CONNECTICUT HUSKIES 81, DEPAUL BLUE DEMONS 67
Jeremy Lamb scored 25 points and Ryan Boatright added 19 to lead Connecticut to an 81-67 victory over DePaul on Tuesday in the opening round of the Big East tournament.
The ninth-seeded Huskies (19-12) will play eighth-seeded West Virginia in the second round on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.
Connecticut, the Big East tournament and national champion, had coach Jim Calhoun back on the bench for the second game. Underwent surgery back just eight days ago after missing eight games, of which the Huskies won only three.
PHOTO: PITT, SETON HALL, UCONN, NOVA'S MOVE TO SECOND ROUND
Calhoun looked like his old self during the game, getting up and down from his post and ran the judge at a whistle to make sure Boatright understood what he wanted him to do running the offense.
Cleveland Melvin and Moses Morgan had 19 points for the top-seeded Blue Devils of XVI (12-19), which ended the season losing 10 of their last 11.
This matchup has started five games in five days of husky for the title of the Conference who have followed with a six-game run to the National Championship.
This team doesn't have to carry him, Kemba Walker but the Huskies started shooting like a team destined to do great things in the postseason. They made their first seven attempts by 3 points and 7 of 9 from beyond the arc to take a 46-33 lead.
A 15-4 run to start the second half, capped by a 3 to Roscoe Smith, gave Connecticut a 61-37 lead 14:47 to play.
Unlike last year when the Huskies went on to win 71 97, the blue demons have found a way to make a game of it. An 11-0 run but I DePaul within 63-51 with 11:09 Play and the blue demons were able to get within 70-61 on a 3 by Morgan 7:15 to play with.
Lamb had four points in a 6-0 run that got the Huskies straightened and were never closer than 12 points the rest of the way in which the Blue Devils.
As good as the Connecticut was from behind the 3 point line (8 of 13) was terrible from the free throw line, making 11 of 24, including a 0 for 6 from freshman Center Andre Drummond.
The Huskies, who came in fourth position in the country with 6.7 blocks per game, 10 blocked shots against DePaul with Drummond and Oriakhi getting every four. DePaul shot just 32.4 percent from the field (23 71), the 12nd time in the last 21 games an opponent shoots against the Huskies on 40 percent.
10 Of 18 from the field, including 3 of 6 on 3s, finished lamb and Boatright was 5 of 9 overall and made his two attempts to 3 points. Boatright to his career high with seven assists.
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