National power UConn isn’t used to being pushed around on the court.
The No. 3 Huskies will look to get back to being the aggressors when they face Bryant on Sunday at Hartford, Conn.
UConn (4-1) is coming off a 73-69 home loss to No. 4 Arizona and Huskies coach Dan Hurley was stunned at the proceedings.
The Wildcats held a 43-23 rebounding advantage and outscored UConn 42-24 in the paint.
“We got punked,” Hurley told reporters. “… There’s a street fight going on in the paint and, you know, men can’t watch fights. You can’t stand on the outside when your buddies are in a fight. You get in the fight. You don’t stand on the periphery of the fight.”
The Huskies were powerless in the interior without star center Tarris Reed Jr., who missed the game with an ankle injury. It isn’t yet known if Reed will be available against Bryant.
Reed leads UConn in scoring (20 points per game), rebounding (9.3), shooting percentage (74.2) and blocked shots (eight total). He has played in just three games. He missed the season-opening victory over New Haven due to a hamstring injury.
Freshman Braylon Mullins, a McDonald’s high school All-American last season, has yet to make his college debut due to an ankle injury.
Hurley is frustrated over the ailments.
“I believe we are the basketball capital of the world,” said Hurley, “but we’re also becoming the ankle sprain capital of the world and the muscle pull capital of the world. We’ve got to get this team on the court. We’ve got to get our weapons on the court.”
Despite the absences, UConn is receiving solid play from Alex Karaban (16.2 ppg), Solo Ball (15.4) and Silas Demary Jr. (13.0 ppg, 5.6 assists per game). Karaban is an electric 13 of 21 (61.9 percent) from 3-percent range.
Bryant (1-4) will be making the approximate 90-minute commute from Smithfield, R.I., to Hartford.
The Bulldogs are coming off a 78-61 road loss against Virginia Tech on Wednesday.
Bryant trailed by six with under seven minutes left before the Hokies pulled away.
That was the second Atlantic Coast Conference program that the Bulldogs have lost to this season. They were routed 74-45 by Georgia Tech on Nov. 7.
Yet Bryant coach Jamion Christian was encouraged that his club stuck around deep into the contest with Virginia Tech.
“I think everyone can see the rate of improvement of our team from the first game of the season until now,” Christian said.
Qunicy Allen scored a team-high 13 against the Hokies and also collected six rebounds. Keegan Harvey added 12 points, Timofei Rudovskii had 11 and Jakai Robinson tallied 10 off the bench.
Rudovskii has scored in double digits in all five games this season and he leads the Bulldogs with a 12.8 scoring average. Allen (10.6) is the only other player averaging in double figures.
Bryant has been outscored by an average of 20 points while going 0-4 on the road. The lone victory was 82-75 over visiting Dartmouth on Nov. 12.
Still, Christian is hopeful his team can slow down the Huskies.
“Our defense has been the best part of our team so far this year,” Christian said.
