INDIANAPOLIS — Alec Millender was chosen to accompany coach Dan Hurley to the press conference Friday. Now, why a reserve guard, who plays sparingly?
It may have been because Millender is one Final Four participant who can perform on either side of the iPhone. He was at the main event a year ago as a student reporter.
“It was amazing; it was pretty cool. I was able to see behind the scenes at a Final Four from a sports journalist’s eye,” said Millender, who was covering Houston as a student at IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis), just down the street from Lucas Oil Stadium, where he is suited up as a player this year. “The hours it takes, the late nights after games, staying up trying to get that story done. The networking. Being able to see basketball from a different lens, not being a player, it taught me a lot of patience, not being the center of attention. I’m not the one playing, I’m the one asking the questions.
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“You take a step back, able to appreciate the game a bit more, and that helped me accept this role.”
After transferring to UConn as a grad student, Millender has become an important behind-the-scenes part of this Huskies team that suited up to play Illinois in the national semifinals Saturday night.
“I do remember him telling me in February, he really wanted to make it to a Final Four to be a part of it.” Alex Karaban said. “He was here last year asking Houston guys questions. I was like, ‘I want this kid to get to a Final Four.’ It’s just a cool, full-circle moment.”
For 25 years, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association has run its “Full Court Press,” a sportswriting seminar and scholarship competition for aspiring young journalists. Millender, a Chicagoan, began his college career at Wayne State, then transferred to IUPUI and entered its Sports Capital Journalism Program, which is directed by Malcolm Moran, award winning sportswriter and longtime educator.
Moran oversees the Full Court Press program, and takes a group to a Final Four each year, where time is set aside at press conferences to ask questions. This year, they are in Phoenix for the women’s championship.
“I mostly covered Houston last year and I was crushed when they lost,” Millender said. “That’s something I have to get better at, not developing a certain bias toward a certain team. But they just treated me very well, allowed me to ask my questions first. It was amazing, it really was.
Sam Calhoun, a UConn senior and Jim’s grandson, was in the program in Houston in 2023.
“I think the experience for Alec was really good,” said Sam, who is covering the Huskies for the Daily Campus. “Just to be in the setting he was in San Antonio last year, it helps him. He knows how big the spotlights are. I really love the full-circle moment he’s had.”
Dom Amore: Braylon Mullins’ shot shook the world, from UConn to all the way back home in Indiana
College players get media training, but starting with the Big East Tournament the experience changes dramatically. During the regular season, it’s very structured, with only select players available on a dais for a few minutes. In the postseason, the dynamic is more like a pro league, with open locker rooms, one-on-one opportunities and hordes of reporters. At major events like the Final Four, a locker room is a mob scene.
“I tell people to appreciate it, appreciate the time, appreciate being asked questions, because it’s going to be gone one day,” Millender said. “Appreciate it. Enjoy it. Have fun with the questions and engage into it, don’t just try to be there and be a stale dandy.”
Millender, 24, came to UConn, along with Silas Demary Jr. from Georgia and Malachi Smith from Dayton to provide depth at point guard. He had been a starter at IUPUI, which plays in the Horizon League, averaging 30 minutes, 8.2 points, 3.7 assists per game. At UConn, he has played in 18 games, averaging 3.2 minutes, but saw meaningful minutes against Furman with Demary out for the first game of the NCAA Tournament.
“His perseverance, personality, who he is, he’s a great guy,” Demary said. “He’s an ‘everyday guy,’ he’s going to be the same person every day and I just feel like he’s a tremendous leader. He just does a lot of things the right way.”
In the locker room, Millender is one of the grownups, with a keen sense of humor and a skill for communicating. He plays a big role in the team’s cut-throat video game (EA Sports College Football ’26) league. Actually, the mere mention of Millender brings smiles and giggles from his teammates.
