UConn Preview Capsule
STORRS, Conn. (AP) UConn
Last Season: 25-11, lost in second round of NCAA Tournament
Nickname: Huskies
Coach: Kevin Ollie
Conference: American Athletic
Who's gone: G Daniel Hamilton, G Sterling Gibbs, G Omar Calhoun, F Shonn Miller, F Phillip Nolan
Who's back: G Rodney Purvis, who averaged 12.8 points and two assists as a junior; G Jalen Adams, whose 68-foot shot at the third-overtime buzzer against Cincinnati during the AAC tournament was a signature moment for the Huskies; F Kentan Facey, who averaged 3.1 point and 3.6 rebounds last season; C Amida Brimah, who is third all-time at UConn with 280 blocked shots; C Steven Enoch, a sophomore who spent his summer with the Armenian national U-20 team.
Who's new: F Terry Larrier, a transfer from VCU where he averaged 6.6 points and 3.0 rebounds as a freshman in 2014-15; Freshman G Alterique Gilbert, a McDonald's All-American and the conference's pre-season freshman of the year from Richmond, Virginia; Freshman G Christian Vital, a combination guard from New York City and former high school teammate of Enoch; Freshman F Vance Jackson, from Los Angeles, who is known for having a good long-range shot; Freshman F Mamadou Diarra, a tenacious rebounder from New York City; Freshman forward Juwan Durham, who missed his senior season at Tampa Prep in Florida with a left knee injury after averaging 22.9 points and 10.2 rebounds as a junior.
The Skinny: The Huskies return a strong core in Purvis, Brimah, Facey and Adams, and brought in one of the top recruiting classes in the nation. With Larrier now eligible after transferring from VCU, the Huskies should again challenge for the American Athletic Conference title.
