College basketball

Big East: UConn's talent outdoes IU's 3s

By wire services
Published February 5, 2006

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Top-ranked Connecticut was too big, too strong and too a hostile environment or some pesky 3-point shooters end its winning streak. The Huskies simply overpowered another ranked opponent.

Rudy Gay quieted Indiana's crowd with 19 points and 12 rebounds and five other UConn players scored in double figures, leading the Huskies to an 88-80 victory Saturday over the No.22 Hoosiers.

"Coach always talks about being tough, going on the floor and taking advantage of every situation," Gay said. "If I didn't do that, the way they were shooting, they could have kicked it out and hit a 3. So that could have changed the game a lot."

In their first trip to Bloomington since 1938, the Huskies were erratic. They struggled with turnovers, committing seven in the first 12 minutes. They allowed Indiana to rally twice from double-digit deficits and couldn't seal the game until the final minutes, even after building a 20-point lead in the second half.

But Connecticut's talent managed to overcome those flaws, and the Huskies won their ninth straight and remained unbeaten in seven games against Top 25 teams this season.

Gay delivered inside and outside, and Josh Boone and Hilton Armstrong dominated the middle. Armstrong finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, and Boone added 16 points, six rebounds and three blocks.

All the Hoosiers could do was look for answers.

Playing again without forward D.J. White (foot), last year's Big Ten freshman of the year, Indiana had to rely almost exclusively on Marco Killingsworth inside. He finished with 15 points and six rebounds - not nearly enough for Indiana.

"That is a great basketball team, the best I've seen," Indiana coach Mike Davis said. The Hoosiers countered UConn's size by spreading the floor. But that didn't work, either. They shot 37.7 percent from the field and were 10-of-29 on 3-pointers. Marshall Strickland led Indiana with 16 points and five assists, and Roderick Wilmont added 14 points.

Indiana has played two No. 1 teams this season and lost to both by eight. Then-No. 1 Duke beat them 75-67 on Nov. 30. Indiana is 1-5 all time against top-ranked teams in Bloomington.

NO. 4 VILLANOVA 72, MARQUETTE 67: Allan Ray scored 28, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:54 left, to help the host Wildcats rally.

Villanova (17-2, 8-1) is off to its best start in conference history and needed an impressive comeback to reach that feat. Down seven with 3:30 left, Villanova went on a 12-0 run - highlighted by Ray's 3 - that left Marquette stunned after a game it should have won.

Villanova shot 32 percent, committed 14 turnovers and seemingly had no answer for Steve Novak, who thwarted nearly every Wildcats' rally with a 3-pointer.

Just not at the end when the Wildcats reverted to their normal form.

Also, Curtis Sumpter still hasn't decided whether he'll return to play for Villanova this season or take a medical redshirt after having two ACL surgeries on his left knee. He tore his ACL in a victory over Florida in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, then tore it again during a routine layup drill in October. He was third on the team in scoring last season with 15.3.

NO. 11 W. VA. 66, CINCY 57: Mike Gansey scored 14 and the host Mountaineers used a 13-2 second-half run to remain the only unbeaten conference team. The Mountaineers (17-4) are 8-0 in the Big East for the first time and have won 15 of 16 overall. West Virginia's Kevin Pittsnogle, whose wife gave birth to their first child Friday afternoon, scored 12, all on 3-pointers. Joe Herber, making his school-record 116th consecutive start, had 11 points.

LOUISVILLE 89, NOTRE DAME 86 (OT): Taquan Dean scored 20 - including a tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation - as the host Cardinals handed the Irish their eighth conference loss this season by a total of 26 points. David Padgett had 24 points for the Cardinals, who took a four-point lead in the overtime and held on. Notre Dame's Chris Quinn scored 31, but his running 3-point attempt with four seconds to go in overtime fell short.

PROVIDENCE 81, ST. JOHN'S 73: Sharaud Curry scored a game-high 19 and had five assists to lead the host Friars. Herbert Hill added 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor and 7-of-8 shooting from the line. Daryll Hill led five Red Storm players in double figures with 16.

[Last modified February 5, 2006, 01:23:11]