Who is Adama Sanogo? How has UConn Huskies forward contributed to team’s 1st position in Big East?

Adama Sanogo impressed during his sophomore season for the UConn Huskies. Now in his junior year, Sanogo has taken his game to another level.

Second-ranked UConn (12-0) has been one of the country's most dominant teams and looks to be a national championship contender.

One of the reasons has been the outstanding play of Sanogo, a junior forward. Listed at 6-foot-9, 245 pounds, Sanogo has been the engine behind the Huskies' strong play to start the season.

Sanogo is averaging 19.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game. He's also shooting an impressive 62.0%, including 40.0% from 3-point range, in just 24.7 minutes.

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Adama Sanogo and the UConn Huskies on the rise in college basketball

UConn Huskies junior forward Adama Sanogo

After averaging 14.8 ppg as a sophomore, Adama Sanogo looked to be a solid piece for the Huskies. But after seeing his game reach another level of development, the Big East Preseason Player of the Year, has become a force for UConn.

The Huskies appear to be one of the country's deepest teams with intriguing depth in a variety of positions. The team already has a wide range of players who are impressing NBA scouts.

This includes talents such as sophomore wing Jordan Hawkins and junior wing Andre Jackson Jr. While NBA scouts have been smitten with the pair, Sanogo has started to generate buzz as well.

Sanogo has been able to be a force around the basket since last year. But an improved touch from outside has seen another aspect of his game take off. In his last four games, Sanogo has played at a high level. During that span, Sanogo is averaging 20.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg and 1.3 spg and shooting an impressive 60.0%.

After starting conference play with a 68-46 win over Butler on Saturday, UConn will now focus on proving its worth in the Big East. The Huskies will take on Georgetown (5-7, 0-1) on Tuesday. After that, they will welcome the Villanova Wildcats (6-5, 0-0), featuring potential top five NBA draft selection Cam Whitmore, on Dec. 28.

If Sanogo, a first-team All-Big East selection last season, can continue to showcase an improved touch from the outside, he's going to be a name to monitor.

The UConn Huskies have the pieces to be a team that can make noise in the NCAA Tournament. Time will tell just how far Sanogo and the Huskies can go toward a national championship.