UConn’s ‘Big Apple’ Hopes Reel Without Donovan Clingan Despite Dan Hurley’s Upper Hand

When Donovan Clingan told Dan Hurley that he was ready to go for a third championship, the UConn coach told him to “get the he– out of here.” It was late June, and Clingan had just been selected seventh overall in the NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers and had two of the best college basketball seasons in sports history. Hurley pushed him in the right direction, sure, but how are the Huskies faring without their center now?

It’s not as if Storrs was left stranded without talent as players moved on to other schools or graduated or went pro. But HeatCheck College Basketball’s Connor Hope feels Hurley will be especially missing Clingan as the Huskies get ready to face Gonzaga on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

On the Locked on UConn podcast, Hope revealed, “Donovan Clingan is a way better big, especially defending the post than I think (Graham) Ike had handled all season.”

The now-Portland Trail Blazers-bound Clingan certainly showed off his dominance on the glass with an average of 7.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game as a Husky last year. On the other hand, if numbers were proof, Ike averaged 16.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and a comparatively low 0.7 blocks per game last season for the Bulldogs.

“This year, the difference to me is that you don’t have, at the surface, a dominant big at UConn. You have two really really good centers in Samson Johnson and Tarris Reed. But you don’t have a dominant big and I think that’s where Gonzaga might look to take advantage.”

It should be noted that in all their previous meetings, the Zags have only managed two wins against the Huskies whereas UConn has won five, all seven played on neutral courts. Not to mention, since 2014-15, Gonzaga is 7-3 against Big East foes; another interesting fact is that the Zags have only won three of their eight games in MSG. No luck for the Bulldogs in NYC it seems.

Hope does relent then, “Look, you have a potential lottery pick in Liam McNeely, you have Alex Karaban at the floor, one of the most consistent players in the country who’s now taken the mantle as the leader of this team. I mentioned Solo Ball earlier…But to me, it’s Tarris Reed, Samson Johnson – can you get them into foul trouble, can you get them into Ike enough to force an Alex Karaban at the five type of situation? And I think that’s where Gonzaga can take advantage.”

But looking at the wins and losses, both teams have behind them currently, one could easily say Hurley has the advantage. Where UConn had three consecutive wins, the Bulldogs lost to Kentucky. Karaban is averaging a team-high 16.6 points and 2 blocks per game. But adding power to the glass is Reed Jr. with 8.2 rebounds and McNeeley with 5.9 boards per game.

Adjusting to a Donovan Clingan-less team was hard, no doubt, but UConn can still press one advantage.

Dan Hurley has fostered UConn’s “two-headed monster” at center

When the 2024-25 season began, senior Samson Johnson was suddenly put in as a starter. Tarris Reed Jr., a transfer, was still adjusting to UConn’s culture until recently. Neither could stop fouling. Now it’s December, and while the fouling hasn’t stopped completely, CBS Sports‘ Jon Rothstein has the perfect analogy for the daunting duo these two show the potential to be.

“UConn’s two-headed monster at center of Samson Johnson and Tarris Reed is currently averaging a combined 18.7 PPG, 10.8 RPG, and 3.3 BPG. Neither one is Clingan or (Adama) Sanogo, but together they’re enough,” Rothstein wrote on X.

Connor Hope on Locked on UConn also pointed out that while Gonzaga has an advantage at the point guard spot, their own good teams “have had two [point guards] that they can rely upon.”

Whereas the current Bulldogs are good defensively, UConn has shown nothing but offensive power this season. In this almost even match-up, who wins?