Connecticut 78, Florida State 76 (Overtime)

[recap] [box score]

When a team is depends heavily on one player -- as Connecticut indisputably depended on Kemba Walker last season -- and that player leaves, it's natural to expect a bit of a decline in the following season. So I looked upon UConn's lofty preseason ranking with a bit of skepticism. I wasn't all that impressed when I saw them in their season-opener against Columbia, and I took Friday's collapse against Central Florida as justification of that skepticism.

After watching them beat Florida State in the consolation game of the inaugural Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas, however, I'm starting to believe that they can defend their title.