Friday, Oct. 12 The Huskies were young last year, and looked it. Still, UConn was only a hair away from an NCAA Tournament bid, and lacked only the game-to-game consistency borne of experience. Jim Calhoun has the bodies to play his style, pushing the ball and defending full court. The engine is Caron Butler, who is among the most talented players in the nation. Butler has all of the tools to carry this team to a Big East title, including an incredible first step to the basket, clever passing and handling ability, and an improved shot. The key is Taliek Brown, the hard working point guard that can really handle, pass, and get to the rim, who must effectively run the team and hit enough shots to keep defenders honest. Watch for a healthy Johnnie Selvie to pound the glass and run the floor. UConn can contend for the Big East title.

23
Connecticut
LAST SEASON: 20-12
2001 FINAL RANKING: NR

Why No. 23?
The Huskies can't stay down too long, can they? They weren't in the NCAA Tournament but they're a legit team to win the Big East because of Caron Butler. He had a sensational summer in Japan and is ready to make a run at Big East player of the year. Butler can carry this team back to the NCAA Tournament and Jim Calhoun won't let them go back to the NIT.

Will Rise If ...
Taliek Brown takes care of the basketball, matures at the position and becomes a leader the Huskies desperately need at the position. If the Huskies can get quality perimeter shooting from Ben Gordon, Tony Robertson and Robert Swain then they have a shot to win the Big East.

Will Fall If ...
Caron Butler will be the first option inside or out. But if Justin Brown, Johnnie Selvie and Emeka Okafor don't produce inside then the Huskies will have problems. They have the personnel but they need the consistency from their post players to be a dangerous team in the Big East again.

-- Andy Katz, ESPN.com

SCOUTING REPORT: One Big East coach's take on the Huskies

“

You’ve got to back off Taliek Brown. Make him shoot the ball from the outside. You've got to pressure them, because they will have some inexperience in the backcourt and Taliek is prone to turn it over a bit. You've got to make them beat you from the outside. They're not good 3-point shooters and they'll be counting on Robert Swain and Ben Gordon, two unproven players. ”

2001-02 CONNECTICUT ROSTER
Player	Yr.	Pos.	Ht./Wt.	Key 2000-01 Stats
(20) Justin Brown	Jr.	C	7-0/245	PTS: 1.2 | REB: 1.2 | FG%: 51.7
(12) Taliek Brown	So.	G	6-1/185	PTS: 8.1 | AST: 4.9 | FG%: 43.0
(3) Caron Butler	So.	F	6-7/235	PTS: 15.3 | REB: 7.6 | FG%: 43.5
Ben Gordon	Fr.	G	6-2/185	May become the shooter Huskies need from the outside; 26 ppg as senior
Mike Hayes	Jr.	F	6-8/215	JUCO transfer could find his way into frontcourt rotation
(21) Scott Hazelton	Fr.	F	6-8/210	Redshirted 2000-01 season with foot injury; appears healthy
Emeka Okafor	Fr.	C/F	6-9/240	Can run the floor and block shots; will share PT with Brown ... for now
(32) Tony Robertson	Jr.	G	6-2/200	PTS: 7.2 | AST: 1.5 | FG%: 45.2
(44) Johnnie Selvie	Sr.	F	6-7/235	PTS: 10.9 | REB: 5.5 | FG%: 54.7
(2) Robert Swain	So.	G	6-4/205	PTS: 1.5 | REB: 0.5 | FG%: 42.9
(3) Shamon Tooles	So.	G/F	6-5/210	PTS: 0.1 | REB: 0.3 | FG%: 50.0
Chad Wise	Fr.	F	6-5/190	Two-sport star in high school could prove valuable on the wing
(35) Mike Woodward	Jr.	G	6-5/215	PTS: 0.3 | REB: 0.3
Head Coach: Jim Calhoun (349-142, 15 years; Overall: 599-279, 29 years) Assistant Coaches: Dave Leitao, Tom Moore, George Blaney Home Court: Campel Pavilion (10,027); Storrs, Conn.

2001-02 CONNECTICUT SCHEDULE

November 19: Vanderbilt 26: New Hampshire

December 2: G. Washington (a) 3: Maryland/Princeton (a) 8: Northeastern 11: at UMass 21: Quinnipiac 28: St. Bonaventure

January 2: at Va. Tech 5: Miami, Fla. 7: Oklahoma 10: Virginia Tech 13: at Villanova 16: at Providence 19: North Carolina 23: St. John's 26: at Arizona 30: at Rutgers

February 2: at Miami, Fla. 5: Providence 9: at St. John's 11: Villanova 16: Boston College 19: at Georgetown 23: West Virginia 25: at Boston College

March 2: Seton Hall 6: Big East Tournament