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Notes & Quotes: UConn Defeats Georgetown

Rodney Purvis led the Huskies with 17 points in the big win at the XL Center.
Rodney Purvis led the Huskies with 17 points in the big win at the XL Center.

HARTFORD, Conn. – Rodney Purvis broke out of a three-game scoring slump with 17 points and the UConn defense made the plays when it needed to in beating former Big East rival Georgetown 68-62 Saturday afternoon in front of a sellout crowd at the XL Center.


Here’s a look at how things went down:


WHAT WORKED

1. BEASTS IN THE EAST: What better way to win against an old friend than with stingy defense? The Huskies held Georgetown without a point in the final 4:32 and Purvis made a key steal with 18 seconds left to secure the win. Overall, UConn scored 15 points off 12 Hoya turnovers and kept top scorer D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera to a quiet 12 points on 4-for-14 shooting.

UCONN COACH KEVIN OLLIE’S TAKE:“We shot a low percentage, but our defense was strong and that’s what we hang our hats on. It was just an unbelievable job by our players.”


2. PHIL-LING ALRIGHT: There’s no flash to his game and he certainly wouldn’t be called on to hit the game-winning shot, but senior center Phil Nolan sure knows how to take a charge, which he did with 2:44 to play against Tre Campbell and the Huskies down 62-61. Nolan went to the other end and made both foul shots – the second basically winning the game since Georgetown wouldn’t score again. Nolan finished with six points, three rebounds and was a tremendous asset guarding Smith-Rivera.

OLLIE’S TAKE:“Phil was just doing a hell of a job. I can’t teach his footwork. His defensive mind, he just knows all our principles.”


3. IT’S RODNEY: It’s been a rough recent stretch for Purvis, who scored a combined 13 points in the previous three games and lost his spot in the starting lineup. But Purvis broke out of his offensive slump with 11 first-half points and came up big at the foul line making 7-for-8 there. He also had a timely steal at the end.

PURVIS’ TAKE: “Nothing changed, I got a haircut for this game instead of last game, so I guess that’s how I am a new player. I just come out and try to bring a lot of energy to the team. Whether it’s starting or coming off the bench, I just want to help the team win.”


4. SHARP SHOOTERS: The offense went in the tank, but the Huskies didn’t let that stop them from attacking the basket and getting to the foul line – 20-for-25 in the second half and 29-for-36 overall. Sterling Gibbs was huge there, going 9-for-12 on the way to 16 points. Shonn Miller (15 points) was 5-for-7 and Daniel Hamilton (11 points) went 5-for-5.

GIBBS’ TAKE: “Coach went over it a lot this week and we just really wanted to attack them. I felt their guards had a little trouble staying in front of us, so we just kind wanted to make them pay for it.”


5. FAN SUPPORT: Ollie and the players all raved about the atmosphere at XL Center, especially in the final minutes as the Huskies pulled away. Even opposing coach John Thompson III was impressed.

JT III’S TAKE: “It’s just a normal Big East game, that’s what it. That’s what Georgetown-Connecticut is about. I don’t know any other atmosphere up here.”



Phil Nolan delivered another gritty performance and kept the Huskies alive with some timely plays down the stretch.
Phil Nolan delivered another gritty performance and kept the Huskies alive with some timely plays down the stretch. (Ian Bethune)

WHAT NEEDS WORK


1. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OFFENSE? The Huskies shot 50 percent from the field in the first half, but went cold in the second, opening 1-for-16 and finishing just 4-for-21. Overall, they shot 36.2 percent (17-for-47) and really needed their defense and foul shots to bail the Huskies out.

OLLIE’S TAKE:“The last four-and-a-half minutes they didn’t score a bucket and we kind of came out in the second half and were 1-for-16 (from the field), but we stuck in there. It’s about being thirty (seconds) tough for 40 minutes.”


NOTES: Calhoun made his first start of the season, replacing Jalen Adams in the lineup. … The Huskies will play at Georgetown next season as part of the two-year agreement. … Calhoun scored 13 points in his only previous game against the Hoyas, which came his freshman season. Nolan also played in that game, which the Hoyas won 79-78 in double overtime. … Nolan started his third straight game. …. Athletic director Warde Manuel, who has been linked to the same job at the University of Michigan, was not at the game because he was attending a conference at the Sports Management Institute in Austin, Texas. … Thursday’s game against Cincinnati has been switched from ESPN to ESPNU. … Hamidou Diallo and 2016 UConn recruit Mamadou Diarra attended the game.

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