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 SMU's deep and talented frontcourt frustrated the Connecticut
Huskies on both ends of the floor, paving the way for the team's
first conference title in 27 years with a 62-54 win in the American
Athletic Conference championship game on Sunday.
SMU earned a No. 6 seed and will face No. 11 UCLA in the South
Region of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday in Charlotte, N.C.
"This is big for all of us," said senior guard Ryan Manuel, "not
just the seniors but it's as big for SMU as a school, as a
basketball program. When coach (Larry) Brown got here, he wanted us
to put it back on the map, and I think we made great strides in
that."
UConn (20-14), the defending national champion, came into the AAC
tournament needing four wins in four days just to return to the NCAA
Tournament. After falling just short of their goal, the Huskies are
headed to the National Invitation Tournament.
"It's postseason play," UConn coach Kevin Ollie said. "If it's NIT
or NCAA, they're going to learn from it and they're going to come
back better from it. I'm still coaching them the way I coach them,
they're still going to play the way they're going to play."
SMU (27-6) was expected to receive an at-large bid if it lost
Sunday, but the victory guaranteed it a spot in the NCAA Tournament
field after being one of the final teams left out last season.
"Last year at this time was about as disappointing as it could get,"
Brown said. "Fortunately we've got another opportunity, and didn't
have to get anybody to decide whether we're worthy or not."
As it had all weekend long, it was SMU's frontcourt that anchored
the win.
The conference's Sixth Man of the Year, Markus Kennedy, capped off a
strong weekend by leading his team with 14 points, one of four
Mustangs players in double figures. He earned the tournament's Most
Outstanding Player for his efforts. The 6-foot-10 junior and his
fellow forwards helped SMU to a 43-30 advantage on the glass, with
sophomore Sterling Brown pulling in 12 rebounds to lead the team.
Sophomore guard Rodney Purvis had 29 points and was the only UConn
player in double figures in scoring.
"I was trying to be aggressive and take what the defense gave me,"
he said.
For a while, it appeared this game would not be close. The SMU zone
defense that Connecticut had carved up for 81 points just two weeks
prior locked things down this time around, and the Mustangs took a
33-19 advantage into halftime by holding UConn to 5-of-24 shooting
(20.8 percent) from the floor over the opening 20 minutes.
The Huskies, who made more than 53 percent from the floor and
knocked down nine 3-pointers in that win, were just 2 of 13 from
beyond the arc in that first half.
Usual leading scorer Ryan Boatright would manage just seven points
on 1-of-12 shooting for the game.
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"I'm just disappointed in my play," he said. "I missed a lot of
shots that should be easy knock-down shots for me. I didn't show up
and be the player I know I can be, I can be better than that. But my
teammates fought, they played a tremendous game."
UConn made it a game in the second half by doing similar things on
the defensive end, thanks in large part to the presence of sophomore
Amida Brimah. The 7-foot center, limited to just four first-half
minutes because of foul trouble, played the entire second half,
blocking seven shots during that time and altering numerous others.
The Huskies were able to get within five points with just over three
minutes to play, but the Mustangs would hold on.
"He's a shot blocker, so it made it a little difficult," Manuel said
about the difference Brimah made in the second half. "UConn, they
have a tradition of coming back, and we knew they weren't going to
go down with a fight, so for us to stand there as a team and get the
win, it speaks to the maturity of our team."
It was SMU that was frustrated after halftime, going just 6 of 25
(24.0 percent) in the final 20 minutes, but it was enough to close
out the win.
UConn finished shooting 16 of 49 (32.7 percent) overall, with only
Purvis (11 of 22) able to get anything going for the Huskies.
NOTES: The game was Southern Methodist's first conference title
appearance since 1988, when it beat Baylor in the Southwest
Conference Tournament championship. ... The two teams split their
meetings during the regular season, with SMU winning 73-55 on its
home court while UConn took the return game 81-73. ... UConn senior
G Ryan Boatright, the conference's leading scorer during the regular
season at 17.7 points per game, left the game twice -- first after
being hit in the face in the first half and again after getting hit
in the shoulder in the second half. He returned after visiting with
the trainer for a few minutes both times.
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