The Huskies shore up its backcourt depth with the IU Indy product
UConn men’s basketball continued to build out its depth on Thursday as guard Alec Millender announced he will join the Huskies next season. Millender, who will be playing his sixth season of college basketball next season with UConn, started his college basketball career at Division II Wayne State before spending last season at IU Indy.
The 6-foot-3 Millender comes to Storrs as a stabilizing presence for the backcourt as an elite distributor and knockdown shooter. At Wayne State, Millender posted 161 assists to just 93 turnovers in nearly 60 games over three seasons while shooting 39.7 percent from 3-point line. He also posted 45 steals and shot 84.4 percent from the free throw line.
In his first year at the Division I level, Millender adjusted quickly. He led the Jaguars with 3.7 assists per game and led the Horizon League with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.95. The Chicago native averaged 8.2 points per game last season and continued to be a dependable shooter with a 43.5 percent 3-point percentage.
The addition of Millender gives Dan Hurley and the Huskies another reliable ballhandler, something UConn sorely lacked last season. While fellow transfers Silas Demary Jr. and Malachi Smith figure to get the lion’s share of minutes, Millender will carve out his own role with his ability to run the offense. With Millender now in the fold, UConn now has filled 13 scholarships ahead of next seasons following the additions of transfers Millender and forward Dwayne Koroma along with freshman Jacob Ross.