The weekend in college hoops 🏀

Observing some key injuries, Kentucky and UNC succeed on the trail, Boeheim takes shots at the Big Ten, and more

Author

Riley Davis
October 17, 2022

A ship drifts directionless without a rudder. A tire won't stay fastened without lugnuts. And a phone won't function without a SIM card. Sometimes the smallest parts make the biggest differences.

And this rings true with sports injuries as well.

Consider UConn's super-charged glue guy Andre Jackson, for example. A broken pinky finger has likely sidelined the 6-6 wing through Thanksgiving. Jackson's contributions will play an enormous role in determining the Huskies' success, so they'll need him back as soon as possible.

Let's get to the news.

STARTING FIVE

1. RIP to pinky promises

We touched on this briefly last week, but UConn announced that Andre Jackson underwent surgery for a broken pinky finger on Wednesday evening. For a Huskies squad ready to take the next step in the Dan Hurley era (read: postseason wins), it's a tough blow to one of its most indispensable players.

The 6-6 wing is a lockdown defender and an absolute terror in the open court. His head coach referred to him as "a SportsCenter top ten waiting to happen" in his interview for The Almanac:

So what does this season forecast for Jackson when he returns to full health?

Well, UConn is banking on him progressing as a playmaker in the halfcourt. Last year, he showed flashes as a pick-and-roll ballhandler, ranking 16th in assist rate in Big East play. However, Hurley needs him to exemplify these traits more consistently — especially as Tristen Newton acclimates to the uptick in competition. Unfortunately, this injury takes away from vital practice reps.

Nevertheless, if there is any silver lining in this situation, it's the timing. After the initial report broke, intel surfaced that Hurley thinks Jackson could be back in time for the Phil Knight Invitational. UConn should be able to win its slew of buy games without him. But when PK85 starts — and it faces Oregon and potentially Alabama and North Carolina/Villanova — no Jackson could signal a massive problem.

To read more on UConn's season-long outlook, purchase The Almanac here. It's the best $20 you'll spend all week.

2. A scare for Kentucky

Kentucky fans likely needed a wellness check after a frightening scene at Friday's Big Blue Madness.

Early last week, John Calipari tweeted out news of Oscar Tshiebwe's minor knee procedure, but the coach didn't disclose many details. Thus, with Friday night marking Tshiebwe's first public appearance since the surgery, speculation (and panic) naturally arose.

However, Kentucky beat reporter Kyle Tucker quickly quieted concerns. Per Tucker, Tshiebwe's usage of crutches was part of the initial recovery timeline, and that the "expectation is still that he’ll be ready to go for the season opener."

Regardless, this will be an interesting situation to monitor as we hope for the reigning National Player of the Year to be available on opening night.

3. A delight for Kentucky

The weekend wasn't all doom and gloom for Kentucky, though. It added to its vaunted 2023 recruiting class as 5-star big man Aaron Bradshaw committed to the 'Cats.

The 7-foot Bradshaw is a consensus top-10 prospect, and it's easy to see why. He showcases good mobility and pogo-stick-like hops, shining as both a shot blocker and a rim runner. But beyond his proficiency around the basket, Bradshaw also impresses with his shooting range and touch. He looks ready to rock as a pick-and-pop threat and smoothly knocks down mid-rangers off the catch.

Now, Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns developed their 3-point shots once they got to the NBA, with Towns, in particular, turning into an elite shooter for his size. But Bradshaw could become the best shooting big Calipari has ever deployed at Kentucky. That's a scary thought for SEC foes.

He joins 5-star wing Justin Edwards, 5-star guard Rob Dillingham and 4-star guard Reid Sheppard to form the nation's No. 2 recruiting class. Though it probably won't be second-best for long. All eyes turn to Bradshaw's high school teammate DJ Wagner, a combo guard and top-2 recruit in 2023. Analysts expect Wagner to pick UK, which would launch the 'Cats past Duke in the recruiting rankings.

4. High (to the) Heels

Kentucky wasn't the only blue blood to land a notable recruit over the weekend. North Carolina also got a commitment from 4-star forward Zayden High.

Ever since GG Jackson de-committed from the Heels in July, Hubert Davis has been searching for a stretch-big in the class of 2023. After striking out on now-Duke-commit TJ Power, the head coach can finally breathe easy with High in tow.

The 6-9 prospect has a "High" arcing shot that will evoke images of Brady Manek in the minds of UNC fans; additionally, he shows a relentless motor in attacking the offensive glass.

If there's any area for him to improve, it's his shot selection, as scouting reports note.

Also in recruiting news:

5. Orange ya glad you're in the ACC?

Jim Boeheim clearly had enough of the ACC jokes last season. The long-time coach delivered one of the most notable quotes from the league's media day:

Boeheim rarely shies away from bluntness — thus, in that sense, this quote isn't surprising. However, such an open shot at another conference is a little shocking. And yet...he kind of has a point?

Though NCAA Tournament success (or lack thereof) can often be chalked up to the randomness of a single-elimination showcase, Boeheim has made an art form of leading low-seeded teams deep into March. Three times in the past seven tournaments, Syracuse has advanced to the Sweet 16 (or further) as a double-digit seed — most notably 2016's Final Four team that was one of the "last four byes" and narrowly avoided Dayton.

Still, after losing three of last season's top four scorers, 'Cuse has an uphill climb to get back to the Dance. Not to mention, defensive concerns still abound, as the Orange ranked 207th in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency in 2022 and didn't add anyone who's a surefire fix to those problems.

The Almanac picked 'Cuse to finish 9th in the ACC. Can Boeheim and Co. prove us wrong?

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Gard and Juwan squash the beef

Eight months removed from the open-palm slap heard 'round the world, Juwan Howard posed for a photo with Greg Gard at Big Ten Media Day. It's nice to see the two coaches reconcile, and props to Wisconsin for finding a fun way to announce its game against Michigan in the Kohl Center.

THE FAST BREAK

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