University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Fall to Detroit in Second Round of NIT
3/18/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
DONNA TOMMELLEO
AP Sports Writer
STORRS, Conn. (AP) -- Rashad Phillips scored 26 points and Willie Green 25 to lead Detroit to a 67-61 win over Connecticut on Sunday in the second round of the National Invitation Tournament. The Titans (24-10) denied UConn coach Jim Calhoun his 600th career victory and advanced to play the winner of Monday's game between Richmond and Dayton.
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| Connecticut's Taliek Brown collides with Detriot Mercy's Marc Mazur as Brown comes in for a shot. (AP Photo/Bob Child) |
Edmund Saunders led Connecticut with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Tony Robertson and Caron Butler added 12 points apiece.
UConn got within a point with 11:32 left on Albert Mouring's two free throws after Detroit coach Perry Watson was called for a technical. The Huskies would get no closer, though they had plenty of chances.
Detroit led 61-59 with 1:29 left when Saunders drove from the baseline and made what appeared to be the tying bucket. The officials ruled he stepped on the line and disqualified the basket.
With 25 seconds left, Phillips hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to give the Titans a 64-59 lead.
UConn's Taliek Brown lost his dribble out of bounds on the next possession and, with 22.2 seconds left, all UConn could do was foul. The Titans made three of six free throws to seal the win.
Phillips hit three 3-pointers in the first five minutes of the game as the Titans built an 18-6 lead. Green's jumper at 12:06 gave Detroit its biggest lead of the game, 25-10.
UConn countered with a 9-2 run over the next four minutes that got the crowd of 10,000 into the game. Saunders capped the spurt with a dunk and the Huskies were within 27-19 with 7:32 remaining.
The team's traded baskets the rest of the half. UConn closed the gap to seven on Caron Butler's 3-point play and Detroit had a 37-30 lead at the break.
