Look, as excited as I am for this hard working, drastically improved and over achieving UCONN Men’s Basketball Team, I started to get a sick feeling this morning when I realized how many good players won’t be here next year. Goodbye and good luck to A.J.Price, Jeff Adrien, Craig Austrie and Hasheem Thabeet. All of you have already made this season one to remember. Yes, you have to put the big guy in with this group because he is definitely a lottery pick in the next NBA draft.

So, that leaves us with Jerome Dyson, coming off season ending knee surgery, Kemba Walker, Stanley Robinson, Ater Majok, a 7 footer who hasn’t played a minute of division one ball, Scotty Haralson and Gavin Edwards. No wonder Calhoun says teams like Seton Hall are back and going to be a factor next year. Needless to say, lets hope Haralson quickly become the type of shooter everyone has predicted he can be and even better, we have at least one incoming player who can step up in a hurry.

Getting back to today’s 2pm game, at Gampel,  against Notre Dame. The betting line in the paper was UCONN by 11 and that number makes me think the Huskies are a good bet today. I say that, not because I think Stanley Robinson has finally arrived but instead, because the “Straw that stirs the drink” and another first round NBA prospect, Mr. A. J. Price has finally showed what he’s capable of,  when playing  an entire game. If you watched the game against Marquette, you had to notice the confidence he has in his 3 point shot. That new development, coupled with UCONN’s inside dominance, is more enough to clobber what’s being heralded as a spirited and desperate ND club.

I don’t care that the Irish are fighting for an NCAA berth, because they have been doing that all year and with little success. Moreover, talent wins games, not spirit and playing out of desperation. Harangody has been the only guy to show up the entire season for the Irish and so, if “Jimbo” and the troops are smart, they’ll do everything possible to see he collects a couple of early fouls. McAlarney was horrible the first time these two teams met and the last time he was at Gampel, he also didn’t show me much. Get A.J. off to a good start, pound the ball down low and rebound to the extent ND gets one shot and nothing more. Do that and this one will be over early.

I’m out  of here!  Sic Rick