Notes & Quotes: Manhattan coach says UConn better than Kansas by "a couple baskets"

HARTFORD - Tristen Newton recorded his third career triple-double to lead No. 5 UConn over Manhattan 90-60 on Friday afternoon at the XL Center.

Newton finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists as the Huskies (6-0) rolled to their 23rd straight double-digit non-conference victory. UConn is now tied for the record with the 2008-09 North Carolina team and will look to set the new record on Monday.

“It tells the story about what the program is all about and the type of people that we pursue in recruiting,” UConn head coach Dan Hurley said. “With everything that goes in basketball … there are still old school families out there and kids that are old souls that are about winning and allow us to coach them.”

After a slow start, it was all Huskies with a balanced attack that saw them hit 58 percent of their shots for the game. They had a season-high 10 steals and also hit all nine of their free throws.

Cam Spencer scored a team-high 18 points, going 4-of-4 from three, Donovan Clingan had 17, while Alex Karaban added 12 and Hassan Diarra had 11 in another solid performance for the reserve guard.

Seydou Traore scored 13 points to lead Manhattan (3-2). 

After beating Texas wire-to-wire and leading Indiana most of the way, UConn allowed the Jaspers to hold the lead briefly in the first half, but never by more than three points and not after the 13:54 mark.

The Huskies dominated from there, taking a 49-32 lead into halftime, led by Clingan, who helped them dominate points in the paint, 54-24 on the day.

The Jaspers already played No. 1 Kansas, which the Huskies play on Dec. 1, and lost 99-61.

“I think UConn’s better by a couple baskets,” Manhattan head coach John Gallagher said.

Here’s a closer look at what went down:

What Went Well

1.  The Quiet Hero: Tristen Newton isn’t the biggest name in his own locker room, but the graduate guard has cobbled together an impressive resume that warrants national attention. He shined in the national title game in April and ranks as UConn’s all-time leader in triple-doubles - an impressive accomplishment considering who has passed through the program in the last 20-plus years.

Tristen Newton: I’m just coming out and trying to win games. Just try to be all over the court and help my team win.

Cam Spencer: It’s unbelievable. I think it just speaks to the level of player that he is, that he’s able to score, he’s able to pass and get the rebound. … He’s doing it all out there.

Head coach Dan Hurley: This is a champion who’s averaging like (15.3) points and getting triple-doubles, he should be talked about as one of the best guards in the country.

2. Power in the Paint: Clingan feasted against a smaller Jaspers lineup that didn’t have a player over 6-foot-9. The Huskies fed their big man early inside, but the entire team met little resistance scoring around the rim. Samson Johnson scored four points and grabbed four rebounds as well.

Manhattan head coach Greg Gallagher: We just got overwhelmed with the size.

Donovan Clingan: Today they weren’t really doubling in the post, so I was just trying to bury my man when possible. The guards were moving on the perimeter, screening each other, and whenever I was ducking in they were finding me. It’s a credit to them. Me and Sam (Johnson) were dominating the post but the guards were finding the gaps and attacking the rim.

3. Money Shot: The Huskies were lights out from the field, hitting 65.5 percent in the first half and a season-best 58.1 percent for the game. Spencer shot a crazy 70 percent (7-for-10) from the field and was 4-for-4 on 3-pointers. The team was 9 of 20 from behind the arch.

Spencer: I feel the game comes easy when you have teammates like we do. I think we share the ball very well, so I just have to be ready to knock down shots. Having the coaching staff that we do and the teammates, they just make the game very easy.

Hurley: We would have shot even better but the last seven minutes human nature set in - particularly the last five minutes we missed a lot and it really hurt our numbers. Overall we should have shot in the 60s.

What Needs Work

1.  Owning the Boards: Hard to find fault with a team that shot almost 60 percent, but with the Huskies’ size advantage they still only won the rebound battle 36-27. Manhattan won on the offensive end 10-8. 

2. Play the Game, Not the Score: Hurley mentioned human nature was setting in as the Huskies let up a bit at the end with a big lead. They also got their younger depth players some action at that time. But Hurley was also unpleased with the refereeing at the end of the game. “It matters for seeding!” Hurley was exclaiming on the court, imploring his players and the refs to keep going through the end of the contest.

Stats Update

The in-game win probability was a straight line, so we aren’t going to use up space for that, but UConn remains third in KenPom. The Big East has five schools in the top 15, with Marquette (no. 6), Villanova (no. 14), and Creighton (no. 15) also looking strong to the season.

Misc.

UConn great Ray Allen was in attendance and threw t-shirts into the stands during the game. “It’s good to have the legends around,” Hurley said. … Freshman Stephon Castle missed his fourth straight game with a knee injury. The guard told a reporter last week he hoped to be back for the Kansas game, but that remains uncertain. “We’re not going to rush him back,” Hurley said. … Samson Johnson loves hitting the rim, 18 of his 21 field goals are dunks this season. … freshman Jaylin Stewart scored a career-high 7 points. … The Huskies went with the starting lineup of Clingan, Karaban, Newton, Spencer, and Ball for the fourth consecutive game. … Gallagher spent 12 years at nearby Hartford and led the Hawks to the NCAA Tournament in 2021.

Up Next

Monday vs. New Hampshire at Gampel Pavilion, 7 p.m. (CBSSN)