Connecticut News, Connecticut Recruiting, Matt Whitfield, West Virginia News

BIG MONDAY WIN FOR UCONN

Huskies put a stamp on their NCAA Tournament candidacy with upset of WVU

by MATT WHITFIELD

Nearly two weeks before the Big East tournament, the XL Center in downtown Hartford was the site of a Big East heavyweight clash between West Virginia and Connecticut Monday night. With major NCAA Tournament implications for both teams, both coaches were fired up throughout and the game came down to wire. In the end, the team that shot the ball more proficiently down the stretch and patrolled the boards better, all night long came away with a very important win.

The Huskies entered the game 16-11 overall, a bubble team with three wins over teams within the top 50 of the RPI ratings. On the other hand, West Virginia, 21-5 overall, was a team battling for possibly a number one seed as they went in with a RPI rating of five.

Wellington Smith got West Virginia off to a fast start by knocking down a jumper for a 2-0 lead. Then, on the defensive end of the floor, Smith blocked a shot and on the ensuing WVU possession the New Jersey native grabbed an offensive rebound and founf ‘Truck’ Bryant for a three-pointer giving the visitors a 5-0 lead.

Jim Calhoun wasted no time showing his team, and the officials, he was ready calling a quick timeout. During the stoppage, Calhoun gave the officials an earful and was promptly issued a technical foul, however, it did not cost UConn on the scoreboard as Da’Sean Butler missed both free throws.

Of the technical Callhoun later said, “I wanted them to know I was ready for the game,” as he was expecting a ‘streetfight’ all game long.

Connecticut, the more physically imposing team, down 5-0, came out and used their size to their advantage as they took the ball down the court into the lane the and just overpowered West Virginia starting with a Ater Mojok dunk and ending with a Kemba Walker two-point jumper which capped Connecticut’s 11-1 run and in the process got the XL Center rocking.

From here the Huskies dominated the Mountaineers inside, scoring 14 points in the paint while holding the Mountaineers to just 4 and out rebounding them 17 to 8 and in the process taking a nine-point halftime lead, 37-28.

West Virginia, however, did not quit. The Mountaineers started the second half controlling the boards and the process cut the Huskies lead to five near the fifteen minute mark. Connecticut maintained the five-point lead for around the next five minutes, as neither team could really take any momentum as both teams missed their share of shots.

Just under the ten minute mark, Deniz Kilici, whose physical presence was added to do a better job of rebounding, was fouled and he hit one of two, but got the rebound off the miss and followed that up with a basket to trim Connecticut’s lead to three, 53-50.

Devin Ebanks, West Virginia‘s sophomore forward, came down on the Mountaineer’s next offensive series and powered his way to the basket got his own rebound and got the put back to cut UConn lead to one,at 53-52.

There was a nervousness to the crowd as Jim Callhoun called a timeout, but the way Connecticut had played all night long with the exception of the first five minutes of the second half you had the sense Connecticut was going to find an answer to the challenge.

After the timeout, Alex Oriakhi drove for a layup, missed, got his own rebound and missed again, only to have Stanley Robinson follow with the rebound and the put in the score igniting a 10-4 run to give UConn a 63-56 lead with 5:12 left in the game.

From here West Virginia really couldn’t get anything going as they missed three straight shots from the floor and while they did trim Connecticut’s lead to four with 1:36 left in the game, Connecticut showed why they ended up winning the game as Stanley Robinson slammed the door shut with a powerful dunk off a offensive rebound on their next offensive series. Kemba Walker, who was a force all game long, then followed that up with a steal and dunk, to get the crowd booming at the XL Center, much to the chagrin of Bob Huggins.

Down 70-62 with under a minute left Huggins called a timeout and gave the officials and earful which in turn got him issued two two technicals and he was ejected. Kemba Walker hit three of his four free throws as Connecticut walked off the court victorious, 73-62.

After the game Coach Callhoun was proud of the effort by the Huskies.

“I’m just proud of our kids,” Calhoun said. “Now they’ve got themselves in a little bit better position than they were nine days ago.”

Huggins meanwhile was not at all pleased with how things went for his team on the road.

“You saw it. You’re allowed to report on it. I’m not,” said Huggins when asked about the 42 of 65 free throws given to Connecticut. “That’s a tremendous advantage.”

Huggins also felt his team was hampered by poor shooting.

“They shot the ball really well,” Huggins said. “They weren’t shooting the ball before. Every good team goes through that and right now we’re not making shots. It’s that simple.”

Kemba Walker lead all scorers with 21 and Devin Ebanks led West Virginia with 17. UConn held a 37 to 33 rebounding edge for the game.

West Virginia is next in action on Saturday at home against Cincinnati while Connecticut plays host to Louisville on Sunday.

Notes: Danny Ainge and numerous NBA personal were sitting courtside to scout and watch players. Andre Drummond, one of the nation’s most sought after 2012 recruits, was also in attendance sitting behind the Connecticut bench.

*********Follow NBE Sports on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NBESports*****

==================================================================
It might a few more weeks away, but our 2010 Big East Tournament & Tickets page has the links needed for Big East basketball fans to purchase tickets to any or all of the 2010 Big East Tournament sessions. The Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden is an event Big east fans must experience when they have the opportunity and here is your chance to get your tickets early before they become harder, and more expensive, to find. Stub Hub and the Big East conference have teamed up to provide fans with quality tickets and you can get tickets to ANY Big East conference or non-league game by following this link: StubHub.com – The Safe Way to Buy & Sell Tickets Online
====================================================================

Be Sociable, Share!

•