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"Our first game after Christmas is Providence College, they are ranked No. 2 in the Big East. State, win the game." Calhoun said to the players after training.
This kind of large-scale holiday is a carnival day for ordinary people, but it is a more sensitive period for the team.
Take the NBA's All-Star Game as an example, it's just a weekend, but many teams will be in a different state before and after.
In other words, this kind of holiday could easily be a watershed moment for the team's performance.
UConn was in good shape with a seven-game winning streak before Christmas, but no one can guarantee that it will turn into a losing streak after Christmas.
Not to mention that they will face a strong opponent as soon as they come back this Christmas.
After Calhoun finished speaking, he pulled out the tactical board and began to explain the tactical ideas for the next game.
Providence College is not a traditional strong team. Their sudden emergence this season is mainly due to their run-and-gun style of play and their leading core, Marshan Brooks, who is known as "Little Kobe".
Brooks has a wealth of offensive methods. He has averaged 26.6 points per game so far this season. He scored 52 points in the previous game against Notre Dame, tying the school's record. He is considered a player who has the opportunity to compete for the John Wooden Award.
Among the guards in the entire Big East, only Walker can shine with him for a while.
But if you really want to count, as a pure second position, his personal scoring ability is even stronger than Walker.
The two teams played against each other at the beginning of the season. At that time, Tang Tian didn't hold him down. The latter scored 39 points to help Providence College finally win the game.
That game happened to be the game before Kangda started its 7-game winning streak.
Now, if they face each other again, if they lose, it will be tantamount to ending Kangda's seven-game winning streak.
"Providence College's offensive rhythm is very fast. What we have to do is to suppress their offensive rhythm. Don, Brooks will leave it to you. You must not let him miss the shot. He has a strong scoring ability, but The offensive selection is average, as long as he suppresses Providence College's offense, half of it will be abolished."
"Understood." Tang Tian nodded.
The failure to defend against Brooks before was more due to his lack of physical fitness in the second half. Now that his physical fitness has improved, his confidence has naturally grown.
At the end of two days of training, UConn played at home against the Friars of Providence College.
On holidays, there are only a lot of fans who come to watch the game. Before Christmas, the team's seven-game winning streak gave them hope of regaining their former glory. Their support for the team is even stronger than before.
Because Christmas has just passed, some fans are still wearing Christmas clothes, which adds some festive atmosphere to this game.
Before the start of the game, the players of the two teams conducted the final warm-up training before the game.
Marshan Brooks of Providence College stands out.
He has a slender figure, with a height of 1 meters and 96 kilograms, which is a standard shooting guard's body shape.
In the warm-up session before the game, Brooks's few jump shots resembled Kobe very much, which also attracted the attention of many spectators.
Halfway through the warm-up, Brooks sat on the sidelines.
At this time, the reporters on the scene seized the opportunity and went directly to interview him.
"Hey Ma Shang, how do you feel today?"
Brooks didn't resist seeing the reporter coming, and stood up with a smile.
"Very good," Brooks said.
"We all know that the last time these two teams played against each other was at Providence College. This time it was an away game. Do you have the confidence to perform as well as in the last game?" the reporter said.
"Of course, as long as I enter the state, where the game is the same." Brooks was very relaxed.
"Another 39 points?" The reporter asked with a smile.
"Yes, or more points, I know Connecticut is in a very good state, to win them I have to do that." Brooks nodded.
"It seems you have a lot of confidence in yourself."
"Of course, I have always been like this, going to the game with confidence." Brooks is very confident.
"Yes, confident game, like Kobe."
Brooks laughed when he heard that.
"We all know that now you have the title of 'Little Kobe', what do you think of this title?" The reporter asked.
"I like it. Kobe is a great player. He has great talent and works very hard. He is my idol. I am honored to be able to compare with him." When it comes to Kobe, Brooks is still full of respect.
"But you will still meet Tang." The reporter said with a smile.
Brooks smiled when he heard it, but it was not the same as when he talked about Kobe before. It was a disapproving smile.
"Do you feel troubled? We all know that Tang has guarded many players, even players of Klay Thompson's level." The reporter asked.
"But he didn't guard me, did he?" Brooks asked rhetorically.
"Yes." The reporter nodded with a smile.
"He didn't guard me last time, and it's the same this time." Brooks is indeed "Little Kobe". When talking about his opponent, his confidence is beyond words.
"Well, good luck." The reporter finally reached out and shook Brooks' hand.
Brooks nodded, and when the reporter left, he turned his head and glanced at the next half, but it wasn't Tang Tian, but Walker.
That, is the player he wants to be his opponent.
Chapter 24 "Little Kobe"
After the pre-match warm-up, amidst the cheers of the audience, the starting players of the two teams appeared one after another.
Marshan Brooks led the team at Providence College.
