The Run Is Over, Huskies Fall in The American Championship, Head to NIT
The story book ending that UConn was hoping for never came to fruition as the Huskies fell to SMU 62-54 in The American Championship this afternoon at the XL Center in Hartford, their first defeat in the last ten postseason games. The Huskies fell behind by seventeen in the second half and could not get closer than five in the final minutes.
Rodney Purvis picked up the offensive slack for senior Ryan Boatright, who twice went to the floor in pain, including what looked like a shoulder injury in the second half. Purvis scored a career high 29-points, but it wasn’t enough.
“I thought our guys fought again,” head coach Kevin Ollie said after the loss. “We just can’t get down by that much to a team like this. We tried to come back at the end, but you have to play perfect basketball. But I’m really proud of my guys. Nobody thought we would be in this championship game and for us to get here is a great accomplishment for them.”
Boatright had his worst shooting performance in a UConn uniform, just 1-for-12, finishing with just 7-points, a rebound and an assist.
“I’m just disappointed in my play,” he said at the podium after the game. “I missed a lot of shots that should be easy knockdown shots for me. I just didn’t show up and be the player that I know I can. I can be better than that.”
Despite his lack of production tonight, the Huskies would not have been here, without him.
“We wouldn’t be in this situation if it wan’t for his stellar play down the stretch and throughout the whole season,” Ollie said. “He’s kept these guys together not just on points, rebounds or assists, he pretty much led us in a lot of categories. The heart and leadership he showed through the ups and downs was something special. You know, we are not going to say our goodbyes to him yet because we still have a postseason left, but I’m going to miss him.”
Purvis had nineteen second half points, including a number of attacks to the rim, something that was lacking all season long. He tried to put the team on his back, but it just wasn’t enough.
“We’re just going to work hard this summer,” an emotional Purvis said in the locker room. “Guys that are coming back, hopefully this hurts us and lights a fire under them, including me, so we never have to have this feeling again.”
Before the offseason, however, the Huskies will take on Arizona State in the first round of the NIT at Gampel Pavilion, Wednesday at 7PM.
“Even though it’s not where we want to be, it’s still another day to play basketball,’ Purvis said. “God gave us this game, we just need to cherish it and make the best of it. As long as we are suiting up with a UConn jersey, we are going to try to win that game.”
Boatright talked about why they were in the position they were in, with the ultimatum of win or go to the NIT.
“We lost a lot of games that we shouldn’t have lost,” he said. “We didn’t beat any of the top 25 teams when we had a chance to play them. It’s a learning process, this team is totally different than the what we had a few weeks ago. Daniel, Rodney and everybody else stepped up and played a great game. UConn is in good hands with this team.”
Even though he struggled tonight, Boat has proven himself as a top player of this game. He’ll take the memories and experiences here and bring them with him, wherever he goes.
“I’ve always fought my way through everything, nothing has ever been given to me,” he said. “My entire life, everything that I have, everything that I want, I work hard for and I take it. Me going through everything I’ve gone through these past few years, seals the deal that I can make it anywhere I go.”
He also had an early message to his current teammates for when he does depart, in a matter of months.
“Always play for the university, play for the name that is on the front of the jersey and not the one on the back,” Boatright said inside the locker room. “Leave it all on the floor every chance you get. As you see, four years go by extremely fast. As long as you work extremely hard, have the right mindset and work within the team concept, anything is possible.”
“I think these guys that we have here in this locker room, as long as they work extremely hard, continue to get better and keep believing in each other, they will be in this situation again,” he continued. “I think it will be different, they’ll be on the winning side of things.”
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