UConn vs. NC State: Checking In From Madison Square Garden

NEW YORK – The Huskies got some good news Tuesday during their afternoon shoot-around at The Garden. R.J. Evans, after participating in UConn’s shoot-around Monday afternoon, was cleared to play against NC State.

Evans sprained the sternum-clavicular joint near his right collarbone in practice on Thanksgiving. The healing process and Evans’ rehab all progressed along the line of the best-case scenario, and he missed just two games.

Looks like the usual UConn lineup – Shabazz Napier, Ryan Boatright, Omar Calhoun, Tyler Olander and DeAndre Daniels. As Kevin Ollie has been saying, no reason to change with a 6-1 record.

 The Huskies  wore commemorative patches honoring the Jimmy V. Foundation during the game. … NC State wore special uniforms with Jim Valvano’s famous saying, ‘Don’t Ever Give Up” across the back in place of their names.

 North Carolina dropped from 18^th to 25^th in the AP Writers Poll that came out Monday. UConn, which won its only game last week, was third back in “also receiving votes” last week, but dropped six back in the latest poll.

UConn held opponents under 40 percent from the floor in six of its first seven  games.

This is UConn’s first appearance in the Jimmy V Classic, which began in 1995.

Jeff Jacobs is here with me, so we’ll have all the details from the game very late tonight, and in the Wednesday Courant.