There was no limit on NCAA roster size. Tang Tian joining the team did not have much impact on the team itself, but it changed quite a bit for him.
He no longer had to specialize in picking up balls like before. Instead, he trained with the team and practiced plays.
He had originally been a coach, so he picked up these tactics especially quickly. He could even help the rookies get familiar with the plays.
Cahoon was very satisfied with what he saw, and Ollie gradually changed his opinion of him as well.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, November arrived. The 2010-2011 NCAA Regular Season officially began.
Over the past two months, UConn had undergone considerable changes. The team's backup Power Forward, Lavoy Allen, applied for a transfer and moved to neighboring Marquette University to support Jimmy Butler. The team also used Scholarships to bring in two newcomers: Roscheck Smith, a 1.96-meter small forward, and Tyler Orland, a 2.11-meter Power Forward. Both had been passed over by other teams, and their abilities were limited.
In other words, the team's strength had declined rather than improved over the past two months, making the new season look increasingly bleak.
On November 13, the team faced its first opponent, Louisville University.
Louisville University was a powerhouse in the Big East Conference and had even reached the NCAA tournament's Final Four last year.
This was destined to be a difficult game.
After the game began, Walker was tightly guarded, and Lamb became the team's main offensive option. However, he looked highly uncomfortable in his NCAA debut. He missed all three of his first attempts, and Louisville University quickly Extended the lead. By the end of the first half, they led 38-27 by 11 points.
Entering the second half, Cahoon began setting up all kinds of isolation plays for Walker, and Walker started scoring repeatedly with Drives and shoots.
But at the crucial moment, UConn's defense ran into problems. O'Riaqi was repeatedly targeted in Mismatch Isolation by the opposing guards. Walker's scoring could not keep up with the points the team was conceding, and around the fifteenth minute of the second half, they had fallen behind by nearly 20 points.
The game was effectively decided then and there.
In the end, although Walker went 9-for-22 and exploded for 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, UConn still suffered a Crushing defeat at home, losing 61-81.
After the crushing loss in their opener, Head Coach Cahoon felt unprecedented pressure.
After five days of rest, UConn remained at home to face DePaul University. The latter was a weak team in the Big East Conference, and UConn finally earned its First Win of the season.
They won 76-70, but there was nothing impressive about the victory. Especially since they had allowed a weak team like DePaul University to score 70 points, the team's defense was truly ugly.
After another five days of rest, the team went on the road to challenge Syracuse University and Georgetown University in succession, only to unsurprisingly suffer a losing streak.
Against Georgetown University, their core player Greg Monroe put up an extravagant 30 points and 21 rebounds, thoroughly ravaging UConn's interior.
Tang Tian traveled with the team for all of these games, but he sat at the very end of the bench, and Cahoon never sent him onto the court.
Their 1-3 start was UConn's worst opening in recent years.
To run into this situation in his retirement year, it looked like Cahoon would fail to preserve his reputation. He had even begun considering early retirement.
With the team's poor record, the players were not in high spirits during training either. It was as if a dark cloud hung over the arena.
"Old man, why not give Tang a try?" After training ended that day, Ollie sought out Cahoon alone and suggested it.
Cahoon said nothing.
Tang Tian had trained with the team for so long that Cahoon had gained a rough understanding of the ball boy's abilities.
His defense was excellent, and his basketball IQ was high. He understood tactics at a glance. But aside from those strengths, everything else—including shooting and passing—was at the level of an amateur player. He did not even meet the standards of an NCAA player.
Putting him on the court would mean playing four-on-five offensively.
That was also why Cahoon had never sent him onto the court.
"Let's wait and see." Cahoon could only judge things as the games went on.
On November 25, UConn hosted a home game against the formidable Marquette University. It was also their final game of November.
Marquette University was not considered an NCAA powerhouse, but it had produced NBA Superstars like Wade. This season, the team was led by senior Jimmy Butler, who had averaged 16.5 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists over the first four games of the season, displaying all-around offense and defense.
Besides Butler, the transferred Lavoy Allen had received heavy use from the Head Coach and was also performing well, averaging 11.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks.
Led by their two cores, they now held a 3-1 record, the exact reverse of UConn's record.
This game was particularly important for UConn. It concerned not only the team's record, but also Allen facing his former team after transferring. If they lost again, it would give people the feeling that when the tree fell, the monkeys scattered, and when the wall collapsed, everyone pushed it down.
Cahoon felt immense pressure before the game.
NCAA arenas had the best atmosphere in the world, even surpassing the NBA. This was only an ordinary Regular Season game, yet UConn's XL Center, which could hold more than sixteen thousand people, was already packed to capacity.
Fans held up all kinds of signs supporting the home team. Many had even tattooed the Huskies logo on their faces, chests, and even their beer bellies to show their fanatical support for the home team.
This was the NCAA.
The players from both teams carried out their final warmups on the court. Cahoon stood on the sideline with a solemn expression, and no one knew what he was thinking.
After the warmups ended, the starting players from both sides took the court one after another.
For Marquette University, both Butler and Allen started. Although UConn had been struggling lately, they did not dare let their guard down on the road.
UConn still used its regular lineup. Kemba Walker and Jerome Lamb were on the perimeter, Roscheck Smith and Tyler Orland—both recent additions to the team—were on the wings, and O'Riaqi was at center.
"Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!"
As soon as the game began, fans started beating drums. Accompanied by the drumbeats, they loudly cheered for the home team.
"Let's go, Connecticut!"
Amid the fans' cheers, O'Riaqi tipped the ball back into UConn's half, and the home team gained the chance to launch the first offense.
Walker brought the ball into the frontcourt.
Like the opponents they had faced before, Marquette University knew Walker was UConn's lifeline, so they immediately sent a double-team at him.
Walker quickly passed the ball to Lamb. After catching it, Lamb took an open three-pointer.
"Clang!"
The three-pointer struck iron.
But O'Riaqi grabbed the offensive rebound with his height advantage.
O'Riaqi Attacked the Rim from close range, but Lavoy Allen raised both hands and successfully disrupted his shot before securing the Defensive Rebound.
A wave of commotion swept through the arena.
UConn had failed to capitalize on two excellent opportunities right after the opening tip.
Marquette University brought the ball into the frontcourt, and Butler drove past Smith with the ball.
UConn's defense collapsed inward, and Orland moved under the basket to double-team him.
Butler passed the ball out of the double-team. Allen caught it and immediately took a Mid-range jump shot.
"Swish!"
With a crisp sound, the basketball dropped cleanly through the net.
Marquette University struck first.
Tony Allen's Individual Defense rating had indeed been set a little too low. I adjusted it and changed it to purple. Just be aware of that; it will not affect the reading.
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