When you’re the No. 1 team in the country, you have a nice huge bullseye on your back. That bullseye was evident as the Michigan Wolverines were unfazed by the No. 1 UConn Huskies throughout the game.
But in the end UConn persevered behind 19 points by Jerome Dyson to take a 69-61 win over the Wolverines in front of a sellout crowd at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, CT.
The win is the 11th straight for UConn as they improve to 22-1 on the season. They will become the first team in the last 4 polls to hold onto the No. 1 spot for a second week. Michigan falls to 15-9.
Hasheem Thabeet had another solid game with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocked shots. A.J. Price chipped in with 11 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists while Jeff Adrien narrowly missed a double-double with 9 points and 14 rebounds. The 14 rebounds gives him 1,000 in his career and he becomes just the 5th player in UConn history to have 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Stu Douglass led Michigan with a game-high 20 points on six 3-pointers. Manny Harris added 15 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 steals while DeShawn Sims had 8 points.
The Huskies got out quick taking an 8-1 lead before the Wolverines fought back to tie the game at 14. The two teams exchanged the lead and with UConn leading 21-20, Michigan went on a 9-0 run to take an 8 point lead. The Huskies responded though with a 12-5 run to close out the half and went into the locker room trailing by one point at 34-33.
It was an ugly first half for UConn that saw them have 11 baskets and 10 first half turnovers. It was just the second time this season the Huskies had trailed at the half. The loss to Georgetown was the other.
The two teams exchanged the lead again in the second before the Wolverines took a 43-39 lead with 14:05 to go in the game. Then the Huskies exploded for a 9-0 run to take a 5 point lead. UConn would expand the lead to 10 points but Michigan wasn’t going away though as UConn went scoreless for just over 4 minutes late in the game.
Dyson ended that drought with a layup to give UConn a 61-53 lead. Douglass hit two 3-pointers to keep Michigan close but the Huskies made their free throws to hold off Michigan for the win.
The Huskies go back to Big East play on Wednesday night when the Syracuse Orange come to Gampel Pavilion. Tip is scheduled for 7 PM and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.
Notes and musings:
Michigan Wolverines @ UConn Huskies 2.7.09 men’s basketball box score
The starters were A.J. Price, Jerome Dyson, Stanley Robinson, Jeff Adrien and Hasheem Thabeet.
Former UConn Husky and current Boston Celtic Ray Allen was seen sitting behind the UConn bench.
Michigan is now 1-20 against teams ranked No. 1.
The win for Jim Calhoun was the 796th of his career and 548th at UConn.
The Huskies shot 42.3% (22-of-52) while the Wolverines shot 38.6% (22-of-57).
UConn had 17 assists on their 22 made baskets but also had 17 turnovers. Michigan only turned the ball over 10 times.
The Huskies dominated the glass holding a 47-24 advantage.
UConn shot 42.9% (6-of-14) from behind the 3-point line.
The Huskies had a good night at the free throw line going 19-of-25 (76%).
UConn outscored Michigan 26-22 in the paint and 11-10 on the fast break.
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