5 Eye-Popping UConn Observations From Seeing Them In Person Versus Gonzaga
After attending the UConn Huskies’ big victory over Gonzaga at Madison Square Garden, here are some fun takeaways that weren’t apparent from having watched UConn solely on television up until Saturday.
- Liam McNeeley has tree trunks for legs
McNeeley looks like your average six-foot-seven NBA wing when you see him on TV, but when you see him in person, the first thing you notice is how strong his lower body is. Gonzaga’s Dusty Stromer looked rail-thin next to McNeeley (Stromer is listed at six-foot-six, 200 pounds), and you almost wondered whether Dan Hurley was considering posting up McNeeley whenever Stromer was on him.
McNeeley doesn’t have Dwight Howard shoulders or anything, but his overall body strength is underrated. He didn’t look outmatched physically when challenging any of Gonzaga’s bigs in the paint. He’ll undoubtedly add some upper-body strength as an NBA player, but he’s got way more natural strength already than most people realize.
- Jayden Ross jumps WAY higher than everyone else
Everyone knows Ross is an Olympic-level athlete, mostly from his breakaway dunks when it seems like he takes off from the three-point line.
It’s Ross’s vertical on the defensive glass, though, that was absurd to witness in person. He quite literally jumps head and shoulders above the other nine players on the court to snag balls in the air, and it's amazing that he hasn’t gotten hurt yet after landing from one of these pogo stick leaps in a crowd.
- Alex Karaban is slow … and very good
Karaban is literally never out of position, which explains why he’s always getting “lucky” rebounds that seem to bounce his way, when in fact he’s just always around the ball. He’s not an explosive athlete by any means, something that you notice even more in person, but he’s so solid in every fundamental facet of the game — skill-wise and mentally — that at six-foot-eight with a strong body, there’s no reason he can’t have a 15-year NBA career if someone like Georges Niang can.
- UConn plays harder than any pro or college team (maybe in any sport)
When UConn got off to a 13-2 start to the game, they looked like dogs with rabies on defense. On offense, their cutting is violent and only less intense than their defense because it’s more under control (naturally).
The only reason UConn didn’t maintain the intensity of the first four minutes is because it’s physically impossible for humans to play that hard for any stretch of time. UConn reaches a level of intensity on both ends that other teams don’t ever attain for even a single possession. When the Huskies can somehow muster that energy for multiple possessions in a row, the other team can’t do anything, and it’s magical to witness.
- Youssouf Singare is even more athletic and coordinated than you think
It’s easy to forget that backups on high-major teams are still incredible basketball players and athletes. Singare’s warmup routine alone was jarring, as he looked like prime Amar’e Stoudemire in the dunk line.
His physical tools are absurd, and if he develops more skill and feel, there’s no reason he can’t have a Samson Johnson-type of physical impact on a future Huskies team.
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-6cddf44b9a81eadb9d1a4c19c1b3db49.jpeg "Colin Keane")
Colin Keane is a contributing journalist for "UConn Huskies On SI." Born in Illinois, Colin grew up in Massachusetts as the third of four brothers. For his high school education, Colin attended St. Mark's School (Southborough, MA), where he played basketball and soccer and served as student body president. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Villanova University. Colin currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "UConn Huskies On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org