Huskies Stumble at SMU

Brendan Adams (shown here in a previous home game vs. Temple)
 scored 11 points off the bench for the Huskies against SMU.

DALLAS—Despite a team-high 21-point performance by freshman James Bouknight, who went 9-for-14 from the floor, the UConn men's basketball team dropped a hard-fought contest to the SMU Mustangs, 79-75, in American Athletic Conference play at Moody Coliseum on Wednesday night. Three other UConn players finished the game in double-figures, starting with freshman Jalen Gaffney who was second on the scoresheet with 13 points. Brendan Adams scored 11 points and grabbed four rebounds off the bench, with Christian Vital chipping in 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

UConn got off to a fast start, opening up a 9-4 lead through the first four minutes. SMU quickly got back into the game and turned a five-point deficit into two-point lead. The Huskies and Mustangs exchanged baskets over the next few minutes until SMU took a 30-24 lead at the 3:38 mark. Vital drained a three with 38 seconds to pull UConn within five, but a free throw just before the half gave the home team a 38-32 lead at the break.

SMU stormed out of the locker room and opened up a 59-44 advantage with just over 11 minutes to go in the second. UConn, down 15, refused to go quietly – the Huskies blitzed the Mustangs with a 13-2 run to cut the deficit to four, capped off by Gaffney's triple from the right wing. The Mustangs were able to stop the run and push their lead back to double digits, but UConn kept coming and eventually cut its deficit to three with 3:01 to go following buckets from Gilbert and Isaiah Whaley.  

Feron Hunt pushed the SMU lead back to five with a pair of free throws, but Gilbert once again made it a one-possession game after drilling a trey at the end of the shot clock. Gaffney pulled the Huskies within 77-75 with 11 seconds remaining, but the Mustangs knocked down a pair at the stripe to close out the result.

THE SKINNY

On Deck

The Huskies now return home and will entertain the Memphis Tigers on Sunday. Tip-off at the XL Center will be at 3 p.m. It will be Bleed Blue Day, and fans unable to attend can catch the game on ESPN.

—Staff Reports