THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
DURHAM, N.C. -- J.J. Redick now stands alone among Duke's all-time greatest scorers.
The senior sharpshooter scored 30 points to set the program's career scoring mark and help the second-ranked Blue Devils beat Miami 92-71 on Sunday, a win that could vault them back to the No. 1 ranking.
Redick finished 10-for-15 from the field and hit six 3-pointers for the Blue Devils (25-1, 13-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), passing assistant coach Johnny Dawkins by one point on the all-time list with 2,557 points. That also moved Redick into second place in the ACC career lists, 30 points behind Wake Forest's Dickie Hemric.
Redick was honored at midcourt after the game, receiving a game ball from Dawkins, athletics director Joe Alleva and university president Richard Brodhead.
Guillermo Diaz scored 23 points to lead Miami (14-12, 6-7), which has lost four straight conference games after a surprising start in the league.
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No. 18 Kansas tops Baylor to claim 10th in a row
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- Kansas coach Bill Self said he saw it coming.
Freshman Julian Wright scored 20 points and the Jayhawks (No. 18 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) beat Baylor 76-61 Tuesday night for their 10th straight victory.
Wright finished 10-for-11 from the field and Kansas got 32 points in the paint against the outmanned Bears, but looked lethargic throughout. Coming right after a big win over archrival Missouri and right before a trip to No. 7 Texas that'll probably decide the Big 12 crown, the Jayhawks never were able to generate much enthusiasm from themselves or their normally raucous crowd.
"We didn't play with any energy all night long," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "This is the worst outing that we've had from an energy standpoint in quite some time. But I expected it. It was a sandwich game and we really didn't get after them like we could have."
Wright, a 6-foot-8 swingman often overlooked among a talented freshman class that also includes Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush, hit his usual variety of inside and outside shots and also had five rebounds.
"I was just trying to run the floor," he said. "Mario gave me a few good feeds early."
The Bears (2-11), not allowed to play a non-conference schedule because of NCAA sanctions, avoided a rout by making nine of 14 3-pointers in the second half.
"We did a good job well from 3s," Baylor guard Aaron Bruce said. "They did a good job of blocking us out and forcing us into plays we didn't want to make."
The Jayhawks (20-6, 11-2 Big 12) took a half-game lead in the league race ahead of No. 7 Texas, which plays at Kansas State on Wednesday night. The Longhorns host the Jayhawks on Saturday.
Baylor coach Scott Drew, whose team has already lost to Texas twice, likes the Jayhawks' chances.
"They have the talent and the athletic ability and the depth," Drew said. "They are right there."
Kansas guard Jeff Hawkins was suspended for the game following his citation on Sunday morning for leaving the scene of a minor traffic accident at a fast food restaurant. Self said he would probably play against Texas.
"It's not a big deal," he said. "It's about being responsible. You have a situation and then you don't handle it the way you should handle it. The incident is not a big deal but you can't not accept responsibility when it occurs."
Baylor has lost 22 straight games against ranked opponents, and 30 of its last 33 away from home. But the Bears shot 40 percent against a Kansas team that came in leading the nation with a 36.1-percent field-goal defense.
"At least this game, we were in it," Drew said. "They had the cushion in the second half, but it wasn't a 30-point game. I was pleased with how we competed for 40 minutes."
After hitting their first three shots, the Bears missed 14 of 16 and Kansas went on a 10-0 run. Rush made a 3-pointer from the right wing to give the Jayhawks a 31-13 lead.
But then Tommy Swanson hit a 3 for Baylor with 7:05 left in the half and the Bears went on a 10-0 run. Kansas led 33-25 at halftime.
Freshman Curtis Jerrells scored 17 points for Baylor. Bruce and Swanson each had 13.
The Jayhawks shot 52 percent. Rush and Darnell Jackson scored 11 points apiece and C.J. Giles had 10.
Freshman Julian Wright scored 20 points and the Jayhawks (No. 18 ESPN/USA Today, No. 16 AP) beat Baylor 76-61 Tuesday night for their 10th straight victory.
