HARTFORD – UConn won a national championship in 2014.
How did the year end?
In a New Year’s Eve matinee at the XL Center, the Huskies couldn’t shoot straight, lost leader Ryan Boatright to injury for the final 19 minutes,and then lost their American Athletic Conference opener 57-53 to Temple when freshman Daniel Hamilton missed three free throw with 2.8 seconds left in overtime. Hamilton was fouled by Quentin Decosey on 3-point attempt and Temple leading 55-53. Hamilton (10 points) missed two attempts and then was called for a violation when his third attempt didn’t hit the rim as he tried to miss.
With the game already in the rear view mirror for UConn, the biggest question has to be Boatright’s status. One of the most durable players in program history, Boatright limped off the court with 19:36 left in the second half. UConn officials said the injury was a “deep left thigh bruise.” Boatright was treated with ice in the locker room but when he returned to the bench during the under-8 minute TV timeout, he was wearing a sweatshirt and could only offer advice to the group of teammates heading back on the floor and struggling with their offense.
UConn shot 38.6 from the field, 11.1 from 3-point range and 42.1 (8 of 19) percent from the foul line.
Trailing 25-21 at the half, the Huskies did rally to lead 29-27 with Boatright in the locker room. Temple, led by Jesse Morgan’s 17 points, seemed to have an answer for everything. When Amida Brimah (12 points) dunked and was fouled for a three-point play, UConn cut Temple’s lead to 47-45. The Owls gave the ball back to UConn on an offensive foul, but Morgan came away with a steal and was fouled driving to the basket. He made one free throw, but UConn again couldn’t score. Temple broke out on a runaway and Morgan, the UMass transfer hit a 3 to put Temple ahead 51-45 with 1:50 left.
But the Huskies didn’t quit. A basket by Terrence Samuel was followed by two free throws by Daniel Hamilton. And Temple’s 90-second meltdown was complete when Daniel Dingle missed an open 3 and the rebound got knocked out for a breakaway dunk by UConn’s Rodney Purvis with 12.4 seconds left. Temple couldn’t score and the game went to overtime.
Temple shot 26.7 percent (8-for-30) from the floor in the first half but still managed a 25-21 halftime lead over the Huskies, who were just slightly better at 38.5 percent (10-for-26). Despite scoring 16 points in the paint, UConn missed a bunch of layups and had no second-chance points. The Huskies were also tagged for seven turnovers – and just three assists.
That’s the definition of bad offense. And it seemed contagious in the first half.
The Owls, who destroyed Kansas on Dec. 22 with perimeter play, started off cold but finished the first half 4 of 12 from 3-point range. UConn went scoreless from beyond the arc, missing three times. Each team was whistled for only seven fouls but the game had the feel of an old-time Big East rock fight – except for the fact that the old Big East still scored despite an emphasis on defense.
UConn plays at Florida Saturday in a Final Four re-match from Arlington in April.
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