University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
3-1,0-1Big East
Creighton
6-2,2-1Big East
Bouknight Explodes for 40, But Huskies Drop Big East Opener In Overtime
12/20/2020 4:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
STORRS, Conn. – Led by a spectacular 40-point performance from sophomore guard James Bouknight (Brooklyn, N.Y.), the UConn men's basketball team gave #9 Creighton all it could handle before bowing to the Bluejays, 76-74, in overtime Sunday afternoon at Gampel Pavilion.
The game marked UConn's return to BIG EAST Conference play since rejoining the league this season and it was a gut-wrencher with 15 lead changes and eight ties.
UConn (3-1, 1-0 BE), playing its first game in 17 days, since defeating Southern California on Dec. 3 at Mohegan Sun Arena, battled back from a 12-point, first-half deficit, then took a four-point lead with 21.3 seconds left in regulation time, only to have Creighton (6-2, 2-1 BE) stage a comeback to send the game into overtime, 66-66.
In the extra session, UConn, scored first, but the Bluejays the put together a 9-0 run to take control, 75-68. Two three-pointers by Bouknight in the last 11.8 seconds accounted for the final score.
The Huskies fell behind by 12 in the first half, but riding Bouknight's hot hand, they finished the half on a 12-4 run to slice Creighton's lead to 33-29 at halftime.
In the second half, the sophomore guard picked up where he left off, scoring 13 of the first 15 Husky points to open up the period. After three ties and seven lead changes through the first six minutes of the second half, Adama Sanogo (Bamako, Mali) converted an old-fashioned three-point play to give UConn a 47-43 lead with just over 13 minutes remaining in the half.
Creighton caught and passed the Huskies, but UConn used a 10-2 run - capped off by a triple by R.J. Cole (Union, N.J.), to surge back in front, 63-59, heading into the final media timeout. UConn appeared to have the game wrapped up after Jalen Gaffney (Columbus, N.J.) knocked down a pair of free throws to extend the lead to four with 23.1 remaining.
Creighton wouldn't go away, however, and cut the deficit to two following a bucket in the paint. After an empty UConn trip at the charity stripe, Creighton's Damien Jefferson hit a leaner' with 0:00.2 remaining to send the game into overtime, 66-66.
Creighton had five players reach double figures, led by Christian Bishop's 19 points.
Besides Bouknight's 40-point explosion, Cole tallied 12 points and junior Tyrese Martin (Allentown, Pa.) pulled down 10 rebounds.
Bouknight's total was the second-most in BIG EAST history by a player making his BIG EAST debut. It was the 18th 40-point plus game in UConn's history and the Huskies' first since Amida Brimah scored 40 on Dec. 14, 2014 against Coppin State.
Barring a change, UConn's next scheduled game in on Wednesday, Dec. 30, playing host to DePaul at Gampel Pavilion.
