During a minute-and-a-half stretch early in the second half Tuesday night, UConn men’s basketball freshman Colben Landrew made a 3-pointer from the wing, blocked a dunk attempt, grabbed a defensive rebound and scored in traffic with a strong move at the basket.
The five stars attached to his recruiting profile … the summerlong praise from coach Dan Hurley … the high hopes that Landrew, possibly a one-and-one NBA prospect, can help UConn toward another national championship …
But it was real basketball.
At halftime, Hurley blew kisses to members of a throaty Breslin Center student section that were all over him from the opening tip. The whole production looked like something fit for winter, even March, and felt like something with real stakes.
Both teams remain 0-0 but both are better for the experience. No, I don’t miss UConn blowing out American International, or fighting it out with Marathon Oil back in the day, or staging secret scrimmages. It’s good to see teams put all their cards on the table before there’s any real money at stake.
These games are scheduled with just that in mind — money, of course, with all programs in the rev-share/NIL era needing to monetize their every move. They’re good for athletic departments. They’re good for teams, too.
If UConn and Michigan State happen to cross paths again in the NCAA Tournament, it will feel as if Tuesday’s get-together took place in another lifetime. Still, games against Syracuse and the Spartans pushed UConn toward being the type of team it wants to be in the regular season, and next week’s exhibition finale at home against Purdue will do the same.
No one benefits more than freshman and first-year players. Nik Khamenia, the transfer from Duke, was tremendous, leading UConn with 19 points. He’s been on such a stage before, though. In fact, he’s the only Husky who had played previously in the Breslin Center, for Duke last season.
Landrew is new to everything. He won’t have to ease his way into November basketball. Because he crashed into some October ball in the best way.
Landrew, out of Wheeler High in Marietta, Ga., finished with 13 points and five rebounds in 31 minutes. He had eight points and four rebounds in 29 minutes against Syracuse.
With Braylon Mullins still sidelined with an undisclosed injury — he warmed up Tuesday but did not play — Landrew has played an hour of demanding basketball without having to worry about whether he starts, how he fits into the rotation.
That’s for later. And if his play Tuesday is any indication, he obviously fits in just fine, whether it’s coming off the bench (and potentially playing the bulk of the minutes anyway) or cracking the starting lineup at one point.
Landrew’s put-back of a Junior County missed 3-pointer — a three-point play with the foul and free throw — gave UConn a 64-50 lead with 6:54 remaining. He made 5 of 11 shots, looking the part physically and in how he moved.
UConn looks good. The coming months are about finding out where the ceiling is but, clearly, the floor is high. Because there are key returners. Because there are key transfers. Because there are key freshmen, particularly Landrew, who look ready to contribute in much the same way Steph Castle did as a freshman in 2023-24.