Five stats that stood out in UConn’s OT loss to Creighton
A look at some of the key numbers from UConn’s heartbreaking, 76-74 loss in overtime to Creighton on Sunday in the Huskies’ first Big East game since 2013:
40
James Bouknight’s point total, surpassing his previous career-high by 16. It was UConn’s first 40-point game since Amida Brimah dunked 40 on Coppin State on Dec. 14, 2014, and the program’s first in Big East action since Donyell Marshall dropped 42 on St. John’s in 1994 — twice! It’s also the second-highest scoring effort in a player’s Big East debut, surpassed only by 41 scored byMarquette’s Steve Nowak on Jan. 3, 2006 — against, ironically, UConn.
More importantly, it was the first time Bouknight truly put together a 40minute (actually 45-minute) game.
“It was a big step for his confidence,” said Dan Hurley, “a big step in giving you a full game — attacking, effort. There were some times where he settled, but he needs to shoot.”
23.2
Bouknight’s net points, an analytic obtained from subtracting points allowed from points produced. Bouknight produced 40.6 points and allowed 17.4 on Sunday for a net total of 23.2. To put that in perspective, only two other players produced positive net point totals on Sunday — Adama Sanogo (1.6) and Isaiah Whaley (1.5). Christian Bishop had the best score for Creighton with 7.2.
UConn shot 7-for-30 from 3-point land on Sunday. Bouknight was 5-for-12, meaning the rest of his teammates combined to shoot 2-for-18 — 11 percent. Not good.
54 %
Bouknight scored 40 of the Huskies’ 74 points — or 54 percent. He made 13 field goals; none of his teammates made more than three.
What does all this mean? UConn needs a secondary scorer, a wing man to complement Bouknight’s talents. It’s been a concern since before the season started, though Bouknight hasn’t been worried.
“I don’t think it’s just gonna be like a 1-2 punch,” he said back in October. “I think this year, it’s gonna be a team thing. We have so much talent on this team, everyone’s fighting for a spot. Any given night, a different player can go off.”
True, it could be a sort of wing-man-by-committee for the Huskies, but that certainly wasn’t the case on Sunday. Best bet for now could be R.J. Cole, who shot 2-for-13 from the floor on Sunday.
“Right now, I think he’s our best chance at a secondary scorer,” said Hurley, “somebody that’s potentially a guy that can get us 13, 14 (points) a game to suppport James on the perimeter.”
Tyrese Martin, who averaged 12.8 points per game last season at Rhode Island, and Isaiah Whaley, who battled foul trouble on Sunday, are other possibilities. And, of course, there’s Akok Akok, who may not be ready to play for another several weeks and may not be the same player he was last season before suffering a seasonending Achilles tear.
4-for-14, 1-for-8
It was a rough day for Cole, who also missed two free throws with 11 seconds left in regulation that would have all but sealed a UConn victory. But as much as Cole struggled offensively, he hawked and harried Creighton star Marcus Zegarowski to 1-for-8 shooting from 3-point land and 4-for-14 shooting overall. And that’s a truly positive sign, since Cole wasn’t really known for his on-the-ball defensive prowess in his two seasons at Howard.