Gardner-Webb Falls, 89-72, In Rematch With UConn
November 20, 2007 | Men's Basketball
HARTFORD, Conn. – Connecticut used a considerable size
advantage to take a 15-point halftime lead, and topped a tired
Gardner-Webb team, 89-72, Tuesday night.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (4-3), playing their fifth game in a week,
shot just 36.2 percent for the game, and couldn't keep pace with
the much taller Huskies (4-1) – but did fight hard until the
final buzzer.
Connecticut got a combined 46 points from 7-foot-3, 265-pound
center Hasheem Thabeet (22 points, 14 rebounds) and 6-foot-7,
235-pound forward Jeff Adrien (24 points,14 rebounds), and
controlled the glass all night, out-rebounding Gardner-Webb by a
59-32 margin (26 offensive caroms).
Gardner-Webb refused to go quietly, despite the large halftime
margin, and Connecticut's 17-7 run to start the second half that
gave the Huskies a 65-40 lead after a Gavin Edwards' free throw
with 14:16 to play.
GWU trimmed the lead all the way back to 14 points rather quickly,
getting a tip in by Quincy Sarpy at the 9:54 mark to make the score
69-55. With Gardner-Webb's legs tiring, the staff chose to rest
four of the five starters over the last 14 minutes of play, but the
Bulldog reserves, paced by Matt French, Lu Dovonou, Takayo Siddle,
Dillon Boggs and Sarpy, kept battling – but couldn't cut any
further into the Connecticut lead.
Freshman Nate Blank paced GWU with a career-high 25 points,
knocking down six three-pointers and 9-of-17 shots total. The Terre
Haute, Ind., native also drew four charges.
Thomas Sanders battled fatigue to finish with 13 points and 13
rebounds, French added nine off the bench, while Aaron Linn and
Siddle each scored eight.
Connecticut got very little offense outside of the devastating
inside performance from Thabeet and Adrien – with guard Jerome
Dyson the only other Husky in double digits (10 points). UConn shot
45.9 percent from the floor in the game, scored 28 points on
second-chances opportunities and hit 19-of-30 shots from the free
throw line.
Gardner-Webb will break for Thanksgiving, but will face an even
tougher test when it returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 24, at No.
24 Clemson. Tip-off is set for Noon ET in Littlejohn Coliseum.
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