University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Stumble at Providence
1/13/2001 12:00:00โฏAM | Men's Basketball
By JIM O'CONNELL
AP Basketball Writer
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- John Linehan scored a career-high 19 points as Providence beat No. 13 Connecticut 81-68 Saturday, snapping a five-game losing streak to the Huskies. Abdul Mills scored all of his 14 points in the second half, including eight in a 13-3 run after the break to gave the Friars (11-4, 2-1 Big East) a 49-37 lead.
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| UConn Coach Jim Calhoun (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) |
The Friars started both halves hot from 3-point range, hitting four in the opening 4:45 as they took a 14-5 lead. They also made three in the run to start the second half, two by Mills and one by Linehan.
A free throw by Erron Maxey with 9:07 to play gave Providence its biggest lead at 61-45.
Connecticut got within 65-56 on a three-point play by Taliek Brown, but Linehan made two free throws to start a 4-0 run.
The Huskies missed a chance to get within a couple of 3-pointers as they went 1-for-2 on three consecutive trips to the free throw line as Providence failed to score on two trips down the court. Caron Butler's free throw with 2:25 left had the Huskies within 71-62, but Mills hit a foul line jumper with two seconds left on the shot clock and then Linehan made two free throws with 1:39 left for a 75-62 lead and the celebration in the Providence Civic Center was on.
Maxey and Karim Shabazz had 12 points apiece for Providence, which hit nine of its first 14 3-point attempts before finishing 9-for-19.
Albert Mouring had 19 points for the Huskies, who committed 21 turnovers, while Edmund Saunders added 18. Brown, Connecticut's freshman point guard, finished with eight points and seven assists, but had eight turnovers.
