University of Connecticut Athletics
Thabeet and Dyson Lead Men's Basketball in Season Opener
11/14/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Box Score [] []
STORRS, CONN. (November 14, 2008) – Juniors Hasheem Thabeet (Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania) and Jerome Dyson (Rockville, Md.) each scored 23 points to lead No. 2 Connecticut to an 81-55 season-opening men’s basketball victory over Western Carolina Friday evening before a crowd of 9,820 at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.
Thabeet, who narrowly missed his career-high scoring total of 24, set a new career standard by grabbing 17 rebounds. Thabeet, who finished his junior campaign as the third-leading shot blocker in the nation, swatted away five Catamount offerings in the contest. He made seven of 11 field goals and was nine of 13 from the foul line.
Dyson was equally impressive in the game. He made seven of 12 from the field, including three of four attempts from three-point range. He tied for game-high honors with teammate Kemba Walker (Bronx, N.Y.) with five assists and had three steals, all while not recording a turnover.
Senior forward Jeff Adrien (Brookline, Mass.) added 14 points and seven rebounds. He made six of seven field goal attempts, helping the Huskies make 51 percent of their shots from the field (28 of 55.)
The Huskies started strong in the game, scoring the contest’s first 13 points before Western Carolina could score their first point. Connecticut extended its leads to 18-3 and 25-7 before the Catamounts rallied to within 10 at 42-32 early in the second half. However, the Huskies went on a 22-6 run over the next eight and one half minutes to seal the victory, as Thabeet keyed the run with five points.
Senior guard Craig Austrie (Stamford, Conn.) had nine points, while Walker had an impressive Connecticut debut with eight points to go along with his five assists.
Brandon Giles led the Catamounts with 16 points, while Harouna Mutombo had 11 points.
The Huskies enjoyed a 44-18 advantage in points in the paint, while out-rebounding the Catamounts 42-31.
The Huskies return to the hardwood on Monday, November 17 when they entertain Hartford at the XL Center in Hartford. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. and the contest will be televised by MyTV9 and SNY.
POST GAME QUOTES
Connecticut Head Coach Jim Calhoun
Well, for a first game, that’s pretty good for us, because normally we haven’t played particularly well in first games.
I think they’re pretty good, and I just think we jumped on them in a very lively building…I thought the first six or seven minutes we were really, really good defensively. I think it set a good tone for the game. We had a couple of let-ups, and the less of those we can have, and the more they can realize who they are – regardless of who they think they’re going to be as a basketball team – who we are right now is a small team that, at times, has to be scrappy and very ball pressure-oriented on the outside.
On Austrie
He played exceptionally well…. The guy who plays like a veteran, and continues to play like a veteran, is Craig Austrie. …In a real tight game, he’s our Papelbon
On Price
A.J. didn’t have it from the beginning. He had sprained his ankle…and he just couldn’t get it going. They said he threw a punch. If that’s the case, then I’m surprised, number one, but they threw him out for a flagrant foul. And they did go to the monitor, so they must have seen something. Something happened on the play right in front of us, where an elbow had been caught and he was the receiver of it, and he made a foolish mistake by doing something down at the other end. But it doesn’t work that way. The scoreboard tells the story in ballgames. I’ve said that for years.
Let’s hope that he bounces back and is ready to play on Monday
On Dyson
He’s had two terrific games in a row. And I thought tonight he was terrific defensively.
He’s just passing the ball really well. I keep saying he has to get more of a “package,” a basketball package. Not just an athletic, tough, aggressive package, but a basketball package. He’s starting to move closer to it. He missed two wide open jumpers and I was the first gut to say to him “keep taking them.” Because he’s been making them in practice and he’ll make more of them. I like the way he’s playing.
On Adrien
Jeff did a great job when he stayed at home.
On Hasheem
We identified Hasheem early, and that’s how we got the good-sized lead. We kind of forgot about him, and then he just took over the game.
He has always made up for things with just incredible heart and competitiveness and all those things, but now he’s showing much more of a skill package.
I can’t imagine him making some of the passes he made tonight even last year.
PLAYER QUOTES
Jerome Dyson
I think we played good. I think we played real good defense at the beginning. We kept them in the game by letting them get 3-pointers because we tried to hedged a little too long sometimes and weren’t talking to each other at the beginning but then we got it under control. We talked it out about how we were going to play the screen and roll so we were able to pick it up in the second half.
What did you think when A.J. went down? It was more his ankle than his knee. When he came down from his shot, he stepped on the players ankle I really wasn’t worried about that because I saw what happened.
On Hasheem Thabeet’s play
He has a lot of different moves now. Once he faces up to the bucket, his hook shot looks great. There aren’t many people who can stop that because he’s so tall.
Hasheem Thabeet
I’m trying to put numbers up every night. The whole thing is a team effort though.
I’m grateful that my teammates have been getting me the ball. I’ve come a long way since my freshman and sophomore year.
On physical style of Western Carolina
The coaches always tell me not to get into stuff like that. I was out there just playing the game.
Kemba Walker
Were you nervous tonight?
I was definitely a little jittery in the beginning, but after a while we picked it up and all the nerves went away.
On playing with Hasheem Thabeet
It’s easy. I always call him my bailout. Every time I go to the basket and help defense comes, he’s always available. I can throw it up, just give him the ball, and he scores it.
Are you happy with your play tonight?
I think I had a little bit too many turnovers. That’s something I need to work on in practice.
I think I had a few too many turnovers
AJ Price
On ejection
There was frustration building up the whole game. I just let it get the best of me.
It wasn’t a punch, just an elbow, a little love tap, or something like that.
They came out and wanted to make a point. They wanted to prove something, I guess. They weren’t going to back down.
Jeff Adrien
On 13-0 start to the game
It was a great start, but we could have put the pedal to the metal. We kind of eased off the gas and let them come back in.
We have to find a way to play 40 minutes of great defense.
We got better today, but we’ve still got to go there and work on stuff.
Craig Austrie
On Hasheem Thabeet great play tonight
Hasheem has the potential to be the best player in the country. When he’s playing like that, it makes everyone else’s job so much easier. We can just sit back and throw it in and watch him do his thing. He’s come a long way from his freshman year. It’s great to see him do it.
On defense against Giles
We know he’s a great player. He’s one of the main scorers in their league. We just wanted to play team defense and lock him up.
