William and Mary come to town for regular season opener

Preseason No. 14 UConn opens their 2009-2010 season at Gampel Pavilion tonight at 7:30 against the College of William and Mary. The Huskies have never lost a Gampel home-opener, dating back to the first game played in the building in 1990.

The biggest news of the week came to the Huskies on Monday when freshman Jamal Coombs-McDaniel received full clearance for practice and game competition from the NCAA Eligibility Center.

"[Coombs-McDaniel] is a good athlete, certainly not a great one,î said coach Jim Calhoun. "He's effective, has a nose for the ball. I don't know about basketball IQ. His instincts are very good, though. He's trying to learn how to fit into the system, but he does instinctive things a lot of guys don't do."

Calhoun said that he expects the 6-foot-7 Coombs-McDaniel to see some playing time as a power forward in an effort to put a small lineup on the court.

ìWhen we go small, the teams we play right now aren't that big so it won't be too much of an issue,î said Jerome Dyson. ìWe'll be able to get up the floor a lot faster.î

In the Huskies' two exhibition games, depth in the frontcourt has been a concern for Calhoun. Senior Gavin Edwards has been consistent and freshman Alex Oriakhi, a 6-foot-9 forward/center, hasn't been playing like a freshman.

"[Alex] played terrific," Calhoun said. "To see a kid come in and do what he's capable of doing is always very impressive."

But the main concern has revolved around 7-foot center Charles Okwandu.

In practice and in the exhibition games, Okwandu hasn't been playing to his full potential, according to Calhoun. And for the Huskies, this will be a problem later on down the line.

"We need [Okwandu] to play," Calhoun said. "I was watching Syracuse the other night. They have big guys inside that we couldn't handle right now. We're going to play a lot of teams like that. Duke is enormous. They're not as fast as they've been, but they're bigÖWe're going to need a good, solid inside rotation."

One of Okwandu's biggest problems has been his traveling.

ìWe told Charles there is something called, this year, a dribble," Calhoun said. "I haven't checked the rule book, but I believe it's still in there. You need to dribble the basketball."

The decision to play Coombs-McDaniel at power forward will let Calhoun play Stanley Robinson at the small forward role. Against the Tribe, who's tallest player, Steven Hess, is 6-foot-10, going to a small lineup won't create too many matchup problems. Despite being 6-foot-9, Robinson's natural position is playing on the wing.

With their lack of size, the Tribe relies heavily on the three-pointer. Over the last three seasons, William and Mary has attempted more than 600 three-pointers, making 200 or more in each season.

"They got eight players back, they think this is going to be a great year,î Calhoun said. ìThey beat some people we know like Northeastern. They expect to have a good year. They're pretty well set."

Calhoun said he expects to see the Tribe go to a 2-3 zone defense. They run a ìsemi-Princeton and semi-UCLAî offense according to Calhoun.

Dyson, who ripped his toenail off coming into Gampel Pavilion last Sunday, is expected to play despite lingering pain.