Game 7: Dec. 10, 2002
UConn 59 UMass 48
Rashad Anderson came into this game averaging just two points and five minutes per contest in his young career. That all changed in the second half, when his shooting brought the Huskies back from an embarrassing 30-9 deficit at the break. As bad as the first half was for UConn, the second half was just as beautiful. UConn outscored UMass 50-18 behind Anderson’s shooting — a sign of things to come for the freshman.
By the by, UConn went on a 29-2 run (with a 20-0 run included) in the second half. How great is that?
UConn Starting Lineup:
G. Taliek Brown
G. Ben Gordon
F. Denham Brown
F. Mike Hayes
C. Emeka Okafor
Three game observations:
- You remember how bad the first half of this game was, right? Well, it was worse than you recall. Dumb shots. Lazy defense. A chorus of boos raining down in Hartford oh god make it stop
- I’m going to go all Bill Walton and say that no one in the history of western civilization could catch and shoot better than Rashad Anderson. Related: This was Rashad’s breakout, but Gordon and Denham Brown both hit BIG threes in the second half as well. Related to that: Denham Brown once scored 111 points in a high school game. Bet you didn’t know that! (sarcasm)
- As bad as this game was early on, it could have been so much worse. At one point, I counted the Minutemen at 2-11 from the foul line.
Three other observations:
- Kenny Albert was on the call for this one. Now’s as good a time as many to remind you all that I once broadcasted a game with him.
- Not an observation, but a note: Tyler (old) was a UConn student at this time and watched from his dorm room. Please shame him.
- This appears to be the early stages of the Ben Gordon goatee era:
Russ’s descent to insanity status:
Pretend I’m UConn here:
Random artifact from Russ’s room:
Dog
Gratuitous old UConn thing:
Time of Marathon (so far): 10:21:35
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