big and athletic in the frontcourt with 7'3 Hasheem Thabeet blocking and changing shots, Jeff Adrien bullying his way to double-doubles and the 6'9, long, lean and athletic wing Stanley Robinson just waiting to bust out as a top player.

After struggling throug a tough out of conference schedule, DePaul made some noise by winning three of their first four in the Big East, however, their recent struggles have pushed the Blue Demons back towards the bottom of the pack in the conference. DePaul has some impressive athletes, but consistency in ballhandling and shooting continues to plague them and prevents them from finding any solid footing in the Big East. Their freshman duo of Dar Tucker and Mac Koshwal is very impressive, but against a team like UConn, they will find producing points very tough. Look for Austrie to have the assignment of guarding leading scorer Draelon Burns and making it difficult for Burns to find anything uncontested from the perimeter. Limiting Burns ability for easy baskets will force the Depaul offense to work hard for anything they get, which usually leads to the Blue Demons breaking down on offense.

UConn is a 13-pt favorite, where in many instances, Depaul can make up for their shortcoming by matching up athletically, they will be severely challenged in that end today as well.


NBE Blogger Prediction: Connecticut 81 DePaul 65