Event: #4 UConn Huskies (5-0) Vs. Central Florida Knights (3-1)
Date/Time: Friday November 25, 2011-2 p.m. EDT.
Location: Imperial Arena at the Atlantis Resort (Capacity: 4,500), Paradise Island, Bahamas.
Broadcast Info: Friday's first game of the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament will be available on Versus nationally. Radio coverage of the game will be available throughout Connecticut and online on the WTIC/UConn Radio Network. Joe D'Ambrosio and and Wayne Norman will have the call of the game.
Despite a nation-long 16 game winning streak, head coach Jim Calhoun was critical of his team after a 73-63 win against UNC-Asheville in the opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament.
"Overall, a win is a win, but no one's played us even near that hard since we played Butler last year," Calhoun said.
The Huskies will face their biggest test of the season thus far when the play the Central Florida Knights out of Conference USA in the semifinals of the tournament. Four Knights are scoring in double-figures led by junior forward Keith Clanton 19.3 points and 10 rebounds per game.
Thursday, Central Florida moved on with a win over the College of Charleston 74-63. Clanton finished with a game-high 28 points and 14 rebounds as the Knights dominated the boards.
Outside of Shabazz Napier and Jeremy Lamb, Calhoun's contigent has struggled to play up to their number four ranking. Junior forward Alex Oriakhi has struggled mightily and came off the bench for Thursday's game. After the game, Oriakhi expressed his digust over Twitter with former Husky Jamal Coombs-McDaniel and will likely be disciplined.
Freshmen forward Andre Drummond got the start in Oriakhi's place and finished with eight points, the highest total among the Huskies big men.
Prediction: Andre Drummond was the player to watch yesterday and will have even more pressure today with Oriakhi in the doghouse. With Lamb and Napier to help him out, I think Drummond will have his best collegiate game yet in a big win.
UConn 74, Central Florida 60