Final: UConn Takes Down SMU, 68-62
HARTFORD, Conn. – Amida Brimah scored 16 points with eight rebounds to help UConn knock off No. 21 SMU 68-62 Thursday night in front of a sold-out crowd at the XL Center.
After struggling down the stretch against Temple and Tulsa, the Huskies (19-7, 9-4 American Athletic Conference) generated just enough offense to stop the Mustangs (21-4, 9-4).
Daniel Hamilton added 14 points and Shonn Miller had 12 for UConn, which beat SMU for just the second time in six meetings since they have become conference foes.Nic Moore led SMU with 14 points and Ben Moore added 13. Shake Milton and Sterling Brown each had 11.
Hamilton gave UConn a 64-55 lead on a 3-pointer with3:51to play, but SMU answered with a 7-0 run, with Nic Moore scoring at1:11to make it a two-point game, 64-62.
After blowing a double-digit lead and losing at Temple last week and barely beating Tulsa Saturday following a second-half collapse, Hamilton made sure the Huskies finished the job with a basket and two foul shots in the final 48 seconds.
UConn shot 51.9 percent in the second half and outscored the Mustangs 20-12 in the paint there. The Huskies held a 26-20 edge overall in paint points, with Brimah doing most of the work.
The teams were tied at 31-31 at the break, with Calhoun having his shot rim out at the buzzer. Brimah scored seven points with five rebounds and two blocks in the half, and also went without picking up a foul in 16 minutes.
UConn led by as many as seven points in the first half, with Calhoun giving them a 21-14 lead with 8:10 to go.
Sterling Brown hit back-to-back 3-pointers on an 8-0 run to bring the Mustangs back, and briefly even take a 22-21 lead. UConn pushed its lead to five twice in the final4:09of the half, but the Mustangs closed on a 9-4 run to even the score.
The Huskies shot 36.7 percent from the field and just 3 of 12 on 3-pointers, but had eight players figure in the scoring. SMU shot 46.2 percent and was 3-for-5 on 3-pointers. Nic Moore led the way with seven points.
NOTES: SMU leads The American in scoring (79.4), field goal percentage (50.1, 5th NCAA) and 3-point percentage (42.3, 3rd NCAA). … This was the Huskies last game in Hartford for the regular season. UConn still hosts Houston (Feb. 28) and Central Florida (March 6) at Gampel Pavilion. … Prior to the game, Purvis received a commemorative ball from Ollie for scoring his 1,000th college point, which came against Tulsa on Saturday, … Sam Cassell Jr. (shin splints) saw his first action after sitting the last four games. The junior guard briefly played in the first half.