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Fourth-Seeded Huskies Fall To San
Diego, 70-69, In Overtime
Box Score [pdf]
Statistics [pdf]
 TAMPA,
Fla. (March 21, 2008) – De’Jon Jackson hit a fadeaway jumper with 1.2
seconds remaining in overtime as 13th-seeded San Diego knocked off the
4th-seeded University of Connecticut, 70-69, in a 2008 Division I Men’s
Basketball Championship West Region First Round game at the St. Pete Times Forum
in front of 15,920.
The Huskies finish their season with a 24-9 record, while the Toreros advance to
the second round with a 22-13 record.
Connecticut had clawed all the way back from a 10-point second half deficit to
force overtime and had taken only their third lead of the game with nine seconds
remaining in overtime when Jerome Dyson (Rockville, Md.) made two free
throws. After a San Diego timeout, Jackson dribbled and faded back with
Stanley Robinson (Birmingham, Ala.) putting an outstretched hand in his
face, and made a jumper to put San Diego back in front. Connecticut’s inbounds
pass was intercepted by the Toreros and the Huskies had been defeated in the
first round of the NCAA Championship for the first time in 15 tries.
Connecticut played the final 34 minutes of regulation and overtime without
leading scorer and All-American guard A.J. Price (Amityville, N.Y.).
Price injured his knee with 9:39 to play in the opening half and never returned.
Jeff Adrien (Brookline, Mass.) led the Huskies with 18 points and 12
rebounds, good for his 33rd career and 17th season double-double. Dyson added 14
points in his best scoring performance since returning from a suspension due to
a violation of team rules. Hasheem Thabeet (Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania) had
14 points and blocked four shots.
The Huskies were out of sync offensively after Price was injured as the Toreros
quickly extended a 34-29 halftime lead to 10, at 44-34 with 14:37 left to play
in regulation. Connecticut turned up the defensive intensity and went on a 9-0
scoring spurt to draw within one, at 44-43. Robinson started the run with a
three-point play off of a pretty feed from Doug Wiggins (East Hartford,
Conn.). The Huskies were able to tie the score at 46 when Thabeet hit a free
throw. This was part of a personal streak of eight straight points scored by
Thabeet for the Huskies.
Brandon Johnson hit consecutive three-pointers to put San Diego back ahead
52-46, but the Huskies battled back once again. The Huskies knotted the score at
60 and forced overtime when Dyson made two free throws with 10.4 seconds
remaining. A last second lay-up by San Diego’s Clinton Houston was no good and
Thabeet corralled the rebound.
 In
the extra session, San Diego once again forged ahead with the first two baskets,
but Connecticut rallied to lead 67-66 with 43.6 seconds left in overtime on a
lay-up by Dyson off of a pretty pass by Adrien. Rob Jones made a lay-up with
24.9 seconds left to put San Diego back ahead, setting the stage for the end of
game heroics by Jackson.
Gyno Pomare led the Toreros with 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting, while Johnson
added 18 points.
Wiggins finished with a game-high five assists, while Craig Austrie
(Stamford, Conn.) chipped in with 10 points.
Connecticut out-rebound the Toreros 41-31, and dominated the interior, scoring
42 points in the paint.
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