Wright finished 10-for-11 from the field and Kansas got 32 points in the paint against the outmanned Bears, but looked lethargic throughout. Coming right after a big win over archrival Missouri and right before a trip to No. 7 Texas that'll probably decide the Big 12 crown, the Jayhawks never were able to generate much enthusiasm from themselves or their normally raucous crowd.
"We didn't play with any energy all night long," Kansas coach Bill Self said. "This is the worst outing that we've had from an energy standpoint in quite some time. But I expected it. It was a sandwich game and we really didn't get after them like we could have."
Wright, a 6-foot-8 swingman often overlooked among a talented freshman class that also includes Mario Chalmers and Brandon Rush, hit his usual variety of inside and outside shots and also had five rebounds.
"I was just trying to run the floor," he said. "Mario gave me a few good feeds early."
The Bears (2-11), not allowed to play a non-conference schedule because of NCAA sanctions, avoided a rout by making nine of 14 3-pointers in the second half.
"We did a good job well from 3s," Baylor guard Aaron Bruce said. "They did a good job of blocking us out and forcing us into plays we didn't want to make."
The Jayhawks (20-6, 11-2 Big 12) took a half-game lead in the league race ahead of No. 7 Texas, which plays at Kansas State on Wednesday night. The Longhorns host the Jayhawks on Saturday.
Baylor coach Scott Drew, whose team has already lost to Texas twice, likes the Jayhawks' chances.
"They have the talent and the athletic ability and the depth," Drew said. "They are right there."
Kansas guard Jeff Hawkins was suspended for the game following his citation on Sunday morning for leaving the scene of a minor traffic accident at a fast food restaurant. Self said he would probably play against Texas.
"It's not a big deal," he said. "It's about being responsible. You have a situation and then you don't handle it the way you should handle it. The incident is not a big deal but you can't not accept responsibility when it occurs."
Baylor has lost 22 straight games against ranked opponents, and 30 of its last 33 away from home. But the Bears shot 40 percent against a Kansas team that came in leading the nation with a 36.1-percent field-goal defense.
"At least this game, we were in it," Drew said. "They had the cushion in the second half, but it wasn't a 30-point game. I was pleased with how we competed for 40 minutes."
After hitting their first three shots, the Bears missed 14 of 16 and Kansas went on a 10-0 run. Rush made a 3-pointer from the right wing to give the Jayhawks a 31-13 lead.
But then Tommy Swanson hit a 3 for Baylor with 7:05 left in the half and the Bears went on a 10-0 run. Kansas led 33-25 at halftime.
Freshman Curtis Jerrells scored 17 points for Baylor. Bruce and Swanson each had 13.
The Jayhawks shot 52 percent. Rush and Darnell Jackson scored 11 points apiece and C.J. Giles had 10.
Arkansas fined for Saturday's on-court celebration
Feb. 21, 2006
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Southeastern Conference fined Arkansas $5,000 after fans rushed onto the court following Saturday's overtime victory over Florida.
The SEC, in its ruling Monday, said Arkansas fans violated its policy on "access to the competition area." when 20-25 fans rushed the court following the Razorbacks' 85-81 win over then 10th-ranked Florida at Bud Walton Arena.
University spokesman Kevin Trainor said the policy was approved by all 12 SEC member schools for safety reasons. He also said Arkansas submitted a report of the incident, as requested by the league, and learned of the fine on Monday.
Trainor said the school will pay the fine.
The policy, which went into effect on Dec. 1, 2004, says that access to a basketball court will be limited to student-athletes, coaches, officials, support personnel and authorized individuals.
"This policy is designed to create a safe environment for everyone who participates and attends our athletic contests," SEC commissioner Mike Slive said in a news release. "The security and protection of our student-athletes, coaches, officials and fans is our primary concern."
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The Southeastern Conference fined Arkansas $5,000 after fans rushed onto the court following Saturday's overtime victory over Florida.
