Spencer scores 25 points, Newton has a triple-double and top-ranked UConn beats Villanova 78-54
STORRS, Conn. (AP) UConn coach Dan Hurley believes he has the best backcourt in the Big East and was confident his guards would not let the Huskies lose two games in a row.
Cam Spencer tied his season high with 25 points, Tristen Newton recorded his fourth career triple-double and top-ranked Connecticut bounced back from its first defeat since December with a 78-54 win over Villanova on Saturday night.
Newton, who assisted on a 3-pointer from Alex Karaban with 25 seconds to go, finished with 10 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists for the Huskies (25-3, 15-2 Big East), who lead the Big East by two games in the loss column with three to play in the regular season.
The Huskies have not won a regular-season conference title since 2006.
“We are the best team in the country, we believe that,” Newton said. “And you know losing is never a good thing and we're not trying to lose back-to-back games.”
Stephon Castle had 14 points for UConn and Donovan Clingan added 13.
Eric Dixon scored 20 points and TJ Bamba had 13 for Villanova (15-12, 8-8), which had won three straight and four of its last five games.
Four days after giving up 85 points in a 19-point loss to Creighton, the Huskies held the Wildcats to 33% shooting, including three of 24 from 3-point range.
Villanova’s Brendan Hausen came into the game having scored in double figures in five straight games and was shooting 54% from the field in February. UConn held him scoreless on just two shots in 18 minutes.
“I definitely wanted to respond tonight personally,” Spencer said. “But, I think as a team we wanted to respond, because that wasn't the standard that we're capable of playing.”
UConn led 31-21 at the half. But a 3-pointer by Dixon five minutes into the second half cut that lead to 38-33.
It was 45-40 when Spencer drained one of his five 3-pointers and followed with a traditional 3-point play. That highlighted a 14-1 run that gave the Huskies a 59-41 lead.
“Him and Triston have been as good as any guards in the league this year,” Hurley said. “It's going to be tough - postseason awards. It's going to be tough to differentiate for our guys, because they've all been so damn good.”
BIG PICTURE
Villanova: The Wildcats came into the game needing a win to boost their NCAA Tournament resume. They have four games left, including a contest at home against No. 15 Creighton to close the season on March 9.
“We've got to get better,” coach Kyle Neptune said. “We've got to go back, watch the film, learn from this and try to get better.”
UConn: The Huskies retired the No. 32 of former star Richard “Rip” Hamilton at halftime. Hamilton scored 2,036 points in his three seasons at UConn and led the Huskies to the first of their five national titles in 1999. He joins Ray Allen, Rebecca Lobo and Swin Cash as the only UConn players to have their numbers retired. The school says Clingan will be allowed to continue wearing the number.
UP NEXT
Villanova: The Wildcats return home to host Georgetown on Tuesday night.
UConn: The Huskies don't play again until March 3, when they host Seton Hall.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Eric Dixon vs. Donovan Clingan (Huskies gains possession) | |||
19:39 | +3 | Stephon Castle makes three point jump shot (Tristen Newton assists) | 0-3 | |
19:15 | Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot | |||
19:13 | Tristen Newton defensive rebound | |||
18:56 | Stephon Castle misses three point jump shot | |||
18:54 | Mark Armstrong defensive rebound | |||
18:44 | Stephon Castle blocks TJ Bamba's two point layup | |||
18:42 | Wildcats offensive rebound | |||
18:37 | Eric Dixon misses two point hook shot | |||
18:35 | Huskies defensive rebound | |||
18:27 | Stephon Castle turnover (bad pass) (Eric Dixon steals) | |||
18:22 | Eric Dixon misses two point dunk | |||
18:20 | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | |||
18:01 | Stephon Castle turnover (lost ball) (Hakim Hart steals) | |||
17:51 | +2 | Eric Dixon makes two point layup | 2-3 | |
17:38 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
17:36 | Stephon Castle offensive rebound | |||
17:31 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
17:29 | Donovan Clingan offensive rebound | |||
17:25 | +2 | Donovan Clingan makes two point layup | 2-5 | |
16:57 | TJ Bamba misses three point jump shot | |||
16:55 | TJ Bamba offensive rebound | |||
16:51 | Hakim Hart misses three point jump shot | |||
16:49 | Cam Spencer defensive rebound | |||
16:29 | Hakim Hart blocks Stephon Castle's two point layup | |||
16:27 | Hakim Hart defensive rebound | |||
16:17 | +2 | Eric Dixon makes two point layup | 4-5 | |
15:52 | TJ Bamba blocks Alex Karaban's two point layup | |||
15:50 | Donovan Clingan offensive rebound | |||
15:48 | Eric Dixon personal foul (Donovan Clingan draws the foul) | |||
15:48 | TV timeout | |||
15:42 | Cam Spencer misses three point jump shot | |||
15:40 | Samson Johnson offensive rebound | |||
15:21 | +3 | Tristen Newton makes three point jump shot | 4-8 | |
