Let’s talk UConn-Duke connections.

The Huskies (4-3) and undefeated Blue Devils (9-0) renew their rivalry Thursday night in East Rutherford, N.J.

Start with senior Ryan Boatright.

Over the summer, he worked out back home with Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor, a talented center. They’re both from the Chicago area.

“We played pick-up,” Boatright said after practice Tuesday. “I know him pretty well. I watched him through high school.”

Okafor had a season-high 25 points and a Duke freshman record 20 rebounds in Monday’s 75-62 win over Elon.

He’s as good as advertised, according to Boatright.

“He moves like a guard,” Boatright said. “He’s got really good feet. He has a high basketball IQ. … He’s a great player.”

-- Rodney Purvis, a North Carolina State transfer, played two games against Duke before coming to UConn. The Wolfpack earned a split.

“I went 1-1 against Duke, so it would be good to get another win,” Purvis said.

Purvis, a native of Raleigh, N.C., also made a recruiting visit to Duke.

“I had a chance to talk to Coach K,” Purvis said. “But I’m not really a fan of (the color) blue. I like Navy blue better than the color blue. … I definitely don’t like Carolina Blue.”

-- Ricky Moore and Kevin Freeman, two members of Kevin Ollie’s staff, played on UConn’s 1999 national championship team. The Huskies stunned heavily-favored Duke, 77-74, for the program’s first title.

“Because we beat them a lot of people don’t know how great that Duke team was,” Freeman said.

Freeman and Chris Carrawell, a former Duke player, are good friends.

“I see him from time to time,” Freeman said. “We played on the USA team together after that. So I give him an earful. It’s all in good competitive fun.”

When told that Duke assistant coach Nate James, a Blue Devil player in 1999, said if those two teams met 10 times that season, Duke would have won nine, Freeman gave a snappy answer.

“All we had to do is win one. I don’t know about the next 10 games. … I’ll take my one.”

 -- Ollie had his best career scoring game against Duke in the 1994 Great Eight tournament in Auburn Hills in Michigan. He had 24 points in a 90-86 victory, UConn’s first in the rivalry after four straight losses.

 -- In other news from practice, junior Omar Calhoun (MCL sprain) is getting closer to returning to action. He’ll be a game time decision.

 Playing in Sunday’s win over Coppin State helped Purvis improve his conditioning.

“He looked great,” Ollie said. “He wasn’t limping as much and favoring the ankle.  … He wasn’t at full speed (in other games). He uses his explosiveness so much in his game. If he can’t explode, it’s kind of hard for him.”

Purvis hasn’t been fully healthy since suffering a high left ankle sprain in the opening minutes against West Virginia on Nov. 23.