Win or Go Home, Huskies Take Down USF, Advance to AAC Quarters
Photo credit: Ian Bethune – SOX & DAWGS
Tonight marked a return to postseason play for the reigning National Champions in the 1st round of the AAC Tournament at the XL Center and it started just as last years tournament appearance ended, with solid defense. UConn held USF scoreless over the first 6:20 en route to a 69-43 victory. The win sets up a match-up with former Big East rival Cincinnati, tomorrow night.
The story of the night was balance offensively, something that has been lacking all season minus the win over SMU here in Hartford. Daniel Hamilton scored 20 points, Rodney Purvis had 13 and Ryan Boatright added 12 for the Huskies, who led 29-14 at the half.
The trio combined to hit 10-16 from behind the arc, including 7-of-9 between Hamilton and Purvis, who provided the help Boat has been asking for all year.
“They answered everything they were asked to do,” Boatright said after the win. “They stepped up, played with confidence and took care of the basketball. They played both ends of the floor and they just did a great job tonight.”
The quick start was something the Huskies staff has been looking for throughout the entire year and it led to the largest margin of victory (26), since the 81-48 win over CCSU in December.
“I thought our guys came out with intensity, we stayed connected, played hard on the defensive end and we wanted to establish that in the first five minutes and I thought they did a great job,” head coach Kevin Ollie said after the game. “We just need to continue that now. It’s a short turnaround and we know that, it’s tournament play. We’re going to get ready for Cincinnati and everybody knows when we play them, it’s a dogfight. We need to come out and play hard.”
In what was a sparse crowd tonight in the opening round, Boatright expects a larger Husky presence tomorrow, against one of the tougher opponents UConn has faced in recent memory.
“Definitely, it’s 9 o’clock, primetime, big game,” he said. “They’re going to come out to support, they’ve been doing it all year.”
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