"Now I'm noticing defenses and noticing what kind of teams we're playing against. What our advantages and disadvantages are. It's been a whole lot easier. All the coaches have been helping me notice things and just take control of the team and play basketball."

You can hear the confidence in Marcus William's voice as he discusses his development and improvement on the basketball court. And that confidence has also spilled over to his coaches and teammates. Head coach Jim Calhoun is slowly handing over the reigns, at times, to Williams and is actually starting to let his sophomore point guard call the shots.

"I ask him, what do you think?" said Calhoun. "There have been games recently where he says 'coach, 13 isn't open but if we run the 14, the 1-4 set, I know I can get the ball to the center.'"

"Marcus enjoys saying 'coach, this is open,'" continued Calhoun. "And the fact that he sees everything on the floor. He's looking at the defense from a whole different perspective than we are on the sidelines and he's starting to call things. So I think it's an evolution. I know one thing, at Providence in a really tough overtime game, he kept changing my mind about a couple different (plays) and they all turned out to be right, so therefore that trust is building up."

The true measure of a great point guard is a player that makes those around him better and Williams is passing the test with flying colors. He is also noticing that his inspired play seems to rub off on the team as a whole.

"I noticed that when I play my best the team plays it's best," said Williams. "If I'm playing down or not emotional, or not talking to them, the team plays the same way."

So besides the play of Williams, what is the biggest reason the Huskies are starting to play so well? Williams will tell you what many seasoned Huskies fans already know, it's that time of year. Calhoun, as usual, has his team gelling when it counts most.

"I think it's chemistry, we're really starting to bond," said Williams. "Our bigs are coming through and our wings are starting to play, the bench is really starting to play. It's about that time now, February-March."

Zone Buster

Fans in Connecticut have been buzzing about Williams ability to break down defenses, particularly the way the sophomore has been picking apart zones as of late. He admits he really likes playing against zone defenses and finding ways to break them down.

"I'm pretty confident playing against a zone," said Williams. "We feel we can work the ball around and get into the gaps and our big men can hide behind the zone."

So what's his secret for finding gaps and splitting the zone?

"Timing," said Williams. "When the zone is shifting they overlook somebody, usually on the back side wing or someone under the basket."

It also helps that Williams has terrific big men like Charlie Villanueva and Josh Boone to get the ball to in the post. Boone and Villanueva have executed exceptionally well, not only finding the seams in the zone to get themselves open, but also passing the ball.

"It makes it a whole lot easier," said Williams. "Charlie and Josh are two of the best passers on the team. When they catch the ball in the short corner or in the middle of the zone, they can kick it out or they can dump it down to one another."

Passing Fancy

Even with his polished all-around game, Williams is still best known for one thing. So what's the story with his trademark alley-oop? Part of the reason he throws (and connects on) so many of them is his terrific court vision as well as an ability to communicate to his teammates with just a look. But part of the reason is much more simple.

"It's pretty easy to throw them also," said Williams. "Most everyone on our team can jump too, so they're going to catch it. Guys like Rudy and Charlie."

So is the alley-oop Williams favorite play to make?

"It depends on the point in the game," said Williams. "In transition if I throw a no look pass for a dunk, or an alley-oop in transition. When the game is winding down and I make a big shot, that's a great feeling also."

Like Peanut Butter and Jelly

While Jim Calhoun sang the praises of Charlie Villanueva after he scored 25 points in Connecticut's victory over Notre Dame on Monday, he also gave some of the credit for Charlie's blossoming game to Williams.

Calhoun said that he could see early last year that the combination of Williams and Villanueva played well together.

"I think that if (Williams) played the whole season (last year) and gotten 10 or 12 minutes a game that Charlie would have evolved quicker," said Calhoun.

Villanueva has done a terrific job of getting himself open and in good position for William's pinpoint passes. But the biggest factor in the tandem's playing well together has to do with their personalities according to head coach Jim Calhoun.

"Charlie wants to score and Marcus wants to pass," said Calhoun. "When you have that combination, it's like putting a (Joe) Montana with (Jerry) Rice, it works out well."

The Joker

Besides being a brilliant passer, Williams may be best known for being the team's biggest joker. But he isn't the only Husky with a sense of humor. Besides Williams, the Huskies crew of resident jokers include Antonio Kellogg, Hilton Armstrong, and one player many wouldn't suspect. But Williams was more than willing to let the cat out of the bag.

"Everybody thinks AJ's the quiet guy," said Williams regarding freshman AJ Price. "There ain't nothing about AJ that's quiet!"

Williams enjoys his role as the teams resident funny man and is notorious for joking and ribbing his teammates. As Williams tried to downplay his knack for busting on teammates, Josh Boone set the record straight.

"He's lying!" exclaimed Boone with a smile.

Even head coach Jim Calhoun can't seem to get away from Williams antics.

"Coach said he heard me for the whole three hours on the bus (back from Rutgers) last night," exclaimed Williams proudly with a grin.

National Attention

While Marcus Williams has been the hot topic in Connecticut for weeks, the nation has just started to take notice of the sophomore point guard's stellar play. ESPN analysts Bill Raftery and Jay Bilas spent the better part of UConn's victory over Notre Dame on February 21st singing the praises of Williams as did Jim Calhoun and Notre Dame coach Mike Brey after the game.

"We're seeing the emergence of a big time point guard right here," said Bilas. "The more I watch him I can't name you two better passers in the country."

"Williams just does such a good job controlling the whole tempo of things," said Notre Dame coach Mike Brey. "I think he's one of the best young guards in the country, forget the league. I'm just so impressed with his poise, he plays like a senior. He has a great demeanor for a point guard. He never gets rattled, he calms guys down. I'm very, very impressed with him."

"You'd have to make a strong case to me personally that there's a better point guard in this league..." said Jim Calhoun. "He's been exceptional...Marcus is really, really getting good."

But through it all Williams continues to stay humble. A trait, he says, his mother helps instill in him. Whether he's asked how it feels to be second in the country in assists or how it feels to have Notre Dame coach Mike Brey call him one of the best guards in college basketball, Williams answer is about the same.

"It's a great compliment," says Williams. "But I just have to keep going out there and playing my hardest, try to guide my team and keep trying to get victories...I still have to stay humble and still play like I'm on the bottom, just keep playing hard."


For more on Marcus Williams, be sure to check out the feature article, "Head Games, Marcus Williams Stays a Step Ahead of the Competition", in the February 22nd issue of Inside Connecticut Sports Magazine.

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