WELCOME TO THE SHOW

So, you’re on a first-year Division I team entering the season’s third game. And now you’re playing a game against UConn at the Hartford Civic Center.
How, exactly, does one go about preparing for such an experience?
“You probably don’t,” Central Arkansas coach Rand Chappell said Thursday. “It was good for us to get in here today and shoot so you’re not just awed by the size of the building; you’ve at least seen it before you walk in to it.
“We’re going to visit them about what we think it’s going to be like and may have a little bit of tape to show them from some time when things have happened. But as we all know in any situation, when you’ve (never) been into it, you probably don’t know exactly how you’re going to react.”
Either way, this will certainly be a highlight for the Bears’ players, most of whom are holdovers from Division II.

On the UConn front, injuries were the word of the day. A.J. Price rolled his right ankle and spent the previous two days in a boot before returning to practice Thursday. Doug Wiggins was held out of the Huskies’ final practice before Friday’s game with back spasms and his status is still undetermined.
Stanley Robinson was also a little banged up (knee) and Hasheem Thabeet was apparently under the weather earlier this week. That being said, I doubt any of this will make a difference against the Bears. As for Fairfield and Mississippi — the other two opponents in this three-day tournament — UConn’s health would be figure to play a larger role.