HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun has gotten the Huskies to the Final Four twice and each time returned with the national title. As he prepares his top-seeded team for a run for a third crown, the Hall of Fame coach knows UConn can’t afford to overlook anyone, beginning with first-round NCAA opponent Albany.

“We saw the fact that they played well against UCLA and just lost by eight. All we can do is just take care of Albany,” Calhoun said.

The Huskies (27-3), the Big East regular season co-champs, are making their 14th appearance in the NCAA tournament under Calhoun.

The 16th-seeded Great Danes (21-10) won the America East title to earn their first NCAA tournament berth since moving up to Division I seven years ago. Led by Jamar Wilson’s 29 points, Albany beat three-time defending champion Vermont 80-67 in the title game.

“It’s a great opportunity for us and a great opportunity for Albany,” Calhoun said. “I think coach (Will) Brown knows what a win can do and his kids know what a win can do. It’s a great time of the year.”

For the Huskies and Great Danes, it all starts Friday night at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia. The winner will play either Kentucky or Alabama-Birmingham in a second-round game.

The Huskies are 33-10 in the tournament and have history on their side for the game; a No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 seed in the men’s bracket. Calhoun doesn’t want to be the first, but knows it’s just a matter of time.

“I hope it’s not us. I hope it’s not this year,” he said. “There’s enough parity in college basketball for that to happen.”

Calhoun has been on the other side before in his 34 seasons as a head coach – 14 at Northeastern and the last 20 at UConn. “I do know the feeling of being a 15 and 16 seed because I was there myself,” he said. “All Albany wants is to show an opponent how good they are.”

The Huskies also have something to prove after their quick exit from the Big East tournament last week when ninth-seeded Syracuse, the eventual tournament champion, beat them 86-84 in overtime.

“I wish we were playing tonight. Especially after our experience last week,” Calhoun said.

The loss did little to deter many of the pundits from picking UConn to win it all in Indianapolis on April 3. It hasn’t put any more pressure on a team or staff accustomed to playing with big expectations every year. It’s a situation they’ve created and one they’re willing to live with, Calhoun said.

Yet those expectations have been weighing on leading scorer Rudy Gay, the coach said. The talented 6-foot-9 sophomore forward is averaging just over 15 points a game but over the last few games hasn’t been a dominating presence in critical situations.

“I think he feels a great deal of pressure. He’s a human highlight film, but he’s a young player who is learning how to be good,” Calhoun said. “This tournament could be an opportunity for him to break out a little bit. He kind of got worn down by the pressure of expectations.”

Senior forward Denham Brown, meanwhile, has emerged as the team’s off-court leader and on the court is playing with the kind of fire and passion his coach likes to see. Brown had a team-high 20 points in the loss to Syracuse and demanded more from his teammates after the game.

“He was magnificent down the stretch, making big shot after big shot,” Calhoun said. “He criticized himself and really took it out on the team. From a coaching standpoint, you can’t ask for anything more.”

In a team meeting Monday, Brown had another talk with his teammates.

“He was very outspoken and talked about the kind of sacrifices he was willing to make for the team to win,” Calhoun said. “You can’t get a kid to do that unless it comes from the heart. And trust me it does.”

AP-ES-03-14-06 1913EST