Live From Gampel: UConn vs. Stony Brook … Some Pre-Game Notes

STORRS – Here ar Gampel Pavilion for UConn vs. Stony Brook. It’s about 3:30, half-hour before the game. Some pregame notes:

Wondering what kind of crowd there will be, with school out til tomorrow, the holiday weekend, the NFL games, etc. Not a lot of folks in here now, but the UConn pep band is present and accounted for, belting out “Don’t Stop Believing” so it will feel like a basketball  game one way or another.

Big crowd at the soccer game up the road. UConn wins, 2-1, in double OT, so the Huskies were 1-1 vs. New Mexico this week.

Same UConn lineup as usual, I’m told – Shabazz Napier, Ryan Boatright, Omar Calhoun, DeAndre Daniels and Tyler Olander.

Stony Brook has solid guards, too, for their level. Anthony Jackson scored 21 against Canisius on Sunday. And the Seawolves have a knack for tough-minded rebounding. Keep an eye on Tommy Brenton, the America East defensive player of the year. He’s a smart hard-nosed player, and now playing as a senior/post grad.

ICYMI, my story in the Sunday Courant on former UConn captain and current Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell. 

Leon Tolksdorf (left knee) is definitely unavailable today. Could be back for New Hampshire on Thursday. R.J. Evans, with that collar-bone injury, will be out longer. He’d like to play vs. NC State Dec. 4 at The Garden, but  that would be a very quick comeback, the best-case scenario.