Storrs — R.J. Cole hadn't played a game in roughly 20 months prior to making his UConn debut on Wednesday.

Or 616 days, to be exact.

Cole, who sat out last season transferring from Howard, showed little rust from his long layoff, finishing with 17 points, six assists and four steals. He also had four turnovers.

Not a perfect performance but a good start to his UConn career.

"Being out here, it was a blessing," Cole said after a convincing 102-75 win over Central Connecticut State University at Gampel Pavilion. "We have a great group. It was fun out there playing with them. And I can't wait for the rest of the season so we can continue to grow together and take the steps that we need to take."

Cole won't have to wait long to play again.

UConn (1-0) has a quick turnaround, hosting Hartford at 8 p.m. Friday in Storrs.

Six Husky newcomers made their first appearance against CCSU. Cole and freshman Adama Sanogo stood out among that group.

Cole, who started at point guard, made a quick impact, sinking his first shot attempt — a 3-pointer — about three and a half minutes into the game. He had 11 points in the first half and finished with the second highest point total on the team. He went 5-for-13 from the field, 3-for-8 from 3-point range and 4-for-4 from the foul line.

Decent offensive numbers for Cole, who averaged 22.5 points per game during his two seasons at Howard.

"Offensively, I thought he was fine," coach Dan Hurley said. "He could have been a better playmaker and could have created more shots for others. We need him to create a little bit more offense for others. His 3-pointer shooting and just his feel, you could see it."

Hurley gave a thumbs down to Cole's defense. He harshly criticized his entire team's defense, citing a lack of intensity. He pointed to UConn's two-week shutdown due to a positive COVID-19 test, leaving only six days to prepare for CCSU, as a contributing factor.

"I'll throw these guys a little bit of break because of what we've dealt with the last couple of weeks, but come Friday night I don't want to hear it any more," Hurley said.

Sanogo's play was a pleasant surprise, as the freshman finished with eight points and seven rebounds in 17 minutes. He was especially effective on the offensive boards, grabbing five.

Hurley has been raving about Sanogo, an active 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward with long arms and good instincts around the basket. He compared Sanogo to his former Seton Hall teammate, Jerry Walker.

While Hurley said that Sanogo was lost on the offensive and defensive end, he sees great potential in him.

"He has great hands, relentless on the backboard," Hurley said. "He's a special guy. He's only going to get better because he's a worker and a warrior."

If Sanogo continues to be a factor, that will likely mean less playing time for senior Josh Carlton, who played just under three minutes. Carlton had started every game the last two seasons before coming off the bench on Wednesday.

"He's got competition for minutes that he hasn't had to deal with since he's been here," Hurley said. "He's good enough to be a factor and really help our team. He's just got to battle. He's got to add such value that we're forced to play him."

After a slow start, freshman Andre Jackson also showed flashes of his talent, finishing with four points, five rebounds and six assists in 19 minutes. He also earned praise from Hurley for his defense.

The rotation could change at any time given UConn's depth. Transfer Tyrese Martin will be available after serving a one-game NCAA penalty for participating in an unsanctioned summer league game.

Tougher teams are ahead, so all the Huskies will have to play better.

Hartford is clearly a step up in competition from CCSU.

The Hawks return four starters and eight players overall from a team that went 18-15 last season and advanced to the America East tournament championship game before the pandemic shutdown. It will be the season opener for the Hawks, whose opponent Merrimack canceled Wednesday's game for COVID-19 reasons.

The quick turnaround leaves the Huskies only one practice to make adjustments and prepare for the Hawks.

"It's going to be hard," Hurley said. "The way that you fix things is on the practice floor. You can't draw it up on the clipboard during a game and fix things. It's repetitions. You build tough-minded, aggressive, physical, tough teams by having tough, physical, competitive practices that then forms and builds your team."

"... You've got one day to get ready for a Hartford team that I think will be able to for forty minutes sustain the type of play that Central was able to take to the court. Hartford is a better team and they'll be able to sustain it for a full game. That's a scary game on Friday."

g.keefe@theday.com

Hartford at UConn

Location: Gampel Pavilion, Storrs

Tip-off: 8 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)

Records: UConn 1-0, Hartford 0-0

Last game: UConn beat Central Connecticut State University, 102-75, Wednesday; Season opener for Hartford

Probable starters: UConn, 6-1 r-jr. guard R.J. Cole (17 pts, 6 assists, 6-3 so. guard Jalen Gaffney (6 pts, 3 assists), 6-5 so. guard James Bouknight (20 pts, 8 rebs), 6-9 sr. forward Tyler Polley (14 pts, 7 rebs), 6-9 sr. forward Isaiah Whaley (12 pts, 7 rebs)

Hartford, 6-1 grad guard Traci Carter, 6-3 so. guard Moses Flowers, 6-4 r-sr. guard Austin Williams, 6-9 jr. forward Hunter Marks, 6-10 so. forward Miroslav Stafl

Noteworthy: Second game in three days for UConn. ... Hartford's originally scheduled opener Wednesday canceled by Merrimack for COVID-19 reasons. ... Series: UConn leads 13-1, winning the last meeting, 99-56, in 2008. Harford's only win came in 1986. ... Hartford returns eight players, including Moses Flowers, an All-America East rookie team pick last season, and Traci Carter, a conference third team and all-defensive team selection. Transfers Austin Williams (Marist) and Jakub Dombek (Colorado) are quality newcomers. ... Hawks have posted three straight winning seasons, the program's best stretch as a Division I program. ... Hartford's D.J. Mitchell played for Jere Quinn at St. Thomas More. ... Balance the key for Huskies in opener, with five players scoring in double figures and four players grabbing at least seven rebounds. Bouknight led the way in both categories with 20 and 8. ... Huskies reached the 100 point mark in a game for the first time since the 2015-16 season opener vs. Maine (100-56). ... UConn won six straight dating back to last season. ... Injury news: Akok Akok (out) still recovering from Achilles' tendon injury. ... Up next: UConn plays Vanderbilt at 5 p.m. Tuesday in Legends Classic at Mohegan Sun Arena.

— Gavin Keefe