University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
7-3,4-3Big East
Creighton
11-4,7-3Big East
Men's Basketball Drops 74-66 Decision at No. 11 Creighton
1/23/2021 2:22:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Freshman forward Adama Sanogo scored a season-high 13 points and redshirt junior guard R. J. Cole added 14 points and five assists but it wasn't enough as the No. 23 University of Connecticut men's basketball team dropped a 74-66 decision to No. 11 Creighton on Saturday afternoon in Omaha.  With the loss, UConn slips to 7-3 overall and 4-3 in BIG EAST play. The Blue Jays improve to 11-4 on the year, 7-3 in the loop.
After trailing 29-28 at intermission, the Huskies snatched a 30-29 lead in the first minute of the second half on a pair of Tyrese Martin free throws. The two teams exchanged blows for the next several minutes and the score was tied on four occasions over the next 10-minutes.Â
But Creighton seized control of the game with a 12-2 run over a 5:30 stretch to take a 62-50 lead with 6:27 left in regulation. UConn would shrink the gap to six points but was unable to draw any closer.Â
UConn struggled from the floor on Saturday and shot just 38 percent from the field and 32 percent from long-range. The Blue Jays shot 51 percent from the floor. The Huskies were all over the glass though and held a 42-26 rebounding advantage, including an 18-5 edge on the offensive glass.
"I thought we were tougher and battled, I thought we gave a pretty good effort for the most part," head coach Dan Hurley said. "We played hard, it's not the same storyline as the St. John's game where we just got out toughed. We obviously couldn't guard them in the second half individually off the dribble. They kind of torched us but we competed hard and we were tougher and all over the backboard."
Martin chipped in with 11 points while Isaiah Whaley scored 10 and was one-rebound shy of a double-double.Â
Both teams struggled out of the gate in the first half as the scored was knotted up, 8-8, eight-minutes -into the first session. However, the Blue Jays went on a 15-5 run over the next five minutes to take a 23-13 lead with under seven-minutes remaining. The Huskies caught fire though and closed the half strong, shrinking the deficit to one point, 29-28, at the break.
The Huskies are back in action on Tuesday, January 26 when the team welcomes Butler to Gampel Pavilion. Â Game time is set for 8:30 p.m. ET and the contest will be televised nationally on FS1.
