Huskies Score Big Win, Look Like Contenders
STORRS, Conn. – Opposite ends of the spectrum, in more ways than one, were a theme in Sunday’s 89-75 win by Connecticut over Villanova.
The two teams are certainly opposites in some ways with their personnel. The Huskies are big and athletic, while the Wildcats are known for their small team and playing four guards most of the time. Villanova has won all season long with that lineup, including less than two weeks ago against these same Huskies.
Another opposite end was in key players for the victors. Three seniors led the way, as Denham Brown had a career-high 23 points, Rashad Anderson had 17 points with some clutch three-point shooting (he was 5-7 for the game from behind the arc), and Hilton Armstrong dominated inside with eight blocked shots. Additionally, freshman Jeff Adrien had as important a contribution as anyone with eight points and nine rebounds in 19 minutes, starting with the early minutes of the first half. Adrien came into the game when Rudy Gay was poked in the eye, which left him with a scratch, and immediately contributed. He started with an offensive rebound and two free throws after getting fouled less than ten seconds after checking in.
“He stepped up big for us today, tremendous,” Brown said of Adrien. “The rebounds he had, a couple of baskets. He is a beast.”
After a back and forth first half that featured six lead changes, Connecticut looked poised to break the game open with an early mini-run to start the second half. Scrappy Villanova regained the lead at 54-53 on four straight points by Allan Ray, but the Huskies scored nine unanswered points as part of an 18-3 run, leading by double digits for most of the remainder of the game. The turning point was Ray picking up his fourth foul right after he put the Wildcats ahead.
Connecticut needed this game and for multiple reasons. The Huskies moved into a tie atop the Big East with the Wildcats, as both teams are 12-2 with two games left. They also avenged their defeat just 13 days earlier in Philadelphia. And while they were at it, they re-asserted themselves as a true national title contender, led by their seniors.
Everyone knows the Huskies have talented underclassmen, from Rudy Gay and his all-world potential to junior floor leader Marcus Williams, who handed out 12 assists on Sunday. But Sunday’s win was all about the seniors, all of whom have been through quite a bit, as well as the freshman who came in and ensured there was no drop-off when Gay went out early.
“Denham had, arguably, the best game of his career at a good time,” said Calhoun of the senior wing from Toronto.
Calhoun noted that Brown has had struggles with his confidence over his career, including this season. Brown started the season very well, but then had some down periods, and he’s clearly a player the Huskies need production from. There didn’t appears to be a confidence issue when he made the play of the game, a driving dunk in the face of Will Sheridan with over five minutes left.
“The one who doesn’t believe in Denham the most tends to be Denham,” Calhoun said.
While Brown has been up and down with his confidence, Anderson had a serious injury last year just as he was starting to come along. A skin abscess in his left was serious enough to become life-threatening, but he was able to return for the NCAA Tournament. Armstrong has quietly blended in his entire career, not garnering the attention as his teammates but playing at a high level. Now Armstrong is emerging as a star, while Anderson is shooting the ball much like he did when they won the national championship in 2004. Brown’s game on Saturday may be evidence that he’s ready to step up his game.
In all, the Huskies played like a national championship contender. They shot 54.5 percent from the field and shut down the Wildcats’ powerful guards, as Randy Foye, Allan Ray, Mike Nardi and Kyle Lowry shot a combined 20-61 from the field. And they won with their seniors leading the way, on a team whose top individual talents are, for the most part, underclassmen.
“I just thought that they were on top of every aspect of their game,” Villanova head coach Jay Wright said of the Huskies.
One thing that didn’t involve opposites was the level the two teams are at, as both are clearly elite teams. While the Huskies looked like national title contenders, the Wildcats showed some of why they’re as good as they are. Until Ray’s fourth foul, they were right there for most of the game and led on a few occasions. They impressed a number of observers with their scrappy play, and given all that this team has been through, one can’t help but be impressed with their character.
“We will learn from this,” Wright said. “This is what you’ve got to do to be good – you have to beat the best team in their house, and we weren’t able to do that today. We’ll learn, and we’ll get better from this.”
At this point, there’s no reason to think they won’t.