The SEC, in its ruling Monday, said Arkansas fans violated its policy on "access to the competition area." when 20-25 fans rushed the court following the Razorbacks' 85-81 win over then 10th-ranked Florida at Bud Walton Arena.
University spokesman Kevin Trainor said the policy was approved by all 12 SEC member schools for safety reasons. He also said Arkansas submitted a report of the incident, as requested by the league, and learned of the fine on Monday.
Trainor said the school will pay the fine.
The policy, which went into effect on Dec. 1, 2004, says that access to a basketball court will be limited to student-athletes, coaches, officials, support personnel and authorized individuals.
"This policy is designed to create a safe environment for everyone who participates and attends our athletic contests," SEC commissioner Mike Slive said in a news release. "The security and protection of our student-athletes, coaches, officials and fans is our primary concern."
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Virginia explodes from 3-point range in victory vs. Boston College
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- J.R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary know they are the keys to Virginia's success. They also know the more help they get, the more the surprising Cavaliers will be expected to win regularly.
Reynolds scored 28 points, Singletary had 16 and several other players made key plays at both ends Tuesday night, leading Virginia past No. 11 Boston College 72-58.
"Everybody was feeling it tonight," said freshman Mamadi Diane, who hit three of Virginia's 12 3-pointers -- including two in the second half when the Eagles tried to rally.
Having the confidence to take the shots has been difficult, he said, and something his teammates have implored him to do.
"Just getting those shots, it was basically like me alone in the gym," he said.
Laurynas Mikalauskas, playing with a protective mask on his face after breaking his nose and sustaining a concussion against Florida State on Saturday, scored only four points, but got them on a pair of baby hooks to help sustain Virginia's momentum.
He also helped contain the Eagles' bruising front line. Virginia held Jared Dudley to six points, nearly 11 below his average, on 2-for-8 shooting from the field.
And Tunji Soroye avoided the foul trouble that so often plagues him and had six points, seven rebounds and two blocks, immeasurably aiding the defensive effort.
"The team's growing up," Reynolds said. "Maturity. Everybody's just learning and listening and carrying out their assignments. The whole team made plays tonight."
The Cavaliers took control early, getting 16 points from Reynolds in a 26-6 first-half run thast opened a 31-13 lead. The Eagles took a timeout and responded with nine straight points, but Virginia never let them closer than 10 the rest of the way.
"We were tougher than a tough team," first-year Cavaliers coach Dave Leitao said.
Boston College shot 35 percent and had a five-game winning streak snapped.
The Cavaliers (14-10, 7-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) led 38-28 at halftime and never let the lead shrink below 10 in the second half. Every time the Eagles seemed to be starting a run, someone for the Cavaliers made a play to stem the tide.
Diane's second 3-pointer gave Virginia a 53-38 lead, and the last made it 58-43 with 7:36 remaining. Singletary followed that one with one of his own, but said Reynolds was the key, starting with a deep 3-pointer he made during the first half.
"When he hit that, I knew he was going to be hot," Singletary said.
Reynolds finished 9-for-15 from the field, 4-for-7 on 3-pointers.
The Eagles (21-6, 8-5) had only lost to No. 1 Duke in their last 11 games, but missed their first eight shots and didn't match Virginia's need to win.
"Right from the very beginning it was clear that Virginia wanted the game," Boston College coach Al Skinner said. "We did not at all meet their energy. I thought the game was physical and we did not respond to that."
Virginia finished 12-for-21 on 3-pointers and shot 52 percent overall.
Craig Smith led Boston College with 22 points and nine rebounds, and joined Danya Adams as the only Eagles players with 2,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds.
Tyrese Rice, a freshman who starred at L.C. Bird High School in Richmond, added 10 points for the Eagles, but did all his scoring in the first half.
The loss prevented Skinner from breaking a tie with Jim O'Brien for the career victories lead at the school. Each coached 168 victories.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- J.R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary know they are the keys to Virginia's success. They also know the more help they get, the more the surprising Cavaliers will be expected to win regularly.
