FINAL SCORE: UM: 63 UCONN: 76
More post-game coverage to come. Stay tuned.
1:01/2nd Half: UM: 63 UCONN: 74
Canes waste too much time in fouling, but the Huskies hit both free throws anyways. Tough ending for the Canes in a game that was just out of reach for most of the way. Less than a minute left here.
1:32/2nd Half: UM: 63 UCONN: 72
Very well may be the end for the Canes here. Huskies hit both free throws and up their lead to 9 with a minute and a half to go.
2:01/2nd Half: UM: 63 UCONN: 70
Huge defensive stand for the Canes, offensive foul on Connecticut, Miami ball with less than two to play. Walker fouls McClinton needlessly, but Jack misses a huge free throw to give the Huskies the ball.
2:44/2nd Half: UM: 63 UCONN: 70
I have no idea how McClinton just lofted that ball over Thabeet's head on a lay-up runner, but he did, and it hit off the glass and through. Time-out now - Jack's 5-7 from three ball range and has a game high 27 points.
2:50/2nd Half: UM: 61 UCONN: 70
Miami really could have used a three-pointer that Dews missed on their last possession. Austrie hits one of two from the free throw line on a shooting foul.
3:49/2nd Half: UM: 61 UCONN: 69
Wow, another strong defensive stand for the Canes that ends up in a shotclock violation for the Huskies. Hurricane ball after the media timeout.
4:24/2nd Half: UM: 61 UCONN: 69
Miami's doing a nice job here, but is also getting lucky, because Thabeet continues to dominate inside. James Dews knifes through the defense on a fast break and converts his own easy lay-up to cut the lead to eight, the smallest this lead has been in awhile.
5:45/2nd Half: UM: 59 UCONN: 69
UConn turns the ball over on a shot clock violation for the first time all game. McClinton hits a huge three on the ensuing possession. Incredible arc on that shot for Jack.
5:55/2nd Half: UM: 56 UCONN:69
Canes needs points in a hurry. Cyrus rims out a three point attempt, but Collins follows a Jack missed lay-up with a tip-in. Jack's got 22 and Collins has 14 and 14.
7:16/2nd Half: UM: 54 UCONN: 69
This really is the Hasheem Thabeet show. He adds another lay-up to up his own total to 19, and follows up his bucket with a block on an attempted Dwayne Collins dunk. I have lost complete track of his block totals, this is getting out of control. Jack luckily is in the right place at the right time, and grabs the ball off the block to hit an open two. Frank Haith calls a much needed time-out to make sure this one doesn't get out of hand.
8:37/2nd Half: UM: 52 UCONN: 65
The Canes are on the verge of shooting themselves in the foot with missed free throws, shooting 8-13 from the line thus far. Lance Hurdle, usually very reliable, clunks one off the iron but hits his second.
8:44/2nd Half: UM: 51 UCONN: 64
Wow, tough non-call on Thabeet there for an over-the-back on Collins. The Canes can't finish in the paint, and it leads to another foul on the rebound and another trip to the line for the Huskies.
9:39/2nd Half: UM: 51 UCONN: 64
Two bad defensive possession by the Canes. A missed lay-up ends up in another Thabeet offensive rebound and converted and-one. He does the same thing on the very next possession (converted and-one), sandwiched around a Dwayne Collins dunk.
11:53/2nd Half: UM: 47 UCONN: 58
Even though the Huskies are doing too good a job controlling the boards on both sides of the ball, the Canes continue to look to Dwayne in the post. He hit his last two free throws, and adds a bucket after the media timeout.
12:15/2nd Half: UM: 45 UCONN: 56
On cue, Asbury hits a three to cut into the lead, but UConn dominates the paint for another two shots at the free throw line. Collins hits both free throws on a foul call, Dews hits a floater, and the Canes cut the lead to 11.
14:28/2nd Half: UM: 38 UCONN: 50
Questionable take by Jimmy that ends up in the ball bouncing off his leg and out of bounds. The Canes are going to have to start shooting if they hope to stand any chance in this game.
