Huskies fall to Wildcats in Big East semifinals

After a wild chase, UConn’s Tyrese Martin ended up with a loose ball and went in for what seemed like an easy dunk only to be blocked by Villanova’s Brandon Slater with 4:29 left in the game.

The play summed things up in this Big East Tournament semifinal. The Wildcats were just a little cooler, calmer, and more experienced in the moments that mattered.

The UConn men’s basketball team lost a tough one, 63-60, to Villanova on Friday at Madison Square Garden.

The Huskies had a last gasp. After collecting the rebound off Collin Gillespie’s missed second free throw, Martin had the chance to tie the game but didn’t get a half court shot off in time.

With 3 seconds left, Tyler Polley fouled Gillespie who made the first free throw in the one-andone opportunity but missed the second.

Before that, the Wildcats’ Caleb Daniels missed the 3, but his teammate Jermaine Samuels secured the offensive rebound with 26 seconds left and was fouled by UConn’s R.J. Cole. Adama Sanogo fouled Samuels with 15 seconds left and he converted the one and one to put the Wildcats up 62-57. On the next possession, UConn’s Andre Jackson hit a 3 with 8.6 seconds left to make it a 62-60.

Martin had a team-high 19 points for UConn.

UConn head coach Dan Hurley felt good about the game despite the loss.

“When you hold Gillespie to

only five shot attempts and (Justin) Moore to six points on 3-for-9 shooting and Daniels 2-for-10, so 5, 6 and 6, he said. “I would probably say, how many did we win by? The plan was to make their others beat us. Guys that for the season or throughout their career have shot in the higher 20s or low 30s for 3, stepped up tonight.”

VILLANOVA 6 3 , UCONN 6 0

TOTALS

FRANK FRANKLIN II/AP Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley, left, talks to his players during the second half against Villanova in the semifinal round of the Big East conference tournament on Friday in New York.