University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
16-6,5-6Big East
Xavier University
17-4,9-1Big East
UConn Comeback Falls Short Vs. Xavier
1/25/2023 10:13:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UCONN ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS / Jan. 25, 2023
STORRS, Conn. – The UConn men's basketball team dug itself out of a 16-point, second-half hole and cut Xavier's lead to just a single point four times, but could not catch the Musketeers and suffered an 82-79 defeat Wednesday night at Gampel Pavilion.
The #19/#20 Huskies (16-6 overall, 5-6 BIG EAST) trailed league-leading Xavier, 50-34, with just under 17:00 remaining, when sophomore Jordan Hawkins caught fire and combined with senior Tristen Newton to bring the Huskies back.
In just under six minutes, UConn cut Xavier's lead to 57-56, but the Musketeers (17-4, 9-1) responded with a 10-0 run to regain control, 67-56, with 9:19 left.
Again, the Huskies rallied and with an 11-2 run of their own, chopped the lead to 73-72 with 4:52 to go.
Xavier held off the threat, however, and moved out to a 78-74 lead, but a conventional three-point play by Hawkins against sliced the lead to one,78-77, at the 2:39 mark.
A layup by Xavier's Jack Nunge made it 80-77, but two free throws by Newton got the Huskies within 80-79 with 0:01.8 remaining. Forced to foul, Xavier's Souley Boum hit two free throws for the final 82-79 score.
"Obviously a really disappointing loss," UConn Coach Dan Hurley said. "We became unhinged with that offensive start in the first 5 minutes. We did some things that we really didn't want to do offensively. That had a real negative effect on defense. Just a really, really tough loss for us to absorb."
Xavier scored the game's first 9 points and was never headed in the first half, widening the gap to 20-9, 28-13, and 35-18, before settling for a 39-24 halftime lead.
"I think when you get down 5-0, 6-0, 9-0, you get put on your heels," Hurley said. "They shot the ball really well. They were making tough shots and they were making some easy shots. I think we got rattled. I do think we are not used to playing that badly in the first half, here, as we played."
The second half, helped by the sellout crowd, the Huskies finally roared back, but it wasn't quite enough.
"We can't dig ourselves a hole against a team like that," said Hawkins, who finished with a game-high 28 points, 26 in the second half.
Newton added 23, tying his season-high, and Adama Sanogo had 11 points and 9 rebounds.
Xavier was led by 21 points from Souley Boum and 20 from Colby Jones.
UConn will have a short break before resuming its schedule on Tuesday, Jan. 31, at DePaul.
