For the first 12 minutes of the second half, you could have sworn you were watching the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team and not the men’s team. Why you ask? Well the Huskies used a big run and some swarming defense to put the game away early in the second half.
The Huskies used a 20-2 run to start the second to break open a five point game on their way to a 67-53 win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in front of 12,527 (including myself) at the XL Center in Hartford, CT on Tuesday night.
With the win the Huskies improve to 13-2 (2-2 Big East). The Scarlet Knights fall to 10-6 (1-3).
Kemba Walker paced the Huskies with 18 points with six rebounds and three assists. Alex Oriakhi put together another fine game as he had his sixth career double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. He also had four blocked shots. Jamal Coombs-McDaniel came off the bench to score nine points and Roscoe Smith added eight.
Shabazz Napier paced the Huskies with seven assists to go along with four points and was a pest on defense when he was on the floor.
Rutgers was led by Mike Poole who had a double-double of his own with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Austin Jackson and James Beatty both chipped in with nine points.
The Scarlet Knights got out of the gates quickly taking a 5-0 lead before Walker would put the Huskies on the board with a layup. Rutgers would increase their lead to 12-6 before a 6-0 run by the Huskies would knot things up. A Beatty three-pointer would give the Scarlet Knights a three-point lead but the Huskies responded with another 6-0 run to take the lead for the first time in the game.
The two teams jostled back and forth with the lead for the next five minutes before a Coombs-McDaniel three-pointer would give the Huskies the lead for good with 3:19 remainin in the first half at 24-23. The Huskies would outscore Rutgers 8-4 the rest of the half to take a 32-27 lead at the break.
Whatever halftime adjustments head coach Jim Calhoun made, the players executed them to perfection as they started out the half with a 12-0 run that would end up being part of a 20-2 run to put the game out of reach. It took the Scarlet Knights five minutes and 16 seconds to get their first basket in the second half then another three minutes and 42 seconds to get their second.
UConn built their lead as high as 24 points before slacking off a little and letting the Scarlet Knights close it down to the final margin of 14 points.
It was nice to see Oriakhi come out and put up another big game after the one he had on Saturday. If the Huskies can continue to get him involved early on in the game, good things should happen from him. Plus if he steps up and the others continue to do the same, Walker may be able to get a little more freedom on the court.
You could definitely tell Rutgers was trying to stop Walker but he recognized it and made sure his teammates got involved. After seeing him in person for the first time this year, watching him on television just doesn’t do him justice. It’s amazing how much better he has gotten from last year.
The Huskies are off until Saturday when they head to Rosemont, IL for a Big East matchup with the DePaul Blue Demons at Allstate Arena. Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m. and the game will be televised locally here in Connecticut on SNY.
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Notes and musings:
Rutgers Scarlet Knights @ UConn Huskies 1-11-11 box score
Here are quotes from UConn Huskies head coach Jim Calhoun, Kemba Walker, Alex Oriakhi, Shabazz Napier and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel.
The starters for the Huskies were Kemba Walker, Niels Giffey, Roscoe Smith, Tyler Olander and Alex Oriakhi.
Walker has led the Huskies in scoring for all 15 games. He has also scored at least 18 points in all 15 games.
The Huskies shot 45.6% (26-57) from the floor while Rutgers shot 34.5% (20-58). Ironically enough, Rutgers was 10-for-29 (34.5%) in each half.
UConn had 14 assists on their 26 made baskets.
The Huskies 6-of-20 (30%) from three-point land while the Scarlet Knights were just 3-of-17 (17.6%).
UConn was 9-of-14 (64.3%) from the charity stripe.
The two teams both finished with 37 rebounds.
UConn had just six points off of nine Rutgers turnovers. The Scarlet Knights had 11 points off of eight Huskies turnovers.
This was the third straight game, the Huskies finished with less than 10 turnovers.
UConn outscored Rutgers 30-22 in the paint and 15-2 on the fast break.
The Scarlet Knights bench outscored UConn’s 27-22.
Rutgers held a 16-10 advantage on second chance points.
UConn has 27 consecutive regular-season wins against the New York-area Big East schools — Rutgers, St. John’s and Seton Hall.
Photo credits: Michael McAndrews – Hartford Courant (No. 4, No. 6)
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