Reynolds scored 28 points, Singletary had 16 and several other players made key plays at both ends Tuesday night, leading Virginia past No. 11 Boston College 72-58.
"Everybody was feeling it tonight," said freshman Mamadi Diane, who hit three of Virginia's 12 3-pointers -- including two in the second half when the Eagles tried to rally.
Having the confidence to take the shots has been difficult, he said, and something his teammates have implored him to do.
"Just getting those shots, it was basically like me alone in the gym," he said.
Laurynas Mikalauskas, playing with a protective mask on his face after breaking his nose and sustaining a concussion against Florida State on Saturday, scored only four points, but got them on a pair of baby hooks to help sustain Virginia's momentum.
He also helped contain the Eagles' bruising front line. Virginia held Jared Dudley to six points, nearly 11 below his average, on 2-for-8 shooting from the field.
And Tunji Soroye avoided the foul trouble that so often plagues him and had six points, seven rebounds and two blocks, immeasurably aiding the defensive effort.
"The team's growing up," Reynolds said. "Maturity. Everybody's just learning and listening and carrying out their assignments. The whole team made plays tonight."
The Cavaliers took control early, getting 16 points from Reynolds in a 26-6 first-half run thast opened a 31-13 lead. The Eagles took a timeout and responded with nine straight points, but Virginia never let them closer than 10 the rest of the way.
"We were tougher than a tough team," first-year Cavaliers coach Dave Leitao said.
Boston College shot 35 percent and had a five-game winning streak snapped.
The Cavaliers (14-10, 7-6 Atlantic Coast Conference) led 38-28 at halftime and never let the lead shrink below 10 in the second half. Every time the Eagles seemed to be starting a run, someone for the Cavaliers made a play to stem the tide.
Diane's second 3-pointer gave Virginia a 53-38 lead, and the last made it 58-43 with 7:36 remaining. Singletary followed that one with one of his own, but said Reynolds was the key, starting with a deep 3-pointer he made during the first half.
"When he hit that, I knew he was going to be hot," Singletary said.
Reynolds finished 9-for-15 from the field, 4-for-7 on 3-pointers.
The Eagles (21-6, 8-5) had only lost to No. 1 Duke in their last 11 games, but missed their first eight shots and didn't match Virginia's need to win.
"Right from the very beginning it was clear that Virginia wanted the game," Boston College coach Al Skinner said. "We did not at all meet their energy. I thought the game was physical and we did not respond to that."
Virginia finished 12-for-21 on 3-pointers and shot 52 percent overall.
Craig Smith led Boston College with 22 points and nine rebounds, and joined Danya Adams as the only Eagles players with 2,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds.
Tyrese Rice, a freshman who starred at L.C. Bird High School in Richmond, added 10 points for the Eagles, but did all his scoring in the first half.
The loss prevented Skinner from breaking a tie with Jim O'Brien for the career victories lead at the school. Each coached 168 victories.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Illinois Stunned by Michigan 72-64
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Daniel Horton was determined to help Michigan beat Illinois.
Horton scored 25 of his career-high 39 points in the second half, rallying Michigan to a 72-64 victory over No. 8 Illinois on Tuesday night.
"I just wanted to do what it took to win," said Horton, who shot 13-for-20 from the field -- including 5-for-7 on 3-pointers. "I gotta give my teammates all the credit. I shot well but I never really felt in a groove because there weren't any tough shots. I was open most of the time."
Horton was instrumental in jump-starting the Wolverines' struggling offense early in the second half. After trailing 34-30 at the break, Michigan hit five straight 3-pointers -- including three by Horton -- to take the lead.
"He was phenomenal," Michigan forward Graham Brown said. "Without him, we wouldn't have been anywhere near them. Tonight, he had it right from the start.
The Illini twice tied the score, the last at 57-all with 5:46 remaining. The Wolverines maintained control and built a 64-60 lead with 64 seconds left.
James Augustine pulled Illinois within 66-64 on two free throws with 45.7 seconds to play. However, Horton sealed the win by hitting six free throws in the final 43 seconds.
