Notes & Quotes: Castle breaks out as Huskies win "in the mud"

STORRS, Conn. - It was an ugly game, but Dan Hurley’s squad got the right result.

Freshman Stephon Castle keyed the Huskies’ 74-65 victory over Providence on Wednesday night. His two-way excellence was the bright spot in a drawn-out Big East tussle that saw top-ranked UConn (19-2, 9-1 Big East) emerge from the 48-foul brawl on top.

“I’m not sure there’s a freshman in the country, both ends of the court, on the glass, that’s played as well as he just played in this game,” Hurley said.

“He saved us tonight.”

Castle finished with 20 points (7-14 FG) in the best offensive performance of his young career. He struck inside and out and also played great defense on Providence guard Devin Carter, one of the most dynamic scorers in the league, who finished with 20 points but only had four in the first half and needed 18 shots to get to his total.

Overcoming Adversity

The Huskies finished 17 percent (4-of-23) from behind the arc, their second-worst performance from deep on the season. In the first half, they were 5-of-11 from the free-throw line and were outrebounded 22-15. Donovan Clingan sat the final 16 minutes of the first half with two fouls and got his fourth foul less than two minutes into the second half.

On top of that, Alex Karaban left the game with an ankle injury halfway through the first half, returning after six minutes of game time. He played all 20 minutes in the second half at about “70 percent,” according to his coach.

Despite all of that, UConn prevailed, powering through many tough stretches before pulling away in the second half. Tristen Newton finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. He missed his three three-point attempts but got to the line 16 times.

“That's the mark of who we are as a program,'“ Hurley said. “We can win the beauty contests when the game is up and down and high scoring, and we can win in the mud too.

“Today was one of those games where we had to win in the mud, and just outlast them.”

Providence head coach Kim English agreed.

“They’re the best team in the country,” English said. “Offensively, defensively, on the backboards, they can play any type of game.”

What Went Well

Seizing the Moment: With Karaban missing time, others in foul trouble, and some shooters going cold, Castle chose a great night for his breakout performance. Defenders were playing off of him and he responded well, hitting some short-range shots early to get going and finishing lots of tough drives. His aggression to the hoop and two 3-pointers made in the second half gave them a much-needed boost, tying the game and giving them the lead for good.

Hurley: “He got off to a good start in the game… those short-range, little touch shots, floats, semi-layups, which really got him going. Plus his first-half defense on Carter was tremendous.”

Stephon Castle: “I feel like if I can limit the other team’s best player to under their number, then we have a way better chance of winning the game.”

Providence head coach Kim English: “Castle did a great job defensively. We didn’t move the ball enough.”

A Gritty Leader: The UConn faithful at Gampel held their breath when Karaban hobbled off the court in the first half. When he returned to the bench, the crowd roared. The sophomore forward means so much to this team. He was struggling to move but still managed to block a shot and knock down a big 3-pointer right after checking back in. In the second half, he never left the floor despite being in clear discomfort. Hurley said his ankle will be further examined on Thursday.

Hurley: “He was compromised. He couldn’t really move anywhere near as well, he was probably at 70 percent… His ankle was pretty swollen, but he’s just the toughest guy. Just his presence helped us with floor spacing.”

Clutch at the Line: In a game with a tight whistle, the Huskies handled it better down the stretch. UConn shook off a 45.5 percent performance at the line in the first half to hit 21-25 (84%) in the second half. Cam Spencer didn’t have his best night from the floor but hit all eight of his free throws, including six in the final 3:43, to finish with 15 points while also grabbing seven rebounds.

Cam Spencer: “It was just one of those Big East battles that you had to gut out. … We’re happy we pulled it out, but we have a lot of work to do.”

What Needs Work

Flat Out the Gate: Gampel was bursting with energy to start the game, but the Huskies fizzled to start. The Friars controlled the boards and forced a handful of turnovers early to take their largest lead of the game at 16-8. The visitors outrebounded the Huskies in the first half, 22-15.

Hurley: “In the first half they really got into us. Both on the glass, that was a complete embarrassment to start the game, the offensive rebounds by the first media timeout, that was a complete joke by us and should never happen.”

Center Struggles: It was not a strong night for Clingan or Samson Johnson against Providence center Josh Oduro. Clingan lasted just 15 minutes due to foul issues early in both halves. Johnson added two points and four rebounds, but he struggles with the physicality of league play, Hurley says. Oduro also had foul trouble, sitting a good chunk of the second half, but scored 20 points with nine rebounds.

Hurley: “(Clingan) has a chance to redeem himself in the next one. It’s not sustainable for us to get that level of play from the five spot. We expect to outplay the other teams’ centers.”

Misc. Notes

UConn has won three straight against Providence and three straight against the Friars in Gampel. … The Huskies are currently in their third week as the top team in the nation. UConn’s longest stretch ranked at No. 1 was 10 weeks during the 1998-99 season. The next longest is five weeks, in 2003-04. … The Friars played their seventh game without junior Bryce Hopkins, who is out for the season with a knee injury. … The game had six lead changes and five ties, but the Huskies led from the 16:05 mark of the second half onward. … UConn has won 25 of its last 26 at Gampel and is 12-0 at home this season. … Castle’s 20-point performance is the fifth by a Husky this season.

Up Next

On Sunday, the Huskies will be in their third home, Madison Square Garden, to take on St. John’s. Rick Pitino’s Red Storm are ranked 36th in KenPom (43rd Offensive, 51st Defensive).