Two wins for hardworking Huskies

STORRS, Conn. (WTNH) -- Two games and two wins, just the kind of start first-year Head Coach Kevin Ollie and the UConn men's basketball team was hoping for.

The Huskies practice Wednesday and then get on a plane Thursday to head for a tournament in the Virgin Islands.

It's only two games, but the Huskies have learned something about themselves.

"That we're tough, that we have a lot of heart," said Shabazz Napier. Ya know, we stay together. That's one thing you have to love about a team."

They are a unified bunch.

If they wanted it, they had a built-in excuse to struggle this season. They're not interested.

"Definitely, Coach Ollie stresses that making no excuses, fighting, no egos," said Omar Calhoun, "just going out there and playing our game, playing UConn basketball."

"We winning, we winning the CT way," said Kevin Ollie. "That's with effort, dedication and passion."

CT's all hands on deck approach has worked in wins over Michigan State and Vermont; two teams on the opposite end of the Division 1 spectrum.

The Catamounts did what many teams will do this season: tried to shut down UConn's two best players, Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright, who combined for 22 points.

"If you focus on me or Ryan, you're forgetting about Omar, Tyler, RJ, Niels, I can go down the list," Napier said.

Rebounding is still a question, but answers are emerging for 1st year Head Coach Kevin Ollie. Tuesday night, he used 10 guys to get the job done.

Ollie's hardworking Huskies are giving him options.

"We just have to understand your role when you come in the game, whether it's one minute or three minutes, you play with full out effort," Ollie said, "and that's all I want. That's all I want when I watch the tape, if you give me effort, you're going to play."