University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies' Upset Bid Falls Short in Sweet 16
3/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
SAN ANTONIO, TX (March, 28) -- Junior guard Brandon Mouton scored a career-high 27 points on 10-for-18 shooting to lead Texas past the University of Connecticut men's basketball team, 82-78, and into the Elite Eight for the first time since 1990, in front of a predominantly burnt-orange crowd of 33,009 at the Alamo Dome in San Antonio, Texas.
With the loss, the #5 seed Huskies finish the season with a solid 23-10 mark while #1 seed Texas improves to 25-6 on the year.
The two teams went blow-for-blow in the first ten minutes of the first half as the score was tied on three separate occasions and the lead changed hands a remarkable nine times. Texas took a six point lead with 9:10 remaining on a three by Mouton, making the score 24-18. UConn pulled to within four with 5:20 to go in the half at, 30-26, but Texas put together a seven-to-two run for the remainder of the stanza to head into the locker room holding a 37-28 advantage.
With 15:50 remaining in the game, UConn found itself down, 54-46, but matters worsened as the Longhorns went on an eight-to-two run over the next 2:35 to take a commanding 62-48 lead with 12:30 to go in the contest. The Huskies would rally heroically though, as they mounted a 17-5 run over the next 4:10 to pull to within two points of the Longhorns, 67-65, with under eight minutes left. Sophomore Ben Gordon (Mt. Vernon, NY) drained a clutch three-pointer at the 5:21 mark to give UConn its first lead, 74-71, since the 12:30 mark of the first half.
With 48 seconds left in the season, and the Huskies down, 78-76, Taliek Brown (Queens, NY) found Marcus White (Chicago, IL) under the hoop. His attempt was blocked and pinned in between the rim and the backboard. The possession arrow pointed towards Texas and UConn would get no closer the rest of the way, as Texas hit its final six free-throw attempts.
Sophomore Emeka Okafor was sensational, scoring 21 points and snaring a game-high 17 rebounds to go along with six rejections. Gordon notched 16 for Connecticut. Taliek Brown was rock-solid at the point, scoring nine points and dishing out seven assists while turning the ball over only once. Brown also did a first-rate defensive job on Player of the Year T.J. Ford, holding him to 13 points on just 3-for-15 shooting.
Thomas James recorded a double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds, while Royal Ivey chipped in with 10 points.
