Notes & Quotes: UConn Loses to Arizona
HARTFORD – They made it a game for 40 minutes, but the UConn Huskies just didn’t have enough offensive pop to beat Arizona, falling 76-72 in front of 14,603 fans Sunday at the XL Center.
Jalen Adams scored 21 points, while Eric Cobb added 12 with 10 rebounds as the Huskies lost for just the second time this season. Christian Vital chipped in with 11 points.
“Huge thanks to the crowd and huge thanks to the students, too, for making the trek over here,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “The crowd was awesome, and they carried us emotionally through some choppy play.”
Brandon Randolph led the Wildcats (6-2) with 20 points, which included 9-for-9 from the foul line. Chase Jeter added 14 points before fouling out.
“We beat a program we respect a lot with a great crowd and I’m incredibly proud of our guys,” Arizona coach Sean Miller said. “UConn is in really great hands (with Hurley) with how hard their guys play … this will not be an easy place to get a win (in the future).”
Overall, the Wildcats shot 19-for-22 from the foul line, while the Huskies with just 8 of 13.
WHAT WENT WELL
Bright Lights, Big City: Big games appear to bring out the best in Cobb, who just about carried the UConn offense at times in the first half. Cobb had 10 points in the half, and the Huskies needed that inside lift after Josh Carlton picked up two early fouls and sat the final 17:23. The Huskies also got a lift from Sidney Wilson, who scored five quick points in the first half and finished with seven in his XL debut.
Hurley: “I think that Eric got off to a really good start offensively. … The good thing about Sid is he got us five (points) in that first half, but when we got back and watch the film, I think he gave up seven. We coach Sid every day when he was suspended, but there’s a different level of coaching you get when you are eligible to get on the court and being in the rotation.”
Cobb: “I felt like I (gave them) a spark, but we came up short and we have to focus on tomorrow. Getting better, that’s my main focus.”
Wilson: “Every game I feel I can make an impact. Just coming off the bench I tried to bring energy and I felt like I did that today. … It felt good first time being out in the XL Center – it was a great experience.”
Compete, Compete, Compete: A year ago, the Huskies would have folded in a game like this. They fought for 40 in this one, but just made too many mistakes to overcome the Wildcats. They can expect similar tests like this against Florida State and Villanova in the coming weeks, so we’ll see if they learn from it.
Hurley: “We won the Syracuse game. Obviously, we had out head up our butt vs. Iowa. But I told them we should have won this game. Credit Arizona. …Brandon Williams, Brandon Randolph and (Justin) Coleman had 32 points combined. We felt if we kept them under 35, we’d have a chance. But this like a mistake game and for us to allow Dylan Smith and (Ryan) Luther to score 20 points against us on the road – two role guys … you can’t take their key guys out and let their secondary guys beat you.”
WHAT NEEDS WORK
Handle with Care: In two losses this season, the Huskies have been sloppy with the basketball – finishing with 19 turnovers, which is one shy of the season high (20 vs. Syracuse). Vital and Adams were the biggest culprits with seven and five mistakes, respectively.
Hurley: “In the end, the turnovers got us. You got to take better care of the basketball especially against a team that does such a good job helping on dribble penetration.”
Cobb: “We let our fans down tonight. I just want all the fans to stay true to UConn – keep riding with us.”
Adams: “Sometimes it was just one of too much. I think instead of making a simple pass we’ll see kind of like fool’s gold and go for it. We have to stay solid.”
Crunch-time Shooting: The Huskies struggled to get to the line (13 trips) and didn’t do too well there making just eight shots. In contrast, Arizona basically won the game there going 19-for-22, which included 13-for-15 in the second half. Randolph was 9-for-9 (7-for-7 after the break).
Miller: “We had a lot of different players go to the line and deliver. It’s not easy to go to the free-throw line on an opponent’s court with the game on the line and deliver. It wasn’t one guy.”
Adams: “We can’t just jump up in the air and expect the refs to give us a call. We have to be more disciplined.”
MISC. NOTES
Miller is 8-0 against Dan and Bobby Hurley coached teams in the college ranks now. …. Miller and Dan Hurley both played at the XL Center as opposing players in the 1990s with Pittsburgh and Seton Hall, respectively. … In addition to recent verbal commit Akok Akok, the following recruits were in attendance: Putnam Science Academy’s DeMarr Langford, Hassan Diarra and Kareem Reid (2020) plus New Hampshire 2020’s Trey Hall and DYondre Dominguez and 2021’s Casey Simmons (Milton Academy) and Tyler Whitney-Sidney (Brooks School) Simmons and Whitney-Sidney also play for Mass Rivals.
UP NEXT
Wednesday, vs. Lafayette, at XL Center in Hartford, 6 p.m. (ESPNU)