University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
19-7,8-7Big East
Creighton University
17-8,11-3Big East
Huskies Come Up Short In Defensive Struggle At Creighton
2/11/2023 7:23:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UConn Athletic Communications / Feb. 11, 2023
OMAHA, Neb. – A 40-minute battle ultimately came down to the final 3 seconds and the tip of a toe.
That's how close the game was between #21 UConn and #23 Creighton on Saturday afternoon at the jam-packed CHI Health Arena in Omaha.
A game-tying three-point attempt by UConn's Jordan Hawkins with 0:02.7 on the clock was ruled a two-pointer after review, leaving the Huskies down 54-53 instead of in a tie game. A forced foul then gave Creighton two free throws, accounting for the final 56-53 loss in a defensive struggle.
Led by junior Adama Sanogo (17 points, 10 rebounds) and sophomore Jordan Hawkins (11 points, all in the second half) , UConn (19-7 overall, 8-7 BIG EAST) fought back from a 45-40 deficit to tie the game, 46-46, with 7:00 left.
Creighton (17-8, 11-3) managed to scratch out a 52-46 lead and had a 54-49 advantage with 1:54 left. But Hawkins put back an offensive rebound to slice the margin to 54-51 and after a missed Creighton free throw, the Huskies got their sharpshooter open for a tying three-point attempt with 0:02.7 left.
Hawkins hit the clutch shot, but a review revealed that his toe was on the three-point line, leaving the score 54-53. Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner was immediately fouled on the inbounds pass and his two free throws accounted for the final score.
"I thought we did a great job defensively – they are really hard to guard," UConn coach Dan Hurley said. "We were plus six on the backboard and had 18 offensive rebounds, but when you look back at it, our inability to convert those offensive rebounds in the second half when we were all over the glass is a big reason why we came up short.
"What you saw out there were two excellent defensive teams. There weren't a lot of easy opportunities for either team."
Besides Sanogo and Hawkins, no other Husky scored in double figures. UConn shot 32.3 percent overall, a season-low, and 25.9 percent from three-point range.
The loss snapped a three-game UConn winning streak and evened the season series between the teams after UConn topped Creighton, 69-60, earlier in the season in Storrs. Creighton has now won eight straight games.
UConn returns home for two straight games, starting on Saturday, Feb. 18, when the Huskies entertain Seton Hall at Gampel Pavilion (noon, FOX).
