UConn wins ugly
Cole’s 25 points help avoid embarrassing loss to UMES
HARTFORD — No matter how much of a post-Bahamas letdown you might have envisioned UConn could have on Tuesday night, it would have been hard to predict the following:
⏩ The Huskies being outrebounded by Maryland-Eastern Shore, a team that didn’t start a player taller than 6-foot-5 or play anyone taller than 6-7, in the first half.
⏩ Isaiah Whaley and Adama Sanogo grabbing nary a rebound over those first 20 minutes.
⏩ UConn being “out-blocked,” 2-1, in the opening half.
⏩ The Huskies missing 10 of their first 11 shots from the floor — and all four of their foul shots — over the first five minutes of the latter half and allowing UMES, rated 351st out of 358 teams in KenPom, to get within a point.
⏩ The Huskies unable to put the Hawks away, holding onto a mere four-point lead inside the final 31⁄2 minutes before finally pulling away with six straight free throws down the stretch.
But all of the above unfolded at the XL Center in an eventual 72-63 UConn victory. R.J. Cole scored 25 points and Tyler Polley added 14 as the 17th-ranked Huskies avoided a major embarrassment and improved to 7-1 overall.
Jalen Gaffney doled out five assists to go with six points, but otherwise, the Huskies hardly had many heroes in this one.
UMES fell to 2-5.
Polley’s 3-pointer with 3.8 seconds left gave UConn a 39-31 lead at the break. The Hawks outrebounded UConn 14-11 over the first 20 minutes, and even out-blocked the Huskies, 2-1.
Cole led UConn at halftime with 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting. Polley followed with eight and Jalen Gaffney had six — each swishing both of their respective 3-point attempts. The Huskies shot 55-percent from the floor and made 5 of 7 3-pointers, but allowed UMES to shoot
50-percent overall (43-percent from 3).
RIM RATTLINGS
⏩ Tyrese Martin, who initially hurt his left wrist in Wednesday’s double-overtime win over Auburn in the Battle 4 Atlantis, did not play on Tuesday. Martin watched the game from the bench, sporting a cast on his wrist.
⏩ Sanogo left the game with what appeared to be a leg injury late in the second half and didn’t return to the game, though did return to the Huskies’ bench in the final minutes.
⏩ With Martin out, freshman Jordan Hawkins made his first career start. The 6-5 guard picked up two fouls and missed both of his shots in the opening half. Polley started the second half instead of Hawkins, though the frosh had a key tip-in midway through the second half, followed shortly by a 3pointer to give UConn a nine-point lead at the time.
⏩ As usual, Bristol Central 7-footer Donovan Clingan, a UConn signee, sat behind the Huskies’ bench.
⏩ It was the inaugural Pride Night at XL Center. The national anthem was performed by the Hartford Gay Men’s Chorus.