14:51 | Samson Johnson shooting foul (Eric Dixon draws the foul) | |||
14:51 | +1 | Eric Dixon makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 5-8 | |
14:51 | +1 | Eric Dixon makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 6-8 | |
14:32 | Cam Spencer misses three point jump shot | |||
14:30 | Jordan Longino defensive rebound | |||
14:13 | +2 | TJ Bamba makes two point layup | 8-8 | |
13:41 | Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot | |||
13:39 | TJ Bamba defensive rebound | |||
13:31 | Samson Johnson blocks TJ Bamba's two point layup | |||
13:29 | Wildcats offensive rebound | |||
13:29 | Wildcats 30 second timeout | |||
13:19 | Brendan Hausen misses three point jump shot | |||
13:17 | Huskies defensive rebound | |||
12:51 | Tristen Newton misses two point jump shot | |||
12:49 | Justin Moore defensive rebound | |||
12:40 | +2 | Justin Moore makes two point hook shot | 10-8 | |
12:22 | +2 | Stephon Castle makes two point jump shot | 10-10 | |
11:43 | Alex Karaban blocks Tyler Burton's two point jump shot | |||
11:41 | Tristen Newton defensive rebound | |||
11:34 | +2 | Samson Johnson makes two point layup (Hassan Diarra assists) | 10-12 | |
11:06 | TJ Bamba misses three point jump shot | |||
11:04 | Samson Johnson defensive rebound | |||
10:56 | Hassan Diarra misses three point jump shot | |||
10:55 | Samson Johnson offensive rebound | |||
10:55 | Samson Johnson turnover (traveling) | |||
10:54 | TV timeout | |||
10:32 | Eric Dixon misses two point jump shot | |||
10:30 | Cam Spencer defensive rebound | |||
9:59 | Hassan Diarra misses three point jump shot | |||
9:57 | Eric Dixon defensive rebound | |||
9:50 | Hassan Diarra personal foul (Brendan Hausen draws the foul) | |||
9:37 | Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot | |||
9:35 | Jaylin Stewart defensive rebound | |||
9:27 | +2 | Donovan Clingan makes two point layup (Stephon Castle assists) | 10-14 | |
8:56 | Donovan Clingan blocks Eric Dixon's two point layup | |||
8:54 | Huskies defensive rebound | |||
8:31 | Stephon Castle misses three point jump shot | |||
8:29 | Mark Armstrong defensive rebound | |||
8:07 | Eric Dixon misses two point jump shot | |||
8:05 | Tristen Newton defensive rebound | |||
7:45 | +3 | Cam Spencer makes three point jump shot (Tristen Newton assists) | 10-17 | |
7:18 | Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot | |||
7:16 | Tristen Newton defensive rebound | |||
7:08 | Donovan Clingan misses two point layup | |||
7:06 | Eric Dixon defensive rebound | |||
6:50 | +2 | TJ Bamba makes two point layup | 12-17 | |
6:26 | Jaylin Stewart misses three point jump shot | |||
6:24 | Tristen Newton offensive rebound | |||
6:10 | Justin Moore shooting foul (Donovan Clingan draws the foul) | |||
6:10 | TV timeout | |||
6:10 | Donovan Clingan misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
6:10 | +1 | Donovan Clingan makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 12-18 | |
5:56 | +3 | Justin Moore makes three point jump shot (Lance Ware assists) | 15-18 | |
5:29 | +3 | Cam Spencer makes three point jump shot | 15-21 | |
5:08 | +2 | Mark Armstrong makes two point jump shot | 17-21 | |
4:43 | Stephon Castle misses three point jump shot | |||
4:41 | Justin Moore defensive rebound | |||
4:24 | Stephon Castle blocks TJ Bamba's two point jump shot | |||
4:22 | Tristen Newton defensive rebound | |||
4:18 | Mark Armstrong shooting foul (Stephon Castle draws the foul) | |||
4:18 | +1 | Stephon Castle makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 17-22 | |
4:18 | +1 | Stephon Castle makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 17-23 | |
4:02 | Cam Spencer personal foul (TJ Bamba draws the foul) | |||
3:51 | Alex Karaban blocks Jordan Longino's two point layup | |||
3:49 | Cam Spencer defensive rebound | |||
3:40 | Tristen Newton turnover (bad pass) | |||
3:40 | TV timeout | |||
3:28 | Alex Karaban blocks Hakim Hart's two point layup | |||
3:26 | Tristen Newton defensive rebound | |||
3:15 | +3 | Cam Spencer makes three point jump shot (Tristen Newton assists) | 17-26 | |
3:00 | Mark Armstrong misses two point layup | |||
2:58 | Samson Johnson defensive rebound | |||
2:53 | Tristen Newton turnover (lost ball) (Mark Armstrong steals) | |||
2:48 | +2 | TJ Bamba makes two point dunk (Hakim Hart assists) | 19-26 | |
2:18 | Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot | |||
2:16 | Eric Dixon defensive rebound | |||
2:01 | Mark Armstrong misses three point jump shot | |||
1:59 | Alex Karaban defensive rebound | |||
1:51 | +3 | Tristen Newton makes three point jump shot (Cam Spencer assists) | 19-29 | |
1:51 | Wildcats 30 second timeout | |||
1:38 | Tristen Newton personal foul | |||
1:18 | +2 | Eric Dixon makes two point jump shot (Hakim Hart assists) | 21-29 | |
0:46 | +2 | Tristen Newton makes two point jump shot | 21-31 | |
0:16 | TJ Bamba misses three point jump shot | |||
0:14 | Tristen Newton defensive rebound | |||
0:02 | Stephon Castle misses two point layup | |||
0:00 | Eric Dixon defensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |