University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
10-7,1-3AAC
Villanova University
14-3,4-1Big East
UConn Bows In Tough Battle At Villanova
1/18/2020 7:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The UConn men's basketball team stood toe-to-toe with the 14th-ranked team in the country before faltering a bit in the final minutes and suffering a tough, 61-55 loss to Villanova Saturday before 16,723 at the Wells Fargo Center.
Playing its final non-conference game of the regular season – against a team that will be a conference opponent next year when UConn joins the Big East – the Huskies' gave Villanova an opening, allowing the Wildcats to score seven unanswered points in the last few minutes, giving them the cushion they needed to escape with the win.
The Huskies (10-7 overall, 1-3 American Conference) cut the lead to a single point and then two points down the stretch in the closing seconds, but could not quite catch Villanova (14-3, 4-1 Big East), which defeated the Huskies by a 23-point margin last year and a 20-point margin the year before.
This year, neither team led by more than seven throughout the game and the time with the lead was almost even – 18:52 for Villanova, 18:22 for UConn.
"I saw a lot of growth since the last time we saw these guys," UConn coach Dan Hurley said. "But it's a frustrated locker room because that game was on the table for us."
It was the Huskies' fourth loss this season by six points or less, including two in double overtime.
Trailing, 27-21, at halftime, the Huskies exploded out of the locker room with a 20-8 run to grab a 41-35 lead. From there, it was neck and neck until Villanova's 7-0 outburst with about 3:00 to go put the Wildcats in front for good.
"The difference was obviously the three-point shooting," said Hurley.
Indeed, UConn outscored Villanova, 36-12, in the paint and outrebounded the Wildcats, 35-23, but Villanova hit 12 three-pointers and scored 23 points off UConn turnovers.
Senior Christian Vital led the Huskies' scoring with 13 points and led all rebounders with 8, while junior Josh Carlton had 12 points, and redshirt junior Alterique Gilbert had 12 points and 5 assists.
The Huskies return to American Athletic Conference play on Thursday, Jan. 23, with a game at Houston (9 p.m., ESPNU).