UConn has a regular lineup, with Walker and Lamb on the outside, Smith and Prand on the front line, and Oriachi at center.
The two sides jumped the ball, Oriachi dialed the ball back to Kang's first half, and the home team got the chance to attack first.
Walker was double-teamed with the ball in the frontcourt and distributed it to Lamb. Lamb broke through the basket with the ball and made a layup. Kangda took the lead.
Unlike the previous teams, Providence College's focus is all on the offensive end, and the defense is relatively weak.
In Providence College's offense, the point guard advanced the ball to the frontcourt and gave it directly to Brooks.
Defensive Brooks is Lamb, Lamb's size is very close to Brooks, but slightly lighter.
Brooks didn't say a word, and took the ball to speed up and go straight to Lamb.
Lamb retreated to the frontier, and the defensive area was well controlled.
Holland at the basket is ready to help defend at any time.
But Brooks is a jumper with a sudden stop when he is one step inside the free throw line.
This time the body control was very good, and Lamb was a little unable to react in the retreat.
"Shh!"
Brooks' pull-up jumper hit steadily.
He shot very much like Kobe, and his picturesque posture also attracted the amazement of many fans on the sidelines.
Brooks enjoyed this feeling very much, and looked towards the sidelines with a smile while retreating.
"Jeremy, get closer!" Ollie yelled to remind him from the sidelines.
UConn's offense, Walker continued to encounter double-teams with the ball in the frontcourt.
Providence College's defensive thinking is very clear, which is to force the ball out of Walker's hands.
Lamb failed to score a breakthrough layup this time, and the Providence College players directly played a defensive counterattack after taking the defensive rebound.
Brooks caught the ball in the fast break and made a three-pointer.
"Shh!"
Shoot and return!
Generally speaking, players need time to warm up after playing, but Brooks doesn't seem to need it at all, scoring consecutively when he comes up.
Ollie couldn't help but spread his hands at Lamb at this time, obviously dissatisfied with his defense.
UConn's offense, Walker continued to encounter double-teams, this time he chose to force a layup and scored.
4 to 5, Kangda trailed by 1 point.
Providence College's offense, the point guard went to the frontcourt and continued to hand the ball to Brooks.
"Teaming! Double-teaming!" Ollie yelled directly at Smith after seeing it.
Smith's double-team.
After Brooks saw it, he returned the ball to the point guard, and then began to pick and roll around his teammates. He borrowed the center forward's pick and roll from the high position on the right side, caught the ball and pulled it out.
"Shh!"
Go ahead!
There was a commotion at the scene.
This is the strength of Brooks and the biggest difference between him and Walker. He can attack with the ball or play without the ball, and he is very strong in every aspect.
UConn's offense, Walker broke through and was double-teamed, and gave the ball to Lamb, who missed a three-pointer from the outside.
Oriachi scored an offensive rebound and gave it to Walker, but Walker also failed to score a throw.
Providence College took a defensive rebound and played a defensive counterattack.
Brooks received the ball in the front court, and Lamb followed this time.
He directly chose to hit back.
"Go up! Go up!" Ollie shouted at Smith, who was following him.
Another double-team by Smith.
Brooks did not choose to pass the ball this time, but turned around to the baseline and shot against the defense of the two.
This ball is very difficult.
Lamb's jumping block almost covered it.
But the ball still goes through the block.
"Shh!"
The ball is still hollow into the net.
Brooks scored 4 goals in a row and 9 points in a row after the opening game.
Regardless of whether Kangda is single-man defense or double-teaming, it doesn't work at all!
Calhoun reached out and called a timeout.
When Brooks was off the field, he raised his hand and signaled the audience to cheer.
This is treating the away game as the home game!
The scene was booed.
But Brooks didn't care, on the contrary, he seemed to enjoy it.
"Tang, you are ready to play." Calhoun called Tang Tian at this moment.
The reason why he didn't let Tang Tian start was because he wanted Smith and Lamb to consume Brooks first, and also to see the latter's state tonight.
Now it seems that such a choice is not good.
Back from the timeout, Tang Tian replaced Smith.
Seeing Tang Tian's appearance, the fans at the scene burst into cheers.
After Brooks played whatever he wanted, they now miss Tang Tian's defense very much.
"Hey, Ma Shang, your opponent is here." Before going on the field, the players from Providence College shouted at Brooks.
Brooks smiled disapprovingly.
Kangda's offense.
As soon as Tang Tian arrived in the frontcourt, he played a pick-and-roll for Walker, not giving Providence College a chance to double-team.
Walker held the ball and rushed in. The players defending Tang Tian didn't dare to cover it directly. After Walker broke into the penalty area, the inside players came out to help defend. Walker gave the ball to the basket. basket score.
This time the offense played smoothly, which was also a scene that UConn had often seen in past games. Tang Tian's open three-pointer brought new changes to the team's offensive end.