By Michael Letendre
STORRS – The UConn men’s basketball team continues to make history, remaining undefeated seven games into the 2023-24 season.
On Monday night, the Huskies moved to 7-0 with their 84-64 triumph over old rival New Hampshire from Gampel Pavilion in Storrs.
The Wildcats (4-3 overall) were simply overwhelmed by Bristol’s Donovan Clingan and the Huskies who established a new national record off the victorious effort.
UConn earned its 24th straight victory over a non-conference opponent by double-figures – a new national record.
The Huskies came into the game against the Wildcats tied with North Carolina who held the previous record at 23 straight games.
Clingan was simply on fire versus New Hampshire as he drained 12-of-13 attempts from the field and nailed five-of-seven free throws.
That scoring effort led Clingan to a career-high 29 points to go along with seven rebounds, a blocked shot and a steal over just 21 minutes of play.
He made his first 10 field goals while the team shot just under 46-percent from the field overall.
Clingan’s 29-point effort once again showed the program’s versatility on offense.
This year, four different Huskies have hit the 20-point barrier with Clingan the most recent player to accomplish that feat.
The showdown against the Wildcats was tied early but a game-changing 16-0 run gave the Huskies the edge for good.
UConn steps up this Friday and squares off against one of the top teams in the nation over a special attraction.
The Huskies tangle with No. 5 Kansas in a BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle on the road.
The contest, from the Allen Fieldhouse, starts at 9 p.m. (ESPN2) and is another big test for Coach Dan Hurley, Clingan and the Huskies.
The 7-foot-2 Center
Clingan has seen his playing time increase by about six minutes this season and his output has matched that extended play.
In 19.3 minutes-per-game, he’s third on the squad in points with 15.0 points-per-game, collecting 6.0 rebounds while just blocking under two shots a night.
Clingan is hitting 67.7-percent of his field goals and has done a little something to help the squad stay undefeated.
He blocked three shots against Northern Arizona, grabbed nine rebounds versus Indiana and has hit 22 of his last 28 shots from the field (78.6-percent).
Prorated statistics see Clingan’s scoring numbers climb through the roof.
If played the entire forty minutes, he would average 31.1 points-per-game, numbers he routinely hit as a senior on the Bristol Central boys basketball team in 2021-22 when the Rams went 28-0 and won the CIAC Division II championship.
AP Top 25
The AP Top 25 poll (from Monday, November 27, 2023) was just released and the Huskies have risen to No. 4 in the country.
That ranking will be challenged against No. 4 Kansas on Friday.
Here’s how the top five teams shape out this week in the NCAA’s most recent Men’s Division I AP poll:
No. 1 Purdue (6-0 record)
No. 2 Arizona (6-0)
No. 3 Marquette (5-1)
No. 4 UConn (6-0)
No. 5 Kansas (5-1)
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