Hawkins, UConn men return from break for date with Villanova

Dec. 28—STORRS — During the few breaks he gets during a season, UConn men's basketball sophomore Jordan Hawkins rarely lets the game leave his mind.

The Huskies' recent Christmas break was no exception.

"I worked out when I was home," Hawkins said following practice Tuesday. "It's kind of hard to take me away from the sport. I mean I've grown up playing it my whole life."

Hawkins spent two days at home in Gaithersburg, Maryland before returning to Connecticut on Christmas Day.

He admitted that the team is still in the process of returning to its pre-break form.

"We're just getting back to who we are," Hawkins said. "Getting back to our regular habits. We had two days off for Christmas, but we can't let human nature get to us. We still have to work hard, still be sharp. So that's what we're really focusing on. Chasing perfection."

The second-ranked Huskies (13-0, 2-0 Big East) continue that chase for perfection tonight when they host Big East foe Villanova at the XL Center. Tipoff in Hartford is set for 6:30 p.m. (FS1).

"They're always going to be a good team at Villanova," Hawkins said. "Always going to be a well-coached team, a very disciplined team. So, you can't take them lightly. You've always got to come to play. You can't make many mistakes with them because they'll make you pay for it."

When Hawkins was asked his thoughts on the team getting a few days off when it had been on such a roll to start the season, he said "it doesn't really matter."

But Huskies coach Dan Hurley had split feelings on the timing of the break.

"Part of you obviously wants to keep playing because you're in a good rhythm and the group was so successful," he said. "But they also recharge, get a couple of days to go home. They deserve the break. These guys have really pushed it."

UConn has only played once in the past 10 days — an 84-73 comeback win over Georgetown Dec. 20 at Gampel Pavilion. The Huskies faced their first second-half deficit of the season in that win.

"I think there were a lot of learning experiences we took from that game," Hawkins said. "We know we can't do that in other games in the Big East because there might be a different outcome. So yeah, we're definitely going to take things from that game and build from it."

To Hawkins, those building blocks will be critical in a couple of months.

"You can't win anything in December," he said. "We're really thinking about February and March. Those are our biggest things right now. Making a deep run and winning the Big East regular season."

To do that, UConn will need to beat teams like Villanova, something it has struggled to do of late. The Huskies have won only once in the last seven meetings between the teams: a 71-69 triumph on R.J. Cole's last-second floater last season in Hartford.

"I think we're obviously better (this year)," Hurley said. "We have a better team and we're coming into game 14 in a strong position. But we can't hand it in. It doesn't get us anything right now except confidence. Obviously, it's going to be a great crowd and an awesome atmosphere."

Villanova (7-5, 1-0) has won five straight games, including a 78-63 victory over St. John's Dec. 21 to open Big East play, since Big East preseason Freshman of the Year Cam Whitmore made his season debut against Oklahoma Dec. 3.

Whitmore had missed the first seven games of the season due to a right thumb injury. The Wildcats were 2-5 in his absence.

"His abilities with the dribble and shooting off the dribble," Hurley said on what's impressed him about Whitmore. "Even though his numbers are in the 20s from three, you can see the release and the explosiveness at the rim, and the physicality. You can see why he's one of the best NBA Draft prospects in the freshman class."

Whitmore had eight points and 10 rebounds against St. John's. Eric Dixon led the team with 18 points while Brandon Slater had 16.

"They're one of the best offensive teams we'll play the whole year," Hurley said. "The four players returning that played in the Final Four and have been champions in this league and with a top-level program with Dixon, Slater, (Caleb) Daniels and (Chris) Arcidiacono. Then you add into that mix a potential Lottery pick (Whitmore) who's back and healthy, and a couple of other guys ... they have a lot of really top-level, blue-chip recruits and guys that have won championships and got to the Final Four. So, it's a hard game."

Johnson update

Following Tuesday's practice, Hurley provided an update on forward Samson Johnson's right foot injury.

"He's doing better," Hurley said. "He's actually done some non-live drills. We just have to see how his foot progresses. But he's doing some shooting, moving around a little bit. We'll just see how the foot reacts."

Johnson, a 6-foot-10 sophomore, suffered the injury in practice ahead of UConn's game against Boston University Nov. 11. He's missed the last 12 games.

In the lead up to last week's game with Georgetown, Hurley said he was hoping Johnson would be "in the mix" for tonight's game. But he clarified Tuesday saying Johnson is out against Villanova.

Clingan's new smile

Donovan Clingan's Christmas break began with dental work after the 7-foot-2 freshman from Bristol got a tooth knocked out last week against the Hoyas.

"His tooth got I think cracked probably on the first elbow he ate on the drive to the basket by (Brandon) Murray," Hurley said Tuesday. "He hit him with an elbow in his face which loosened his tooth. Then (Qudus) Wahab elbowed him in the face a second time, which then knocked the tooth out."

Clingan got a new tooth and will be ready to go when the Huskies take the court tonight. But that didn't stop Hurley from taking a shot at him following practice.

"I guess he didn't know the Whalers left town," Hurley joked. "He looked liked a hockey player."

For coverage of UConn football and men's basketball as well as area high school and local youth sports, follow Adam Betz on Twitter: @AdBetz1, Facebook: Adam Betz — Sports Writer, and Instagram: @AdBetzJI.