University of Connecticut Athletics
Men's Basketball Tops Quinnipiac, 86-72
11/17/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Albert Mouring had 22 points and Johnnie Selvie scored 16 as No. 13 Connecticut held off Quinnipiac 86-72 Friday in the season-opener for both teams.
Mouring, UConn's 3-point specialist, had just one 3-pointer, but was 15-of-16 from the free throw line. A total of 59 fouls kept both teams from settling into an offensive flow.
The Huskies opened the season without two key players due to NCAA infractions.
Freshman swingman Caron Butler will sit out the first three games for accepting impermissible expenses to attend private prep school last year at Maine Central Institute.
Senior Souleymane Wane is also ineligible for three games. School officials would only say that the 6-foot-11 center violated an NCAA rule.
Selvie had seven points in the Huskies' 16-3 run to open the game. The Braves struggled with UConn's up-tempo game and were in foul trouble early. UConn was shooting in the bonus with just five minutes gone in the period. UConn took a 45-34 lead at the break and opened the second with an 14-5 run, capped by Mouring's 3-pointer.
The Huskies needed that cushion as point guard Collin Charles helped the Braves rally. Jared Grasso's 5-of-7 3-point shooting, got Quinnipiac to within six several times.
Edmund Saunders had 15 points for UConn and helped anchor the Huskies strong inside game. Huskies outrebounded Quinnipiac 53-39 and got 11 boards from Saunders and 12 from Ajou Deng.
Grasso led the Braves with 23 points. Charles finished with 18.
