Matchup Preview: UConn visits DePaul

The UConn Huskies made quick and easy work of the Georgetown Hoyas in DC this past Saturday, 89-64, for their 12th straight win. They’re on the road once again tonight as Dan Hurley’s squad prepares for its second meeting with DePaul.

In the first meeting, UConn started slow but pulled away in the middle of the first half en route to an 85-56 victory at Gampel Pavilion. Donovan Clingan was out due to an injury in that one but Stephon Castle was back in the starting lineup. The freshman scored 14 points while Cam Spencer led the Huskies with 20 and Alex Karaban added 17.

Today, Karaban and the Huskies head into this DePaul matchup with a clean bill of health. The sophomore forward missed one game with an ankle injury but has played through it over the last two games. Against Georgetown, he led UConn with 25 points, hitting 4-of-7 threes.

The Huskies are ranked No. 1 in the country for the fifth consecutive week, a run which last occurred for this program in the 2003-2004 season. They’ll put that streak to the test on Saturday when No. 4 Marquette visits.

But first, a DePaul side that is technically a Division 1 basketball team but struggling to prove it. The Blue Demons have won three games all season and already fired head coach Tony Stubblefield but it hasn’t helped. Since losing to the Huskies on January 2nd, they’ve dropped 11 in a row and even lost to Georgetown.

DePaul Preview

TV: CBS Sports Network (Rich Waltz, Dan Dickau, Keiana Martin)

Radio: UConn Sports Network (Mike Crispino, Wayne Norman)

Odds: UConn -24, over/under 142.5 (via DraftKings)

KenPom Predicted Score: UConn 82, DePaul 59 (98 percent win percentage)

Pre-Game Notes

• Stephon Castle recently earned his seventh Big East Freshman of the Week award. He leads the league’s first-year players in points, rebounds, and assists per game this season.

• Cam Spencer holds a brief edge in UConn’s scoring lead with 15.3 PPG, just ahead of Tristen Newton (15.2 PPG). All five Husky starters are averaging at least 10 PPG and 4 RPG.

• Three different Husky starters have three or more assists per game, led by Newton (5.8 APG), who also leads the team in rebounding (6.6 RPG).

• DePaul is led by seniors Chico Carter (11.8 PPG) and Da’Sean Nelson (10.6 PPG). Nelson scored 19 in the first meeting with the Huskies while Carter had three points. Carter has been out since mid-January with a rib injury.

• Matt Brady has been serving as DePaul’s interim head coach after Stubblefield’s firing. He joined the team as a special assistant last summer after stints on the coaching staff at Temple, Oklahoma, and Maryland. He was previously a head coach at Marist (2004-2008) and James Madison (2008-2016).

Matchup Stats

UConn is ahead of DePaul in all key metrics except free-throw rate allowed.

Dan Hurley Pre-Game Interview

Hurley discusses the lack of promotion for men’s college basketball as well as the health of his team and how to handle a game as the heavy favorites.