University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Hofstra
Dyson Free Throws Lead Huskies Past Pride
11/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 17, 2009
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STORRS, CONN. - Senior guard Jerome Dyson (Potomac, Md.) scored 23 points, including nine in a row in the game's final minute as second-seeded and 12th-ranked Connecticut men's basketball team rallied to defeat Hofstra, 76-67, Tuesday night in the 2009 Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off North Regional at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.
The Huskies, now 3-0 on the season, advance to the semifinals on Nov. 25 (7 or 9 p.m.) at Madison Square Garden where they will play LSU. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
Hofstra, behind some hot three-point shooting led 54-45 with 9:10 remaining after Cornelius Vines hit the fifth three-pointer for the Pride in a span of just of 2:24. The Huskies comeback was started by senior forward Stanley Robinson (Birmingham, Ala.) who drilled a three-pointer. Senior forward Gavin Edwards (Gilbert, Ariz.) added two free throws to cut the lead to four (54-50). Freshman center Alex Oriakhi (Lowell, Mass.) made a jumper to further reduce the deficit to two (54-52).
The Huskies recaptured the lead with 5:20 to play when Dyson made two free throws, and later, with 4:14 remaining Dyson put the Huskies ahead for good when he tipped in an Oriakhi miss. The Huskies salted the contest away by making 19 of their last 20 free throw attempts. They finished the contest making 30-of-36 from the charity stripe.
Dyson broke the 20-point barrier for the second time this season and 16th time in his UConn career. Dyson made a career-high 14 free throws.
Sophomore point guard Kemba Walker (Bronx, N.Y.) scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had four assists. Robinson finished with 15 points and four rebounds while Edwards scored 10 points and tied his career mark with five blocked shots. Connecticut swatted away 13 Hofstra offerings in the game.
Oriakhi had his most impressive performance in his young Husky career. He scored eight points, grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds and blocked four shots.
Charles Jenkins led the Pride with a game-high 25 points, while Vines added 18 points on six made treys.
The Huskies were out-rebounded 43-39, and were outscored 30-16 in fast break points. However, they held the Pride to just 33 percent shooting.
