The Connecticut Huskies (20–7, 8–7) rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to take the lead only to watch Marquette (17–11, 8–7) come back to force overtime and eventually pull out a 74–67 win in Hartford Thursday night.
The teams now move into a tie for 10th place in the loaded Big East standings with both projected to make the field as the basketball-savvy Big East will try to send an unprecedented 11 teams to the NCAA tourney.
Huskies head coach Jim Calhoun missed the game due to a death in the family, leaving assistant coach George Blaney in charge just days after the NCAA announced the program would be placed on probation for three years.
With all those distractions it would seem understandable that the team would come out flat, but instead the Huskies hit five of their first nine shots and led 11–3 by the first TV timeout.
Unlike their sanctions though, their lead would be short lived.
Marquette took advantage of a suddenly cold shooting UConn team (just 5–23 shooting the rest of the half) to go on a 31–12 run over the last 16 minutes of the first half, giving them a 34–23 lead at the half.
After just six first half points, UConn leading scorer Kemba Walker started off the second half with a 3-pointer to cut the lead back to single digits.
Minutes later another 3-pointer by the ultra-quick Walker, while he was fouled, resulted in a 4-point play and all of a sudden the Marquette lead was cut to 36–34 with just over 16 minutes remaining.
After a dunk by Huskies’ center Alex Oriakhi with just under 14 minutes to play, the score was tied as Marquette was in the middle of a 2-for-19 shooting start to begin the second half. Minutes later, after a tip-in and then a layin by UConn freshman forward Jeremy Lamb, the Huskies extended the lead to 49–41.
Just like the first half though, though, Marquette would come back. A 14–4 run capped by second-leading scorer Jimmy Butler’s driving layin, tied the game up at 53–53. The game would remain close to the last seconds of regulation.
Marquette, down 59–57 with seconds remaining, elected not to foul and was able to get a steal resulting in a game-tying layup by leading scorer Darius Johnson-Odom with just five seconds left. To that point, Johnson-Odom had just six points, but the last-second shot seemed to wake him up for the overtime session that followed as he poured in nine points in the five minute span, never allowing UConn the lead.
“It worked out for us,” said Marquette head coach Buzz Williams of the decision to not foul at the end of regulation.
Connecticut was led by star guard Kemba Walker’s 27 points. The Huskies will play at Cincinnati (22–6, 9–6) this Sunday, while Marquette hosts Providence (14–14, 3–12).
The teams now move into a tie for 10th place in the loaded Big East standings with both projected to make the field as the basketball-savvy Big East will try to send an unprecedented 11 teams to the NCAA tourney.
Huskies head coach Jim Calhoun missed the game due to a death in the family, leaving assistant coach George Blaney in charge just days after the NCAA announced the program would be placed on probation for three years.
With all those distractions it would seem understandable that the team would come out flat, but instead the Huskies hit five of their first nine shots and led 11–3 by the first TV timeout.
Unlike their sanctions though, their lead would be short lived.
Marquette took advantage of a suddenly cold shooting UConn team (just 5–23 shooting the rest of the half) to go on a 31–12 run over the last 16 minutes of the first half, giving them a 34–23 lead at the half.
After just six first half points, UConn leading scorer Kemba Walker started off the second half with a 3-pointer to cut the lead back to single digits.
Minutes later another 3-pointer by the ultra-quick Walker, while he was fouled, resulted in a 4-point play and all of a sudden the Marquette lead was cut to 36–34 with just over 16 minutes remaining.
After a dunk by Huskies’ center Alex Oriakhi with just under 14 minutes to play, the score was tied as Marquette was in the middle of a 2-for-19 shooting start to begin the second half. Minutes later, after a tip-in and then a layin by UConn freshman forward Jeremy Lamb, the Huskies extended the lead to 49–41.
Just like the first half though, though, Marquette would come back. A 14–4 run capped by second-leading scorer Jimmy Butler’s driving layin, tied the game up at 53–53. The game would remain close to the last seconds of regulation.
Marquette, down 59–57 with seconds remaining, elected not to foul and was able to get a steal resulting in a game-tying layup by leading scorer Darius Johnson-Odom with just five seconds left. To that point, Johnson-Odom had just six points, but the last-second shot seemed to wake him up for the overtime session that followed as he poured in nine points in the five minute span, never allowing UConn the lead.
“It worked out for us,” said Marquette head coach Buzz Williams of the decision to not foul at the end of regulation.
Connecticut was led by star guard Kemba Walker’s 27 points. The Huskies will play at Cincinnati (22–6, 9–6) this Sunday, while Marquette hosts Providence (14–14, 3–12).
