University of Connecticut Athletics
UConn Holds Off UMass, 69-59
12/11/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
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AMHERST, MA (December 11)- Tony Robertson (Jr., Providence, RI) had a game high 15 points, a dozen of which came in the first half, to help lead the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team over Massachusetts, 69-59, in the MassMutual UGame on Tuesday in the Mullins Center in Amherst, MA. The meeting marked the 104th between the two schools with UConn taking 11 in a row, and each of the last six since the MassMutual UGame series began. With the win, the Huskies improved to 5-1, while UMass slipped to 4-3.
Micah Brand scored the first basket of the night to give the Minutemen the early 2-0 lead. However, that would be the only one for UMass as they went on to miss nine straight shots triggering an 8-0 Husky run. Shannon Crooks nailed a pair of free throws to bring it to 10-6 at the 14:47 mark, but UConn was off and running again behind three consecutive three point plays and led it 19-6 less than two minutes later.
In the first half, UConn’s interior defense held UMass to just 30 percent shooting from the field, the lowest for any Husky opponent in an opening half this season. The effort was led by Emeka Okafor (Fr., Houston, TX) who had four of his team leading six blocks by the intermission. It was that defense that forced UMass into taking 18 three point shots as they would end up shooting only 5.6 percent from the range hitting on just one occasion.
The lead at the break was 13 with UConn ahead 36-23, but UMass turned it up to start the second half going on an 8-0 run of its own. Johnnie Selvie (Sr., Flint, MI) brought an end to that with 15:15 left to go in the second as he penetrated the lane and put it in on a left handed shot to make it 38-31.
Soon after, Eric Williams hit a pair of free throws to bring UMass to within four, 41-37, but it would not get any closer. The Minutemen got to within five late, but Robertson hit a three with 2:51 to go to seal it.
Okafor, Caron Butler (So, Racine, WI) and Taliek Brown (So, Queens, NY) all chipped in with 13 points. Okafor’s point total established a career high, and he got the second double-double of his career as he led the team in rebounds with 11. Brown finished the night with six assists to lead the Huskies in the department.
Crooks scored 14 points for the Minutemen, followed by Kitwana Rhymer with 12 and Anthony Anderson with 10.
UConn will return to action on Saturday, Dec. 21, when it hosts Quinnipiac University. Game time is 7 p.m. at the Hartford Civic Center.