15:07/2nd Half: UM: 38 UCONN: 50
Other than another three-pointer for McClinton, the Canes have not looked good so far in the second half. Thabeet continues to control the paint with his and easy lay-ins, and Connecticut is doing a good job on the defensive side of the ball as well - the Hurricanes have had at least three shots blocked in the first five minutes. Media timeout after an uptempo first few minutes to the half.
17:10/2nd Half: UM: 35 UCONN: 42
Dwayne just can't put enough oomph behind the ball to get it over Thabeet and into the basket at the same time in his latest sequence in the paint. Adrian Thomas misses a wide open three pointer for the Canes on a turnover by Connecticut.
18:09/2nd Half: UM: 35 UCONN: 42
Huskies continue to look to Thabeet inside. He has a huge offensive rebound and draws another foul on the Canes in the paint.
19:16/2nd Half: UM: 33 UCONN: 42
Cyrus follows up two close rim-outs by Collins with a lay-up of his own, and Thabeet hits a free-throw on an and one to increase the lead to 9.
Halftime Score/Thoughts: UM: 31 UCONN: 39
The Huskies score four more points, and Julian Gamble misses the front end of a one and one but the rebound goes to the Canes on a jump-ball possession arrow. DeQuan Jones misses a desperation three with a second left in the half, and the Canes are down eight at half. Incredible job in the last five-plus minutes by Miami.
Whoof. The frenetic first half has come to a close, and it couldnt have ended on a much better note for the Canes - using a 17-2 run to cut what was once a 19-point lead (33-14) for the Huskies to only eight at half. The Canes were missing wide open looks early on, which could be attributed to jitters - I suppose that's to be expected when you're going up against the #2-ranked team in the country.
As McClinton settled in, however, so too did the Canes. Jack hit a bunch of three pointers after his first two misses and finished the half with 14 points. Dwayne missed a few free throws, but scored six points in the first half against a much bigger and much more intimidating Hasheem Thabeet.
DeQuan Jones is another bright spot for the Canes - his slashing abilities clearly add a dimension to this offense that was lacking last season.
Thabeet is actually a Tanzanian Devil right now - # 666. That number stands for the six points, six rebounds and roughly six blocks that the junior has in only 20 minutes so far. He'll likely be one of the best pure centers the Canes face all year, and the team's inexperience facing monsters in the middle showed early on.
A.J. Price is the leading scorer for the Huskies at the half with 8, and Kemba Walker added 7 of his own (including a three pointer). Adrien, Dyson and the aforementioned Thabeet all had six of their own for Connecticut.
The Canes are going to have to play more like the latter half of the first frame than the former if they have any hopes of taming the Huskies. Connecticut's inside game is too overwhelming to look to the post as the first option on offense for Miami, and with Thabeet (1 foul) and Adrien (0 fouls) likely to play the majority of the minutes here in the second period, the Canes shooters (other than Jack) are going to have to shoot better. Dews has zero points, Hurdle has zero, and Asbury has only two.
Here comes the second half tip! Stay tuned for more updates.
1:16/1st Half: UM: 31 UCONN: 35
Wow. What a turn of events for the Canes. McClinton hits a jump-back three-pointer to cut the lead to four, 17-2 run for Miami. The tide is turning. McClinton lets out an emphatic roar after the bucket.
1:44/1st Half: UM: 28 UCONN: 35
Incredible no-look pass from Collins to a slashing DeQuan who slams it down for another two points. Good game so far from the freshman. Cyrus gets an offensive foul call on a moving screen and is taken out of the game.
2:33/1st Half: UM: 26 UCONN: 35
A.J. Price misses both free throws and Dwayne rips the board away from a Conn forward to keep the lead at nine after a Dwayne 1-2 performance from the line on the possession before.
2:59/1st Half: UM: 25 UCONN: 35
Offensive foul call on the Canes but a Brian Asbury jump shot counts to make it eight. McClinton hit another big three before that, and Austrie hits both free throws on the Asbury foul to keep the lead at ten.
