Written By Adrian Beecher
Hartford, CT -Markus Kennedy scored 15 points and grabbed 6 rebounds to lead the SMU Mustangs to a 62-54 win over the UConn Huskies to win the 2015 American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament. Kennedy was named the tournaments Most Outstanding Player and with the win the Mustangs earned their spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1993.
UConn opened up the scoring with a jumper from Rodney Purvis with 18:08 left in the first half to give the Huskies their first and only lead of the game. SMU then went on a 7-2 run to give the Mustangs a 3-point lead at the 15:34 mark in the 1st half.
The next 8 minutes were a back and forth battle that saw SMU and UConn trading baskets, but Markus Kennedy scored 6 of the Mustangs next 8 points to give SMU a 15-10 lead with 8:45 left to play in the half.
It was at this point that the Huskies true struggles started, they missed their next four shots, which were all three-point attempts. With 4:09 left to play in the 1st half, the Mustangs had opened up a 13-point lead on the Huskies with the score 23-10.
The Huskies ended their scoring drought with two shots at the free throw line and 2 back to back 3-pointers from Purvis to make it 27-18 with 2:36 left in the half. However the Mustangs were able to match UConn shot for shot and SMU went into the locker room at the half pulling away from the Huskies with a 33-19 lead.
The Mustangs opened up the 2nd half with a quick 3-point play on a layup by Yanick Moreria in which he was fouled and made the shot from the charity strip to give SMU a 17 point lead on UConn.
UConn opened up the scoring with a jumper from Rodney Purvis with 18:08 left in the first half to give the Huskies their first and only lead of the game. SMU then went on a 7-2 run to give the Mustangs a 3-point lead at the 15:34 mark in the 1st half.
The next 8 minutes were a back and forth battle that saw SMU and UConn trading baskets, but Markus Kennedy scored 6 of the Mustangs next 8 points to give SMU a 15-10 lead with 8:45 left to play in the half.
It was at this point that the Huskies true struggles started, they missed their next four shots, which were all three-point attempts. With 4:09 left to play in the 1st half, the Mustangs had opened up a 13-point lead on the Huskies with the score 23-10.
The Huskies ended their scoring drought with two shots at the free throw line and 2 back to back 3-pointers from Purvis to make it 27-18 with 2:36 left in the half. However the Mustangs were able to match UConn shot for shot and SMU went into the locker room at the half pulling away from the Huskies with a 33-19 lead.
The Mustangs opened up the 2nd half with a quick 3-point play on a layup by Yanick Moreria in which he was fouled and made the shot from the charity strip to give SMU a 17 point lead on UConn.
With 13:11 left to play in regulation the Mustangs had extended their lead back to 17 after trading baskets with the Huskies and it was starting to look very bleak for UConn. However the Huskies would not back down, as they went on an 11-2 scoring run to make it an 8-point game with 7:27 left to play.
The Huskies would get as close as 5 points within the Mustangs, this came with 3:22 left in the game. The Huskies comeback was due in part to a 19 point second half by Rodney Purvis. Purvis finished the game with 29 points.
SMU head coach Larry Brown spoke about the determination of the Huskies postgame, “I just want to admire what Connecticut was able to do, after we got such a big lead and the character they showed to come back. It's never easy playing against Kevin, and it's amazing when you play in an atmosphere like this and you realize the tradition they have and you understand why.”
Unfortunately for the hometown faithful that showed up to see their Huskies play, it would be to little to late for UConn. After Purvis drilled a triple with 23 seconds left in the game, Cannen Cunningham hit his two free throws for SMU to make it an 8-point game with just 21 seconds left to play. Purvis then missed his next three-point attempt and Kennedy grabbed the rebound for the Mustangs to seal the Championship for SMU.
With the win, SMU clinches the American Athletic Conferences automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Mustangs were selected as a No. 6 seed and will play against the No. 11 seeded UCLA Bruins on Thursday March 19th in Lexington, Kentucky with a 3:10pm ET tipoff in the big dance.
The Huskies would get as close as 5 points within the Mustangs, this came with 3:22 left in the game. The Huskies comeback was due in part to a 19 point second half by Rodney Purvis. Purvis finished the game with 29 points.
SMU head coach Larry Brown spoke about the determination of the Huskies postgame, “I just want to admire what Connecticut was able to do, after we got such a big lead and the character they showed to come back. It's never easy playing against Kevin, and it's amazing when you play in an atmosphere like this and you realize the tradition they have and you understand why.”
Unfortunately for the hometown faithful that showed up to see their Huskies play, it would be to little to late for UConn. After Purvis drilled a triple with 23 seconds left in the game, Cannen Cunningham hit his two free throws for SMU to make it an 8-point game with just 21 seconds left to play. Purvis then missed his next three-point attempt and Kennedy grabbed the rebound for the Mustangs to seal the Championship for SMU.
With the win, SMU clinches the American Athletic Conferences automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Mustangs were selected as a No. 6 seed and will play against the No. 11 seeded UCLA Bruins on Thursday March 19th in Lexington, Kentucky with a 3:10pm ET tipoff in the big dance.