It’s been a tough go of late in Storrs, Conn., from Jim Calhoun’s retirement to NCAA probation to Connecticut getting rejected by the ACC. And Tuesday night, a three-minute lapse in intensity cost the Huskies in a 69-65 loss to North Carolina State at the Garden, a Wolfpack win fittingly enough in the Jimmy V Classic named after their late coach.
No. 25 N.C. State (5-2) had opened the season No. 6 in the polls but plummeted after showing defensive frailties. But against a UConn team hardly as talent-rich as usual, silky C.J. Leslie and burly Richard Howell each had a team-high 16 points to carry the Wolfpack in the waning minutes.
“When you sign up to this program you have to respect the history that came before you,’’ said Leslie, who added 13 boards and four assists. “Us playing in [Valvano’s] tournament and getting a great win, this is for him, too. I’m sure he’s throwing his Wolfpack sign in his grave.’’
Valvano led the Wolfpack to the 1983 national title before dying of cancer in 1993. The V Foundation continues to raise money to help fight the disease.
The Wolfpack paid homage to their history, after the 6-foot-8, 257-pound Howell had seven of their 11 second-half offensive boards. They broke a 53-all tie with six straight points and seized a lead they never relinquished. But the question is, can UConn (6-2) keep up its own proud history?
“We lost our intensity in the second half,’’ said Shabazz Napier, who had a game-high 19 points. “They got a lot of offensive rebounds. We got to lot of loose balls in first half, a lot of rebounds. When you come out in second half don’t pick yourself up or your teammates, you fall short. “The intensity wasn’t there, we let down big time. We just weren’t ready in the second half.’’
Ryan Boatright, who had 18 points, six rebounds and four assists for UConn, added “I feel like we lost that game. … For us to be right there in the second half, we let it slip away: 50-50 balls, not executing, shot-clock violations.’’
After Boatright tied the score at 53 with a layup with 6:34 left, Leslie hit a pair of foul shots, Howell had a tip-in and then Leslie had a dunk for a 59-53 lead with 4:16 to play. It was UConn’s only hiccup, but it cost them.
“Toughness is a talent and we’re going to keep that talent at level five,’’ said UConn coach Kevin Ollie. “It’s not going to be perfect. Our margin for error is not big and everybody in this room knows it, but we’re going to play tough.’’
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One of the country’s biggest surprises, No. 15 Georgetown handed Texas a 64-41 loss. Otto Porter had 14 points, eight boards and three blocks, and junior forward Nate Lubick added 13 on 6-of-7 shooting for the Hoyas (6-1), the only Top 25 squad without a senior. Texas fell to 4-3.