UConn Defeats Orange In Milestone Victory
by Zach Smart
STORRS, Conn. – This was the kind of marquee victory Jim Calhoun was thirsting for since the callow Huskies were plunged into Big East play. UConn needed this victory in so many different ways. The Huskies had been crumbling ever since a shattering 77-73 home loss against Indiana on Jan. 20. They underwent a state-discouraging free-fall, nearly smacking the bottom of the Big East cellar before holding on in a desperation overtime win against Rutgers, which was without leading scorer J.R. Inman.
A win against conference rival Syracuse, in a nationally televised game, would be their first step towards vaulting back into respectability. The Orange, which was blessed with an early national ranking before its stock took a sudden tumble, seemed like a barometer test to the Huskies. Their zone, which had been called into question lately, seemed capable of being permeated with Connecticut’s hand of versatile guards and wings.
The game, of course, was multi-faceted, as it was not only a renewed rivalry but an opportunity for Jim Calhoun to tap into an elite society known as the 500-win club.
Before UConn alums like Donyell Marshall and a jam-packed house at the Gampel Pavilion, the Huskies delivered Calhoun the much-needed victory.
“I told the kids after the Rutgers game that we were on a roll – one in a row,” said Calhoun before a mob of reporters, most of whom haven’t made him look like a 500-win caliber coach this season.
“I just them now, we’re on another roll – two in a row.”
The Huskies showed poise, albeit struggling offensively, en route to a 67-60 victory that should move them closer towards a spot in the Big East tournament in New York City.
The Huskies were led by an unlikely source in sophomore guard Craig Austrie. Austrie, who had fallen out of favor after operating an offense laced with NBA-bound players last season, pioneered UConn to what was easily their most significant victory of the season. He collected a team-high 14 points, seven boards, and dished out five assists. The performance provided redemption for the former Stamford (CT) Trinity Catholic star, who had questioned his coach’s confidence in him after playing second fiddle to a number of freshmen this season.
“I feel like I have more confidence than ever since I’ve been here,” Austrie said. “I never looked at it like it wasn’t working out here. Eventually, with the work I put in and the performance, things would work out and things would be put into place eventually. I think they have.”
He’s right. Austrie has established himself as a crucial element of the offense after catching a DNP-coach’s decision in the Indiana loss.
After that game, Calhoun explained that the bench burial wouldn’t be permanent. With guards A.J. Price and Doug Wiggins (who received a rare start that game) playing a majority of the minutes, Calhoun explained that he just couldn’t get Austrie in.
“It’s nothing (personal against Craig),” Calhoun said that day. “Just given the situation today we didn’t use him. He didn’t make any mistakes in practice. I don’t think Craig has ever made a mistake in his life. Maybe when he was at Catholic he forgot to return a book to the library.”
Austrie was pretty error-free in his start last night, committing zero turnovers while orchestrating the offense in 30 minutes.
The same cannot be said about his teammates. The Huskies’ free throw shooting woes continued, as they shot a dreadful 19-37 (54.1 percent) from the charity stripe. They weren’t much better from the floor, shooting 36 percent. But they won the battle on the boards, 43-27 behind Jeff Adrien’s 12 caroms.
Sophomore A.J. Price was relegated to a backup spot, but turned in a solid performance. Price, who’s playing despite injuries, scored 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting but hit some crucial buckets in 20 minutes of playing time. His minutes could dwindle now that Austrie has found himself.
“I turned to Craig and asked him, ‘Do you think I’m starting to believe in you a little bit?'” Calhoun asked. “He’s really playing confident.”
The Orange (16-8, 5-5 Big East) underwent a drought during the closing minutes, as they mustered just three points in the game’s final 6:41. Terrence Roberts and Darryl Watkins fouled out late in the second half, leaving it to Demetrius Nichols to shoulder the load.
Nichols, who had a game-high 20 points, caught fire in the second half. Nichols scored seven points in a period of 2:20, tying the game at 46 on a layup with 10:52 remaining.
Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, who’s mild-mannered though he’s shown he can blow up when the gun goes off, wasn’t a happy camper.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well, we didn’t execute well, and we’re not going to win any game when the fouls are 25 to 14, and we’re playing zone and they’re playing man to man,” Boeheim said.