"(Horton's) courage, his will and the way he put us on his back offensively was a brilliant, brilliant game for us," said Michigan coach Tommy Amaker who got his first win against Illinois after losing the first 12 matchups against the Illini -- including his time at Seton Hall.
Courtney Sims added 11 points for the Wolverines (18-7, 8-6 Big Ten), the only team to top 70 points against Illinois this season. Last month, Michigan lost 79-74 against the Fighting Illini at Champaign.
The Wolverines snapped an 11-game losing streak against Illinois, dating back to January 2000, and beat a ranked opponent for the third time in less than a month. Michigan defeated then-No. 11 Michigan State and then-No. 23 Wisconsin in late January.
Augustine scored 23 points and Dee Brown added 20 for the Illini (22-5, 8-5) who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Three of Illinois' five losses have come on the road.
"The start of the second half is the key to the game," Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "We let them get three or four wide-open 3-pointers. We don't hustle back. We don't switch and no one tells anybody. When that happens, you give a team a chance to run. We could never recover."
Weber said he was especially disappointed in Illinois' defense against Horton.
"He just got in one of those grooves and just got going," Weber said. "It seemed like everything he was throwing up there was going in. When he missed, you were surprised."
Michigan played without starters Lester Abram (sprained ankle) and Chris Hunter (knee injury). Reserve Amadou Ba sat out against Illinois and will sit out half of the Feb. 25 game at Ohio State for being involved in an altercation with a fan before last weekend's game at Michigan State.
Horton scored 25 of his career-high 39 points in the second half, rallying Michigan to a 72-64 victory over No. 8 Illinois on Tuesday night.
"I just wanted to do what it took to win," said Horton, who shot 13-for-20 from the field -- including 5-for-7 on 3-pointers. "I gotta give my teammates all the credit. I shot well but I never really felt in a groove because there weren't any tough shots. I was open most of the time."
Horton was instrumental in jump-starting the Wolverines' struggling offense early in the second half. After trailing 34-30 at the break, Michigan hit five straight 3-pointers -- including three by Horton -- to take the lead.
"He was phenomenal," Michigan forward Graham Brown said. "Without him, we wouldn't have been anywhere near them. Tonight, he had it right from the start.
The Illini twice tied the score, the last at 57-all with 5:46 remaining. The Wolverines maintained control and built a 64-60 lead with 64 seconds left.
James Augustine pulled Illinois within 66-64 on two free throws with 45.7 seconds to play. However, Horton sealed the win by hitting six free throws in the final 43 seconds.
"(Horton's) courage, his will and the way he put us on his back offensively was a brilliant, brilliant game for us," said Michigan coach Tommy Amaker who got his first win against Illinois after losing the first 12 matchups against the Illini -- including his time at Seton Hall.
Courtney Sims added 11 points for the Wolverines (18-7, 8-6 Big Ten), the only team to top 70 points against Illinois this season. Last month, Michigan lost 79-74 against the Fighting Illini at Champaign.
The Wolverines snapped an 11-game losing streak against Illinois, dating back to January 2000, and beat a ranked opponent for the third time in less than a month. Michigan defeated then-No. 11 Michigan State and then-No. 23 Wisconsin in late January.
Augustine scored 23 points and Dee Brown added 20 for the Illini (22-5, 8-5) who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Three of Illinois' five losses have come on the road.
"The start of the second half is the key to the game," Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "We let them get three or four wide-open 3-pointers. We don't hustle back. We don't switch and no one tells anybody. When that happens, you give a team a chance to run. We could never recover."
Weber said he was especially disappointed in Illinois' defense against Horton.
"He just got in one of those grooves and just got going," Weber said. "It seemed like everything he was throwing up there was going in. When he missed, you were surprised."
Michigan played without starters Lester Abram (sprained ankle) and Chris Hunter (knee injury). Reserve Amadou Ba sat out against Illinois and will sit out half of the Feb. 25 game at Ohio State for being involved in an altercation with a fan before last weekend's game at Michigan State.
