Huskies could use an energy boost

Prior to Sunday's game, the UConn coaching staff warned its players about Central Florida guards' habit of helping out on defense down low and stripping the ball away.

So what happened in the first half?

"The first time Ater (Majok) gets it, he puts the ball down and gets stripped," coach Jim Calhoun said. "The next time Gavin (Edwards) does it. It's like they aren't listening to us. If it was Kentucky, they would have listened to us.

"They're not that good that they can do that. This could be a very good team but it's going to have to play hard."

No. 11 UConn (7-2) has to sharpen its focus and intensity starting tonight against Maine (5-4) at 7 p.m. at the XL Center in Hartford.

The Huskies continued their troubling trend of long stretches of sluggish basketball against weaker opponents in Sunday's 60-51 win. They trailed by as many as nine in the second half before an energy surge pushed them ahead for good.

"This is kind of a bad trend that we've been having where we just come out dead and teams jump us," Edwards said. "We just kind have a lull in the first half and don't really play up to our potential and then we just have to fight our way back. It's going to come back to hurt us in the Big East."

Two non-conference games remain, including Sunday against Iona, prior to the Big East opener at Cincinnati Dec. 30.

While this is usually a challenging time for the Huskies, having completed exams last week and looking forward to a brief Christmas break, they've lost once at home against non-conference foes before the New Year since 2001, winning 140 of their last 141 games.

"During this time of season, I don't want one foot out the door or the relief of finals," Calhoun said. "We've been fortunate through the years that in these kinds of games we've found a way. And it eventually comes down to that we lock you up for a little bit and get a few run-outs. And that's what exactly what we did (Sunday).

"But we've going to have to be a better basketball team as we go forward."

Part of that improvement centers around inside play. UConn is searching for ways to get its big men involved. Freshman center Alex Oriakhi has regressed, averaging only 1.7 points and 4.3 rebounds in the last three games after averaging 6.8 points and 10.5 rebounds in the first six games.

Calhoun came away from the Kentucky game thinking Oriakhi had physically established himself only to watch the freshman stumble in recent games.

"Alex doesn't want the ball," Calhoun said. "He made a decision awhile ago that he's a conscientious objector. He doesn't want to score. He's decided now after averaging 11 rebounds for the first five games that he's probably not going to get a rebound either."

Expect Edwards, UConn's most consistent performer so far, to be more assertive offensively tonight after season lows for points (5) and shots (1) Sunday.

Following a passive performance in his debut, Majok plans to play harder.

"I'm not putting the game behind me," Majok said." That will be my motivation from now on. I'll get the tape from that game and I'll play it every day over and over. I don't want to see that anymore. I don't want to have that feeling any more."

For all the Huskies, it all starts with effort and energy. They've regularly been beaten in the hustle department including against Central Florida, which won the rebounding battle.

If UConn could do one thing better tonight, Edwards pointed to raising the energy level.

"If we could come out and just play hard, I think that would be the best thing that we could possibly do," Edwards said.