“He’s a funny guy, his life, his energy, his personality, it’s contagious and it spreads to the team,” Tarris Reed Jr. said. “You have a guy like that in your locker room, not selfish, not worried about his ego. He shows up every day in practice, knows all the plays, that’s a testament to who he is and why we made it this far.”
Millender wants to extend his playing career beyond college, maybe playing overseas. The idea of keeping a diary of this season and maybe turning it into a book did not occur to him, but he is keeping a scrapbook (and we’re happy to contribute) and plans to keep developing his communication skills.
“My goal as a kid was to be a professional basketball player, so I want to make that dream come true,” Millender said. “(As a journalism student) I learned a lot of life lessons, be nice, be credible, be trustworthy, always live up to your word. Keep improving, get back into some writing. I’ve been reading books, trying to bring up my vocabulary; my speaking up. Just want to stay in the sports realm and develop my skills.”
More for your Sunday Read:
Fascinating financials
There was a lot of content posted this week about UConn’s financials, since both basketball teams were in their Final Four. For instance, Sportico data website, with info charted by Lev Akabas, a sports business site, noted that UConn was the only school with FBS football that spent more money on basketball during fiscal year 2024. If UConn were to join a power conference, this would obviously change; the school would get far more money from football TV, and would have to spend it on football to be competitive.
Ross Dellenger, who covers business for On3, detailed UConn’s football financial disadvantages, the money earned by basketball. This drew some ire, but it really just pointed out that UConn has been able to do more with less in athletics, remarkably so, even as changes tilt things more and more toward the power conference. As long as UConn football stays on the track it has been on, the school is well positioned for an invitation.
Meanwhile, UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams are on more solid footing for the long term, despite the women’s 62-48 loss to South Carolina on Friday night, with the announcement of a $15 million gift from Robert and Stefanie Skinner, Class of 1993, of which $10 million will go to established an endowed find for the men’s and women’s basketball coaches ($5 million for each). UConn plans to raise enough for a $10 million endowment for each coaching position, to be called “The Geno Auriemma Endowed Fund” and “The Jim Calhoun and Dan Hurley Endowed Fund.” These will allow the school to attract and retain high-level coaches for years to come.
Sunday short takes
*With the close of their season, the UConn men’s hockey team will be losing players to pro ranks. Ryan Tattle signed with the AHL’s Providence Bruins and debuted this week. Goalie Tyler Muszelik signed an entry-level contract with the Panthers. Joey Muldowney, who was drafted two years ago by the Sharks, forward Jake Richard and defenseman Viking Gustafsson-Nyberg are other possibilities to go pro.
*Braylon Mullins giveth, South Carolina taketh away, and like that Jordan’s Furniture is off the hook for $50 million.
*Former UConn offensive lineman Ryan Van Demark, who got a foothold in the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Bills, has signed a one-year deal with the Vikings, calling for $4.2 million fully guaranteed.
*Painful confession: I fell for one April Fool’s tweet, and started asking UConn folks for reaction to Rhode Island’s big move to Hockey East. Got me.
*An obscure former Yankee pitcher, Ken Clay, died this week at age 71. Clay, who pitched in Double A for the West Haven Yankees, did not have a long career, but if you’re old enough, you may remember his shining moment: His 3 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to finish Game 1 of the 1978 ALCS at a point the Yankees were strapped for pitching coming out of the playoff game in Boston. It helped set them up for the rest of that memorable postseason.
Connecticut Sun celebrating final year in state with ‘Sunset Season’ theme
Last word
Lame-duck seasons for relocating franchises are bound to be awkward, and I get the business end — market your product for all its worth right to the end and, if you’re the Mohegan Sun, get as many people walking through the casinos as you can. But this “Sunset Season” celebration idea by the Connecticut Sun, promoting the final season in Uncasville, just feels cringy to me. It’s as if they’re rubbing the impending move to Houston in their jilted fans’ noses, though. I know that’s not the intent. Just doesn’t sit right.
