Entering the Starting Lineup!

Entering the Starting Lineup! (3/3!)

Providence College's adjustments were dismantled by Tang Tian's high-pressure defense, and the second half almost became his One-Man Show.

Brooks tried desperately to shake him off, but Tang Tian clung to him like gum and simply could not be shaken.

For the first time since he began playing in the NCAA, he looked exceptionally bedraggled on the court.

That was the effect of Tang Tian defending at full strength. With seventy or eighty percent of his Individual Defense skill, it was impossible for NCAA players to handle him with ease.

What was more, Brooks was the type of player whose passing instincts had been completely ruined.

He was stripped after he Drove forcefully, bricked after Strong shots, and got blocked after forcing spin moves.

Brooks, who had previously done whatever he pleased on the court, was now being suppressed by Tang Tian so thoroughly that it was painful to watch.

Actually, Tang Tian had not needed to go that far, but he could not tolerate the provocative things Brooks had said at the start of the game.

Sometimes, he held grudges!

With Brooks completely shut down by Tang Tian, Providence College's offense could not get going at all.

In the end, UConn massacred Providence College 81-61 at home, claiming a resounding victory and their eighth straight win!

For UConn, Lamb had 20 points and 4 rebounds, Walker posted 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists, O'Riaqi had 11 points and 12 rebounds, Napier scored 10 points with 3 assists, while Orland and Smith each added 8 points.

Against Providence College's less-than-stellar defense, they had truly achieved balanced scoring.

Tang Tian focused entirely on defending Brooks in this game. He went 1-for-3 from beyond the arc and finished with 3 points, 3 rebounds, 5 steals, and 3 blocks!

Brooks, Providence College's undisputed core and Tang Tian's matchup, shot 7-for-26 for 15 points and 3 rebounds, while also committing 6 turnovers!

After watching the second half, the fans all had only one feeling: Tang Tian's defense at full strength was terrifying!

At the postgame press conference, Cahoon brought Lamb and Tang Tian along with him.

"He was the key to our victory." Cahoon did not hold back his praise. Even he had not expected Tang Tian's performance on the defensive end to be this strong.

"How would you evaluate Brooks's performance? We know he said before the game that you could not defend him, but in the end, you did." After questioning Cahoon, the reporter turned to Tang Tian.

"MarShon is an excellent scorer. He can shoot, he can drive, and his style of play is very similar to Kobe's." To the surprise of the reporters present, Tang Tian opened by showering Brooks with praise.

"But Kobe has games where he bricks shots too. I believe he'll adjust quickly, and I'm also looking forward to facing them again in the championship tournament."

The reporters below had been waiting for a turn, but after hearing the whole answer, they realized Tang Tian really had been praising Brooks. He was being remarkably gracious!

Cahoon beside him, however, could not help laughing.

Tang Tian's words had a hidden meaning. Kobe had games where he bricked shots too—he was mocking Brooks's terrible Shot Selection during the game!

The reporters had not caught it at first. Once the report went out and the fans noticed, it would probably become another topic for ridicule.

No one could match Tang Tian's way with words.

After beating Providence College, UConn's record rose to 10-4, and they climbed to fourth place in the Big East Conference.

The top eight teams in the conference advanced to the championship tournament. The top four occupied the upper bracket and had Home Court Advantage, and the higher their ranking, the weaker the opponent they would face.

Reaching the upper bracket naturally gave them a better chance of advancing in the tournament.

Their next game was at home against Georgetown University. In the previous game, Greg Monroe had wreaked havoc inside, putting up 30+ points and 21 Rebounds while thoroughly ravaging UConn's interior.

Tang Tian was a strong defender, but he was a player who swung between Power Forward/Small Forward. This game would be no small test for UConn.

However, during the training session the next day, Cahoon announced an important piece of news.

Tang Tian would enter the starting lineup in the next game!

This was actually completely expected by the other players.

If Tang Tian had started in the previous game, Brooks's performance might have been even worse.

And with his defense and his pick-and-roll chemistry with Walker, after so many games, he had become an indispensable part of UConn's tactics!

What surprised everyone, however, was that Tang Tian was not replacing Smith, but Orland. He would take over as the team's starting Power Forward.

Orland was 2.11 meters tall, a full ten centimeters taller than Tang Tian. This adjustment was effectively lowering UConn's interior height all at once.

But Cahoon clearly had his own considerations.

In the previous game against Providence College, Brooks had been defended by Tang Tian until he completely lost his touch, yet Providence College still scored more than 60 points.

UConn's current starting lineup had enough height, but its mobility was relatively poor. Against fast-paced opponents, getting back on defense was a major problem.

Though he was somewhat old-school, he could still understand basketball's trends. The pace of games was getting faster and faster, and mobility would become increasingly important.

They had used Orland before because they had no other choice. Now that they had Tang Tian, he naturally needed to make changes.

Tang Tian's two-meter height was more than sufficient for playing Power Forward in the NCAA. He was strong and quick as well, making him a perfect complement to O'Riaqi.

"Congratulations, Tang!"

"Tang, you have to treat us to dinner!"

Tang Tian was very popular at UConn, and all the players came over to congratulate him.

"Of course I'll treat you. Not a single one of you will be left out." Tang Tian was not stingy either.

In his previous life, money had been nothing more than a pile of numbers to him, so he did not care much about it. Before, he had been short on cash because he had no Scholarship, but now that he had one, treating everyone to a meal was certainly no problem.

After agreeing to have dinner the next evening, Tang Tian returned to his dormitory to rest once training ended.

But not long after lying down, he received a call.

It was Olson.

"Are you free tonight? I'd like to invite you to a movie."

After they had eaten together last time, Olson had seemed somewhat reluctant to part when they said goodbye. He had not expected her to take the initiative and invite him to a movie now.

This development seemed a little fast.

But that was Tang Tian's current charm. It could not be explained by him simply being handsome.

Olson came from a good family, and there were surely plenty of men around her who were more handsome than Tang Tian. It could only be said that Tang Tian's mature masculine charm had attracted her.

"I have extra training tonight," Tang Tian answered directly.

He was not opposed to Olson, but after experiencing so much in his previous life, he knew what mattered more.

"Then I'll buy a later ticket. Around what time will you finish?" To Tang Tian's surprise, Olson was very understanding.

"Nine o'clock." Tang Tian gave her a time. Olson had already put it that way, so refusing again would have seemed inappropriate.

"Okay, I'll come pick you up then," Olson said directly.