The Huskies wrapped up their second game of seven on their overseas tour, edging Zaragoza (a Spanish professional team) in overtime 74-73. In their first game, the Dawgs notched a win in another close game against Tarragona, 68-65.
Starting Line-up
Of course, it’s too early to tell for sure, but it seems to me that the starting line-up of Gaddy, Wilcox, Suggs, Simmons and N’Diaye will continue barring injury. Thin at the 2 and 3 spot, Wilcox and Suggs have had to log a lot of minutes. Not a bad thing considering their exceptional talent, but it is on the radar of things to watch given the grind of the season.
Grasp of Offense
These games would be very interesting to watch for no other reason than to monitor the Huskies’ progress in the new read-and-react offense, particularly since they are bound by the international 24 second shot clock. Just looking at the box scores and stat sheets, the Huskies are turning the ball over more than they’d like, but on the flip side, the imposition of a 24 second shot clock may help them learn the intricacies of the high post offense in the short term. With a truncated shot clock, vision and decision making need to be timely and accurate. At this juncture, turnovers are to be expected and I don’t think they signify long term issues.
Depth
I’m keeping my eye, too, on the second rotation. So far, the biggest contributors off the bench have been Andrews and Jarreau. Kemp also appears to be making solid strides, particularly down the stretch. The Huskies will need Kemp’s presence down low and Jarreau’s versatility as the season wears on, for sure.
Team Cohesion
Challenges with depth can be offset by exceptional chemistry and this year’s team might just possess that. I like our starting five – their maturity, selflessness and familiarity with one another. An ever-improving Andrews, Jarreau and Kemp will only augment the stability of the starting five.
Places to Follow
In addition to the well-known media channels, you can stay up to date on the Huskies’ travels here:
Gaddy Blog: Men‘sBasketballNews
Facebook : UWMen‘sBasketball