Huskies survive Fighting Irish rally, prevail in overtime
CBS SportsLine.com wire reports
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun had that sick feeling in his gut.
His third-ranked Huskies were headed toward an apparent rout of unranked Notre Dame on Tuesday night when it suddenly unraveled.
The Fighting Irish showed why they were the best 3-point shooting team in the conference and hit four 3s in a 25-2 run to erase a 19-point second half deficit in a hurry. The Irish had their first lead at 61-60 midway through the half and Calhoun quickly called a timeout to gather his shaken team.
"They were stunned. It happened so quick," he said. "We shut the engine off and stopped playing."
Then it was the Huskies' turn to rely on their strength -- the inside game. UConn finished with a Big East record 19 blocks, pounded the ball inside down the stretch and afer Marcus Williams' bank shot sent the game into overtime, the Huskies escaped with a 75-74 win.
Silenced by the Notre Dame's rally, the sellout Hartford Civic Center crowd of 16,294 was deafening in the overtime period.
"(Notre Dame) had every right to win that game just as much as we did," Calhoun said. "We had to will our way back in. Thank God it was here at the Civic Center. I'm not sure we could win that game on the road."
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Williams finished with a triple-double for UConn, which sent Notre Dame to yet another close loss. The Fighting Irish (13-11, 4-9 Big East) lost by an average of 4.3 points in their previous 10 defeats and are now 1-6 against ranked teams this season.
Hilton Armstrong blocked seven shots and hit a pair of free throws late in overtime to put UConn ahead. Rudy Gay came down with a key defensive rebound as time expired, helping the Huskies (24-2, 11-2) hang on after blowing the big lead.
Williams finished with 18 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds for the sixth triple-double in school history and first since Emeka Okafor in December 2003 against Army. His 10th rebound was the most important. With time running out in regulation, Williams scooped up a miss from Gay along the baseline and banked in a runner to tie it at 71 and send the game into overtime.
"I saw it was kind of long, so I tried to just drift to the other side," Williams said. "I've never had 10 rebounds. Ever. I never had 10 rebounds shooting by myself."
Williams was flawless in the first half with 15 points, nine assists, six boards and no turnovers to help the Huskies to a 48-32 lead at the break. They got there easily, shooting nearly 46 percent from the floor. The Fighting Irish, as it turned out, were just getting started.
Chris Quinn started the rally with a bank shot with 15 minutes left in regulation and Colin Falls scored 12 points in the 25-2 spurt. His baseline layup gave the Irish their first lead at 61-60 with 10:35 to play.
UConn relied on its size inside to come back. Josh Boone scored on a pair of putbacks and grabbed a couple of boards on the defensive end. The Huskies bought time with Williams' bank shot at the end of regulation.
Neither team scored until Gay hit a jumper with 1:41 left in the extra period. Rob Kurz countered with a 3-pointer and the Irish regained the lead 74-73. Armstrong was fouled on UConn's next possession and hit both free throws to close out the scoring.
Chris Quinn, who finished with 13 points for Notre Dame, gave the Irish one final chance. He threw up a floater in traffic and Gay came down with the rebound.
"Connecticut made some big plays when they had to," Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said. "I'll go to bed with that Chris Quinn runner for the rest of my life and play the law of averages. We did not get it."
Boone had 12 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks for UConn. Gay added 17 points and three blocked shots.
It was UConn's first overtime game this season and the fourth for the Irish, who have lost them all. Notre Dame also lost by three at Pittsburgh, two at Marquette, two against Villanova and one at West Virginia.
Falls, who shot 5-of-14 from 3-point range, finished with 23 points for Notre Dame. Rick Cornett scored 12 before fouling out in the closing minutes.
The Huskies outrebounded the Irish 56-46. Notre Dame, the best 3-point shooting team in the conference, finished 10-of-28 from beyond the arc.
UConn concluded its regular season at the Civic Center 10-0 and snapped Notre Dame's three-game winning streak.
"We gave ourselves a chance to win a basketball game against a very good team," Brey said. "For our group, there is no more resilient basketball team than my guys."