3:49/1st Half: UM: 20 UCONN: 33
UConn guard steps out of bounds on a drive to the basket, and the Canes have now stopped the Huskies for three defensive possessions in a row. Hopefully the Canes can keep the momentum going here. On a side note, just to re-iterate, it is simply scary how big Thabeet looks when back down the Canes biggest guys, including Cyrus and Dwayne. Media timeout on the floor.
4:09/1st Half: UM: 20 UCONN: 33
Offense looking a little lost after another defensive stand, but luckily McClinton gets a good foul call on a drive to the basket and hits both free throws to cut the lead to 13.
4:51/1st Half: UM: 18 UCONN: 33
Offensive foul on McClinton trying to create separation off a screen. Let's see if the Canes can get another stop here on back to back defensive possessions.
5:34/1st Half: UM: 18 UCONN: 33
Wow, Jimmy Graham monster swat on Kemba Walker.
6:10/1st Half: UM: 18 UCONN: 33
Just when it looked like the Canes were getting something going, Kemba Walker and A.J. Pryce hit back-to-back threes to temper the storm. Jack McClinton adds a three-pointer and strong lay-up of his own to bring the Canes back to within 15.
7:56/1st Half: UM: 13 UCONN: 27
Huskies hit a three pointer, but the Canes finally get a foul call on the Tanzanian monster down low. Dwayne Collins at the free throw line when the media timeout finishes.
8:04/1st Half: UM: 13 UCONN: 24
When Lance Hurdle misses a free throw, you know it might not be your night. The Canes are getting walloped on both ends here. Here's something: DeQuan nets a beautiful looking reverse lay-up and McClinton adds a wide-open three pointer off a fast break to cut the lead to 11.
10:24/1st Half: UM: 7 UCONN: 24
Wow. Thabeet just blocked a DeQuan Jones dunk. This is getting ugly, as Rios turns the ball over and it leads to another easy lay-up for the Huskies. Much needed timeout called by Coach Haith.
11:25/1st Half: UM: 7 UCONN: 22
Another foul call against the Canes, a questionable one against Jimmy Graham. DeQuan Jones in the game now as Thabeet swats another Asbury attempt
.
12:00/1st Half: UM: 7 UCONN: 20
After a good defensive series by the Canes (which still resulted in a Jeff Adrien lay-up), Asbury misses an open three. Nothing is falling for the Canes right now. When I say nothing, I mean nothing. They're down 13 early and need to get something going on offense. Approaching six straight minutes here with zero points for the Canes.
13:33/1st Half: UM: 7 UCONN: 18
This is turning into the Hasheem Thabeet show. Three blocks already (two Asbury lay-ups, one from Hurdle) and now the junior draws a foul of his own (but misses both free throws).
15:13/1st Half: UM: 7 UCONN: 16
Thabeet swats the nonsense out of Asbury's lay-up, and Dyson adds two free throws .
15:45/1st Half: UM: 7 UCONN: 14
Canes do not look good defensively thus far. They're getting beat off the dribble, leading to some easy, easy lay-ups for UConn. Jack missed two three-point looks (one wide open) and Dews missed another one in the clear as well. Canes are going to need to adjust defensively if they want to neutralize this Husky team.
18:00/1st Half: UM: 7 UCONN: 8
Cyrus hits a big three to counter another bucket by Thabeet. Huskies are looking to him early here, but the Canes are looking for Collins just the same.
19:10/1st Half: UM: 2 UCONN: 2
Huskies go to Thabeet early for a lay-up on Collins. Wow he's really really big. Collins goes right back with a layup of his own.
6:10 PM: Looks like it'll be Rios/McClinton/Dews/Collins/Cyrus starting for the Canes, and Pryce/Austrie/Dyson/Adrien/Thabeet for Connecticut.
6:06 PM - Gym looks a heck of a lot more full than it did for the Canes' first-round game against Southern Miss. Tip-off momentarily.
6:00 PM - Wow. Crisis averted. Canes are on television here (thank god), let's see if the Rathskeller stays open for the entirety of the game. I'm hoping it will. In other good news, expect an interview with Canes commit Garrius Adams soon, as well as a write-up on Florida point guard and #1-ranked junior Brandon Knight and his season opener for Pine Crest.
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