7. UConn Huskies
Date: Nov. 21
Final Score: 98-90
Location: Maui Invitational Tournament
Current Opponent Record: 10-12 (5-5 AAC)
A victory over any UConn basketball team, whether it be men’s or women’s, should never be taken for granted. Yet, there’s no understating the struggles that head coach Kevin Ollie is having with the Huskies this season. At this point, it’s likely that UConn will miss out on the NCAA Tournament. They would need a crazy run and more than likely a conference championship to get a bid on Selection Sunday.
However, the Pokes still managed to get their fourth victory of the season over the Huskies in both team’s first matchup in the 2016 Maui Invitational Tournament. Evans had his coming out party on National Television in this game with a game-high 35 points, six assists, and five steals.
The Cowboys stole the ball 18 times from the Huskies while UConn managed just one steal. It was a good look at how good Underwood’s defensive scheme could be against sub-par opponents.
Forte and Carroll also turned in quality performances, each scoring 18 points. Moreover, Forte always got four steals. It was a good lead up game to what would be a rough matchup against the North Carolina Tar Heels.