Dyson does it all on offense, defense

For most of his first two seasons, Jerome Dyson attacked the basket like a kamikaze pilot.

Driving into the lane almost recklessly at full speed, Dyson would crash into whoever got in his way to get to the basket. Using the style that would define his play, the guard racked up points - over the past two seasons, he has averaged 13.2 points per game, second to only Jeff Adrien's 13.9.

But along with the scoring came high foul rates and so many injuries both he and coach Jim Calhoun would roll out the jokes every time he had a scratch or bruise.

Dyson's always had talent - he could always score, always lock down the team's best scorer and always slash through the lane with more aggressiveness than anybody on the roster.

But after scoring 23 points and adding five assists in the Huskies' season-opening win over Western Carolina Friday at Gampel Pavilion, Calhoun finally sees more than just a scorer, a defender or a great athlete - he's sees a complete player.

At least one in the making.

"He always went after things with incredible heart, competitiveness and all those things, but now he's showing more of a skill package," Calhoun said. "There are plenty of great athletes who are tough and can jump, and all that kind of stuff.

"You have to be a skilled player; you have to be able to make shots, you've got to be able to put the ball on the floor and set other people up. He's doing those things so much better now."

Coming off an 18-point performance where he went 6-for-11 from the floor in the Huskies' last exhibition game Sunday, Dyson was again proficient. The junior finished 7-for-12 and 3-for-4 from behind the 3-point arc.

But Calhoun was quick to point out Dyson's play on the defensive end. Dyson, who Calhoun says is the team's best defender, was matched up against the Catamounts' best player, 6-foot-6 guard Brandon Giles, most of the night.

Although Giles scored a team-high 16 points, Calhoun said it could've been a lot worse. Thursday, associate head coach George Blaney likened Giles to UCF's Jermaine Taylor, who scored 30 on the Huskies in a near upset the previous December.

"We saw him on tape in about five games last year, and he can really score points," Calhoun said. "Jerome just locked him, as did Craig Austrie."

Although his defense often goes unnoticed, it stood out from the onset of the game. Dyson stole the ball on consecutive plays - one of which ended in a breakaway dunk over Jake Robinson that sent the crowd into a frenzy and put UConn up 11-0 to start the game.

Dyson finished with five steals, and as a team, the Huskies scored 20 points off of turnovers. Western Carolina had just eight.

"I like playing defense. It's easy to get buckets that way," Dyson said. "When you play good team defense, it's easier on the other end."

"He's definitely the best full-court defender [on the team]," said freshman guard Kemba Walker. "Speed, power, and he just has a will out there. It's just pride."

But while most knew Dyson's exploits on the defensive end, what remained unknown was if he could still score and attack the basket with his aggressiveness under control.

Friday Dyson was more in control of his body and more decisive with his movement, resulting in just two fouls - and no trips to the hardwood.

"And that's a good thing," Dyson joked. "Lessen the injuries a bit that I get during the year."

Dyson said Calhoun has preached the importance of using his mid-range jumper, and told him he's not always going to be able to drive to the hole. The junior took the instruction to heart.

"That's what I've been trying to do in the offseason: work on my mid-range," Dyson said. "I just try to simulate it by myself. I have somebody guarding me, but I'm just going full speed all the time. It's just like shooting: If you do it enough it's going to click in the game."

Not only has he tweaked his style of play, but Dyson also said his perception on the game has also changed.

"I've definitely matured," he said. "I just feel a lot more comfortable out there on the floor."