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Recap: UConn upsets the Hall on senior night, 69-58

Date: March 4, 2021

By: Rony Jerez

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Kathy Willens/Associated Press

No game had bigger implications and emotions than the game that just occurred at the Prudential Center. Big time teams win big time games. The Pirates have fallen short of delivering on must-win games the past two games on the road at Georgetown and at Butler, and you can now add the University of Connecticut to that list.

 

The Pirates fell in a gut-wrenching loss to the Huskies 69-58 at home, on senior night and on the only game of the season with fans in attendance. This game was the perfect storm for either a momentous night or a horrible nightmare.

 

The Pirates started off hot and took a 13-4 lead early in the first half. Jared Rhoden could not miss from the floor as he got bucket after bucket to fall. He led all scorers in the first half with 11 points and looked like it was going to be a prime game for Rhoden. Then during the middle of the first half, the lead shrunk by the minute as UConn mounted a raging comeback lead by their freshman big Adama Sanogo. He played big minutes for them as he was a forceful presence underneath the basket. The Pirates were up by one point 26-25 as the half was coming to a close.

This could have been a “saved by the bell” moment if they would have hung on to that one-point advantage, however, a turnover and a last second bucket by the Huskies capped an 8-0 run in the last 2:25 of the first half for UConn and put them up 27-26. Not only did that give them the lead, but it sucked the life out of the frail Pirate team. This was the turning point of the game and the Huskies never looked back.

 

UConn picked up right where they left off as they started the second half on a 6-0 run to begin to separate themselves from The Hall. The Huskies went on run after run and the Pirates were struggling to keep up after losing their lead. Rhoden went quiet and only had five points in the second half. Mamukelashvili had a below average first half with only eight points but he went on a tear in the final half and had 12 points to total for 20 points on the night. He was the only one to look desperate when the time was winding down. Mamukelashvili was the only senior in double figures as he finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds in his final game at the Prudential Center.

Myles Cale finished with nine points in 30 minutes of action. Shavar Reynolds ended the game with four points, seven rebounds and four assists. And Bryce Aiken had a rough night as he finished with four points and questionable decision as he taunted at the free throw line. Aiken at the line claimed he “never misses” and proceeded to miss the next two free throws after being perfect for the season. This moment is now being shared amongst major platforms like ESPN and Bleacher Report as it has now gone viral.

 

Coach Kevin Willard was very happy to see fans back in the building and talked about their senior night struggles, “We haven’t played well on senior nights, its gotten a bit emotional for us.”

 

This loss will prove costly for the Pirates as this almost surely solidifies them as the fourth seed in the Big East Tournament and could potentially knock them out of the NCAA dance floor.

Rony Jerez is an Assistant New Director for 89.5 FM WSOU, and can be reached at rony.jerez@student.shu.edu.

Posted in: Men's Basketball, Sports

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