UConn guard Jordan Hawkins participating in shootaround ahead of Final Four vs. Miami
Jordan Hawkins got some ginger ale and now he’s ready to roll.
Maybe it wasn’t as simple as the old fashioned home remedy, but the Connecticut star’s stomach bug is seemingly cured, as Pete Thamel of ESPN reported on Saturday that Hawkins is participating in shootaround ahead of the Huskies’ Final Four showdown with the Miami Hurricanes.
“Star UConn guard Jordan Hawkins is participating in shootaround today,” reported Thamel. “It’s a positive sign for him playing for UConn tonight against Miami.
“Hawkins missed practice yesterday and was isolated from his teammates after experiencing what teammates and staff called a stomach bug.”
That’s tremendous news for Connecticut, who’s hoping to advance to the national title game once again. Without Hawkins in the lineup, the team would’ve certainly taken a hit, but it’s going to take a lot more than the stomach bug to keep the star guard out of the lineup.
Moreover, Hawkins burst onto the scene this year for UConn, making an impressive leap from his freshman season.
He’s averaging 16.3 points per game, which ranks second on the team only to Adama Sanogo, while shooting 40.7% from the field and 38.5% from three-point territory. Last year, he averaged just 5.8 points per game in 27 games, including four starts.
The biggest change, Hawkins said earlier this week, didn’t happen on the court. He changed his approach to the game, which helped him gain the confidence to put up the numbers he has.
“I think my mentality changed completely,” Hawkins said. “I feel like I had the skill to do what I can do now last year, but my mental wasn’t all the way there with my game. I think that was the biggest thing that changed.”
Hawkins has put together back-to-back impressive games for UConn in the NCAA Tournament, including a 20-point performance against Gonzaga as the Huskies cruised to an 82-54 victory in the Elite Eight.
Now, UConn is turning its attention to a hot Miami team in the Final Four this weekend in Houston. That game tips off Saturday at 8:49 p.m. ET on CBS with a trip to the national championship on the line.
On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this article.