Feb. 11, 2007
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ATLANTA (AP) -Thaddeus Young scored 14 points and Georgia Tech won its third straight game, beating poor-shooting Connecticut 65-52 Sunday in a rematch of the two teams that met in the 2004 NCAA championship game.
Playing at the Georgia Dome, about a mile from the Yellow Jackets’ campus, Anthony Morrow scored 10 straight points in the first half to push Georgia Tech to a double-digit lead. Javaris Crittenton had nine in a row early in the second half, finishing off the Huskies.
Neither team is close to matching the squads that played for the title in San Antonio three seasons ago, a game won easily by the Huskies. On Sunday, both were trying to bolster their shaky credentials to get into the NCAA tournament.
Connecticut (15-9) has lost nine of 13 games since an 11-0 start, though the Huskies did bring a two-game winning streak into Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets (16-8) followed up a couple of home wins in the Atlantic Coast Conference with another victory at their home away from home, but an RPI in the low 50s still leaves plenty of work to do.
The Huskies hit only 17 of 55 shots (31 percent) from the field and weren’t much better at the free-throw line, going 12-for-21. Georgia Tech won easily despite shooting 43 percent (22-for-51), staying on top by making 17 of 18 free throws.
Morrow got Georgia Tech rolling with his first-half spurt. It started with a 3-pointer, then he got fouled while attempting another shot outside the arc and made all three free throws. Two more jumpers gave the Yellow Jackets a 30-17 lead with 3 minutes remaining.
UConn responded with an 8-0 run, but Young connected on a 3 at the buzzer to give Georgia Tech a 33-25 lead at the half.
Crittenton took control in the second half. The freshman point guard made a 3-pointer and drew gasps from the crowd when, on a fast break, he faked a behind-the-back pass before laying it in with his right hand.
After scoring again on the inside, Crittenton grabbed a loose ball at the defensive end and drew a foul when Gavin Edwards landed on top of him, fighting for control. Huskies coach Jim Calhoun was called a technical for complaining about the call, and Crittenton made both free throws for a 46-29 lead with 15 minutes remaining.
UConn never got closer than 10 the rest of the way.
Crittenton had 13 points, while Morrow and Mario West had 10 apiece.
Jerome Dyson and Jeff Adrien led the Huskies with 13 points apiece. No one else was in double figures.
