No. 1 UConn Avoids UMass Upset

Top-ranked Connecticut was slowed, but not stopped by Massachusetts.

Forced to slow their usual uptempo style, the Huskies still managed to beat UMass 59-54 Wednesday night on clutch shooting by Richard Hamilton and Khalid El-Amin in the final minute.

"The word terrific doesn't come to mind, but the word lousy doesn't either," UConn coach Jim Calhoun said of his team's performance.

Hamilton, a preseason All-American who came in averaging 20 points, was held to 11 and Connecticut was forced to play mostly half-court basketball. But the Huskies still found a way to win.

UMass pulled within 55-52 on Ajmal Basit's dunk with 2:05 left, but a driving basket by Hamilton and two foul shots by El-Amin with 36 seconds left kept Connecticut on top.

Reserve Albert Mouring led UConn (7-0) with 13 points and El-Amin added 12.

Lari Ketner scored 15 points and Basit added 12 points and nine rebounds for UMass (1-4), which has lost four in a row since winning its opener over Niagara. It's the Minutemen's longest losing streak since 1990.

"If we can play this hard every night, we'll be in the (NCAA) tournament with UConn," said UMass guard Charlton Clarke. "We played with a lot of heart. Don't let the 1-4 fool you. We proved we can play with anybody tonight."

The Minutemen trailed 37-29 at halftime, but opened the second half with a 17-10 run to pull within one point. Ketner scored nine points during the spurt and Monty Mack made two consecutive 3-pointers.

But Hamilton answered with a 3-pointer from the corner and then made three free throws after being fouled on a 3-point attempt to give UConn a 55-48 lead with 3:42 remaining.

"I'm more impressed with our bench than our starters right now," Calhoun said. "Mouring made some big shots for us."

Connecticut looked nervous and tight before the loud UMass crowd in the opening minutes of the game. But the Huskies finall took a 21-19 lead after 12 minutes on a layup by Souleymane Wane.

Almost all the UMass players shaved their heads before the game in a unity gesture, and coach Bruiser Flint was encouraged by their effort against the nation's No. 1 team.

"We held a team that averages 90 points to 59, so we did the job on defense," he said.

Connecticut holds a 63-38 in the regional rivalry, which began in 1904 and is now billed as the U-game. The Minutemen last won 15 years ago.

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