Three years of free tickets and a family connection wasn’t enough to compel Matt Harvey to so much as consider going to Connecticut.
Harvey was the top prep prospect in the class of 2007. He played for Fitch High in Groton, Conn., less than 50 miles south of UConn’s campus in Storrs. He was coached by his father Ed, a member of the Huskies’ 1972 College World Series team.
Still, UConn coach Jim Penders couldn’t get a sit-down with Harvey, and when Harvey’s draft stock fell, he left the Nutmeg State for North Carolina, where he went on to become a first-rounder in 2010.
“Today, I think we’d have a good chance at Matt Harvey,” Penders said.
Rightfully so. Penders has led the Huskies to each of the last four NCAA Tournaments, most recently a decisive third
