University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Hold On To Upset No. 21 Miami, 76-75
1/5/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
STORRS, CT (January 5) -- Johnnie Selvie (Sr., Flint, MI) hit two free throws with 5.7 seconds remaining to lead the University of Connecticut to 76-75 win over 21st-ranked and previously unbeaten Miami before a raucous sellout crowd of 10,027 at the Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.
UConn improves to 8-2, 2-0 in the BIG EAST. The Hurricanes drop to 14-1 and 1-1 in league play.
The Huskies led 71-63 with 3:59 to play before Miami rallied to take the lead at 75-74 on a three-pointer by Darius Rice with 36 seconds to play. UConn ran the clock down and Tony Robertson (Jr., E. Providence, RI) missed a short jumper in the lane but Selvie grabbed the rebound and was fouled on the tip-in attempt by John Salmons. Selvie calmly drained the two free throws, and Miami was unable to get off a shot when Salmons turned the ball over as the buzzer sounded.
The Huskies were plagued by foul trouble in the first half as starters Caron Butler (So., Racine, WI), Emeka Okafor (Fr., Houston, TX) and Selvie all finished the half on the bench with two fouls. Miami, which led by as many as nine (15-6) early, settled for a 42-38 halftime lead. Rice led Miami with 16 in the first half. Taliek Brown (So., Queens, NY) had nine for the Huskies at the half.
UConn stormed out of the gate in the second half, outscoring the Hurricanes 19-5 in the first 9:06 of the half to take a 57-47 lead, as Butler scored seven and Selvie six in the big run. Miami rallied to within one with 2:07 to play when Salmons hit two free throws. Robertson nailed a three to give the Huskies a 74-70 lead with 1:30 to play, and Elton Tyler's lay-up with 1:18 to play brought the Hurricanes to within 74-72 setting the stage for the late-game heroics.
The Huskies were paced by Butler who scored 18, 12 after halftime. Taliek Brown added 13, Selvie and Robertson each had 12. Rice led all scorers with 22 points. Selvie grabbed game-high eight rebounds to pace a 41-28 UConn advantage. The Huskies also enjoyed a 40-26 edge in points in the paint.
UConn returns to action on Monday, January 7 when they host 11th –ranked Oklahoma at the Hartford Civic Center. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. Tickets are still available at the Civic Center box office.
