Spring Break
A Texas-sized beatdown
Price, Adrien help Huskies crush A&M, advance to Sweet 16
Marc Gauthier
Issue date: 3/23/09 Section: Sports
PHILADELPHIA - During under 12-minute media timeout, Jim Calhoun got up from his seat and looked for an official to complain to about a traveling call on A.J. Price. After missing Thursday's game against Chattanooga, the UConn coach made his presence known on the sidelines Saturday.
But with or without their Hall of Fame coach on the sideline, the Huskies continued their exceptional play en route to a 92-66 win over Texas A&M.
It wasn't the 56-point beatdown they put on Chattanooga, but nonetheless, the Huskies sent a message.
"Well this should be a message sent, showing we are a good team," Price said. "We've beaten them impressively. But, like I said, it wasn't our goal to come in and try to blow teams out or show anybody up. We just wanted to come out and play as best as we could play, and we've done that these first two games."
Right from the tip-off, the Huskies seemed to have control of the game. Jeff Adrien led the charge with a quick bucket on the Huskies' first possession, and then came down with a block on the first defensive possession. Adrien scored four more points in the Huskies' 10-0 run to start the game.
The Aggies responded with an 8-4 run of their own, bringing the score to 14-8, but that was the closest they would come.
While the Huskies seemed to be firing on all cylinders, Hasheem Thabeet only had a few touches on the offensive end in the first half.
With a few early fouls, Calhoun took out Thabeet after seven minutes of play and gave his center a motivational talk.
"Coach was telling me that we can't afford to have me on the bench," Thabeet said. "He said I needed to be ready to go back in and play at anytime and when I do, I need to go play my best."
In Thabeet's absence, every player who came into the game seemed to have a big impact. Gavin Edwards came in for Thabeet and turned out a six-point first half to go along with several key offensive rebounds that led to second-chance points.
But with or without their Hall of Fame coach on the sideline, the Huskies continued their exceptional play en route to a 92-66 win over Texas A&M.
It wasn't the 56-point beatdown they put on Chattanooga, but nonetheless, the Huskies sent a message.
"Well this should be a message sent, showing we are a good team," Price said. "We've beaten them impressively. But, like I said, it wasn't our goal to come in and try to blow teams out or show anybody up. We just wanted to come out and play as best as we could play, and we've done that these first two games."
Right from the tip-off, the Huskies seemed to have control of the game. Jeff Adrien led the charge with a quick bucket on the Huskies' first possession, and then came down with a block on the first defensive possession. Adrien scored four more points in the Huskies' 10-0 run to start the game.
The Aggies responded with an 8-4 run of their own, bringing the score to 14-8, but that was the closest they would come.
While the Huskies seemed to be firing on all cylinders, Hasheem Thabeet only had a few touches on the offensive end in the first half.
With a few early fouls, Calhoun took out Thabeet after seven minutes of play and gave his center a motivational talk.
"Coach was telling me that we can't afford to have me on the bench," Thabeet said. "He said I needed to be ready to go back in and play at anytime and when I do, I need to go play my best."
In Thabeet's absence, every player who came into the game seemed to have a big impact. Gavin Edwards came in for Thabeet and turned out a six-point first half to go along with several key offensive rebounds that led to second-chance points.
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