UConn's Liam McNeeley Erupts For 38 Points: 'Gonna Be A Top-10 Pick'

UConn Huskies diaper dandy Liam McNeeley pulled off an iconic performance on Tuesday night in a comeback road win over Creighton, and Huskies head coach Dan Hurley praised McNeeley after the game.

“He’s got swagger,” Hurley said of McNeeley.

“He’s got the swagger that guys like Cam Spencer and Donovan Clingan had. That kind of “F you” type of thing. He’s our biggest personality, and we’ve missed that. That’s been a (missing) ingredient that has really hurt us in some of these late-game situations.”

McNeeley finished with an absurd 38 points and 10 rebounds on the night. He was 5-for-10 from three and scored 23 points in the second half as UConn stormed back and silenced the Creighton crowd.

It was McNeeley’s second game back from a high ankle sprain and his first game playing as UConn’s de facto point guard. It’s a role that McNeeley should see much more of for the rest of the season, which will also be the rest of his college career.

“That guy’s gonna be a top-10 pick,” Hurley said. “He’s one of the best players in the country.”

“When Liam was healthy … we were playing (like) a top-10, top-12 team in the country in terms of the quality.”

“Obviously now we’ve got point guard problems because of Hassan (Diarra’s) poor health and just not having an answer right now beyond him, so we’re just trying to reinvent ourselves with a bigger, positionless lineup.”

Diarra’s problematic knee has made it clear that UConn should make McNeeley its primary ball handler moving forward.

Even if and when Diarra returns to full health this season (a doubtful outcome), the Huskies have discovered something special to keep going to with McNeeley effectively operating as the team’s lead guard.

If McNeeley keeps playing like one of the top-5 players in the nation — as he did on Tuesday — UConn’s three-peat hopes may very well rise from the ashes.

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