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun had that sick feeling in his gut.
His third-ranked Huskies were headed toward an apparent rout of unranked Notre Dame on Tuesday night when it suddenly unraveled.
The Fighting Irish showed why they were the best 3-point shooting team in the conference and hit four 3s in a 25-2 run to erase a 19-point second half deficit in a hurry. The Irish had their first lead at 61-60 midway through the half and Calhoun quickly called a timeout to gather his shaken team.
"They were stunned. It happened so quick," he said. "We shut the engine off and stopped playing."
Then it was the Huskies' turn to rely on their strength -- the inside game. UConn finished with a Big East record 19 blocks, pounded the ball inside down the stretch and afer Marcus Williams' bank shot sent the game into overtime, the Huskies escaped with a 75-74 win.
Silenced by the Notre Dame's rally, the sellout Hartford Civic Center crowd of 16,294 was deafening in the overtime period.
"(Notre Dame) had every right to win that game just as much as we did," Calhoun said. "We had to will our way back in. Thank God it was here at the Civic Center. I'm not sure we could win that game on the road."
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Williams finished with a triple-double for UConn, which sent Notre Dame to yet another close loss. The Fighting Irish (13-11, 4-9 Big East) lost by an average of 4.3 points in their previous 10 defeats and are now 1-6 against ranked teams this season.
Hilton Armstrong blocked seven shots and hit a pair of free throws late in overtime to put UConn ahead. Rudy Gay came down with a key defensive rebound as time expired, helping the Huskies (24-2, 11-2) hang on after blowing the big lead.
Williams finished with 18 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds for the sixth triple-double in school history and first since Emeka Okafor in December 2003 against Army. His 10th rebound was the most important. With time running out in regulation, Williams scooped up a miss from Gay along the baseline and banked in a runner to tie it at 71 and send the game into overtime.
"I saw it was kind of long, so I tried to just drift to the other side," Williams said. "I've never had 10 rebounds. Ever. I never had 10 rebounds shooting by myself."
Williams was flawless in the first half with 15 points, nine assists, six boards and no turnovers to help the Huskies to a 48-32 lead at the break. They got there easily, shooting nearly 46 percent from the floor. The Fighting Irish, as it turned out, were just getting started.
Chris Quinn started the rally with a bank shot with 15 minutes left in regulation and Colin Falls scored 12 points in the 25-2 spurt. His baseline layup gave the Irish their first lead at 61-60 with 10:35 to play.
UConn relied on its size inside to come back. Josh Boone scored on a pair of putbacks and grabbed a couple of boards on the defensive end. The Huskies bought time with Williams' bank shot at the end of regulation.
Neither team scored until Gay hit a jumper with 1:41 left in the extra period. Rob Kurz countered with a 3-pointer and the Irish regained the lead 74-73. Armstrong was fouled on UConn's next possession and hit both free throws to close out the scoring.
Chris Quinn, who finished with 13 points for Notre Dame, gave the Irish one final chance. He threw up a floater in traffic and Gay came down with the rebound.
"Connecticut made some big plays when they had to," Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said. "I'll go to bed with that Chris Quinn runner for the rest of my life and play the law of averages. We did not get it."
Boone had 12 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks for UConn. Gay added 17 points and three blocked shots.
It was UConn's first overtime game this season and the fourth for the Irish, who have lost them all. Notre Dame also lost by three at Pittsburgh, two at Marquette, two against Villanova and one at West Virginia.
Falls, who shot 5-of-14 from 3-point range, finished with 23 points for Notre Dame. Rick Cornett scored 12 before fouling out in the closing minutes.
The Huskies outrebounded the Irish 56-46. Notre Dame, the best 3-point shooting team in the conference, finished 10-of-28 from beyond the arc.
UConn concluded its regular season at the Civic Center 10-0 and snapped Notre Dame's three-game winning streak.
"We gave ourselves a chance to win a basketball game against a very good team," Brey said. "For our group, there is no more resilient basketball team than my guys."
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
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