University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
23-9,13-6Big East
Villanova
25-7,16-4Big East
No. 20 Men’s Hoops Falls, 63-60, to No. 8 Villanova in BIG EAST Semifinal
3/11/2022 11:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball
NEW YORK – Tyrese Martin led four Huskies in double-figure scoring and Adama Sanogo scored 15 points and hauled in 13 rebounds, but it wasn't enough as the No. 3 seeded UConn men's basketball team dropped a 63-60 decision to No. 2 Villanova on Friday evening in the BIG EAST Tournament semifinal at Madison Square Garden. With the win, the Huskies slip to 23-9 while the Wildcats improve to 25-7.
Martin's 19 came on 7-17 shooting, and he also snared seven rebounds in 36-minutes of action. R.J. Cole chipped in with 11 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, while Andre Jackson added 10 points and five rebounds in 38-minutes.
The contest was a back-and-forth battle that saw seven ties and 15 lead changes. Villanova would expand its lead to eight points, 52-44, with 10:22 remaining in regulation on the strength of a 6-0 spurt. However, UConn would remain connected and shrunk the Wildcat advantage to two points, 62-60, with 10-seconds to go.
After nearly forcing a turnover, VU's Collin Gillespie went 1-2 from the charity stripe with three-seconds remaining. The Huskies were unable to get a shot off though and the Wildcats would advance to Saturday's championship against Creighton.
UConn held a 40-30 rebounding advantage on Friday, including a 15-6 edge on the offensive glass. The teams combined to turn the ball over only 13 times, but the Huskies were just 8-13 from the free throw line while VU was 7-8.
UConn will await seeding and matchups for the 2022 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. The Tournament Selection Show is scheduled for Sunday, March 13 at 6 p.m.
