Storrs – Freshman Jalen Adams took a peek through the lobby door window, checking out a packed and noisy Gampel Pavilion.

An hour-long autograph session with the men's and women's basketball team had just ended early Friday evening. More First Night festivities were still ahead.

A year ago, Adams and his future UConn basketball teammate Steve Enoch, who played at St. Thomas More, were spectators at the annual event.

"It was amazing coming out to all those people," Adams said. "My first time officially putting on the uniform and stepping on the court, it was just unreal. A dream come true."

First Night, which drew a capacity crowd, was a rousing success. UConn officials turned away fans at one point.

Enthusiastic fans roared during player introductions. Some Huskies danced and others just simply waved as they made their entrance through the center court stands, dishing out high-fives on the way down the stairs.

They weren't the only ones fired up to ring in the college basketball season.

"I've never seen a group of guys with more energy and having more fun," said women's coach Geno Auriemma talking about the men's team while speaking into a microphone at mid-court. "They couldn't wait to get out there."

Then Auriemma turned to his team.

"The only thing they know how to do is to win national championships," Auriemma said to the delight of the crowd.

The Huskies won the program's 10th national championship in women's basketball last year. They're stacked with talent again this season, looking to capture their record-setting fourth straight title.

"We don't feel the pressure," All-American Breanna Stewart said. "It excites us. We know what we've done and the position that we've put ourselves in to be extremely successful."

While the women will likely start the preseason No. 1, the men have a longer climb in the polls.

The Huskies, who last won a national championship in 2014, are ranked 24th in the USA Today preseason men's basketball coaches poll. They're expected to return to the NCAA tournament after failing to qualify last season.

"It's no big deal," Ollie said of his team's place in the poll. "Our national championship team wasn't even ranked (in preseason)."

Neither coach made any bold predictions Friday. Ollie promised that his team would run, rebound, play defense and execute. Auriemma, who recently criticized UConn fans, encouraged them to pack the stands for home games.

The players were just happy to take a break from the rigors of preseason practice and have some fun in front of their adoring fans. Several former Huskies, including Ray Allen and Donny Marshall, also were in attendance.

Shonn Miller, who spent the last four years at Cornell before transferring for his final year of eligibility, never experienced anything like First Night.

"We didn't have a First Night," said Miller, who won the dunk contest by jumping over seated teammate Sterling Gibbs. "This whole experience was new to me but I enjoyed it. ... It's good just to relax and have fun."

Jackson commits

Ollie continued his string of recruiting victories on Friday when 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward Vance Jackson committed to the Huskies. Jackson, a member of the Class of 2016, once played with current Husky Daniel Hamilton at St. John Bosco in Bellflower, Calif. He now attends Prolific Prep in Napa, Calif.

Jackson recently made official visits on consecutive weekends to UConn and California, his two finalists.

"UConn is the right fit for me because the system they run benefits me to show all aspects of my game," Jackson told Scout.com, a recruiting service. "UConn is in need of scorers and that's what I do well. I wanted to go to a pure basketball school and it felt like home visiting the school. The coaching staff is like having my dad by my side."

Since May, the Huskies also have received commitments from 5-10 point guard Alterique Gilbert (Miller Grove, Lithonia, Ga.), 6-7 forward Mamadou Diarra of Putnam Science Academy and 6-11 forward Juwan Durham (Tampa Preparatory School). Durham recently suffered his second torn ACL but in a different knee than the first one.

Diarra and his Putnam Science Academy basketball teammates were in attendance as well as several other high school players.

g.keefe@theday.com

Twitter: @GavinKeefe