UConn guard Jalen Adams — Image credit: Brad Horrigan / Hartford Courant
UConn has plenty to think about during their holiday break.
The Huskies have 10 days off before they open their American Athletic Conference schedule, January 2nd at South Florida. That’s more than enough time to give head coach Dan Hurley and senior guard Jalen Adams a moment of pause.
Expectations have remained high for Adams throughout his collegiate career at UConn. He has the talent and the potential to do big things for their program. But, coming off an ugly loss to Villanova, there’s growing proof of those expectations perhaps being too lofty for his 6’3″ frame.
The Huskies, at 9-4 on the season, find themselves in the middle of the pact in the AAC. This conference is shaking out to be highly competitive with spots one through nine. For UConn to stay afloat, they’ll need strong guard play from Adams, Alterique Gilbert, and Christian Vital.
But it appears Adams will continue to attract most of the attention from fans and critics. The logic to this is clear. Adams, the player with all the potential, apparently hasn’t done enough to show he’s the go-to guy UConn needs.
And it certainly didn’t look that way against Villanova.
Adams was 3 for 13 from the field in 33 minutes of action against the Wildcats. He finished with eight points and six of UConn’s 17 turnovers. That’s a stat line critics will take to the bank on Adams every time.
Every winning team needs a go-to option in crunch time. Adams wasn’t that guy against Villanova, he didn’t stand out for the right reasons. The Huskies turn the basketball over a lot and, in a nationally-televised game against the defending champs, Adams was the leading culprit.
Hurley, in his first year as UConn’s head coach, finds himself with a potential dilemma.
I was at the game, against Florida State, where Adams shot 4-for-14 from the field. He only scored two points in the win over Manhattan, that one caught my attention. And then there’s the performance against Villanova, on national television, at Madison Square Garden. If Adams won’t bring it in a big game against Villanova, can he be counted on to step up in conference play?
UConn head coach Dan Hurley and guard Jalen Adams — Image credit: Brad Horrigan / Hartford Courant
But this isn’t just on Hurley. He’s given Adams the opportunity to be what everyone keeps waiting to see of him.
Adams has been with UConn long enough to know the streets are not only watching, they’re talking now.
The best way to shut the critics up and change the narrative is to produce when your number’s called. If UConn is going to stay afloat with the upper tier of their conference this season, Adams must either play a key role or Hurley must find someone else to do what he’s not getting from his senior.
This moment of pause could be a defining moment in UConn’s season.
