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Connecticut 72, Villanova 70

Posted: Friday March 08, 2002 01:09 AM

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NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Freshman Ben Gordon was the unlikely choice down the stretch for Connecticut.

Gordon scored 23 points and drained a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left as the 24th-ranked Huskies rallied for a thrilling 72-70 victory over Villanova in a Big East Conference tournament quarterfinal.

Gordons shot capped a 7-0 run to close the game for Connecticut. The Huskies (22-6) have won seven straight games and will face Notre Dame in Fridays semifinals.

Villanova (17-12) got a 3-pointer from Derrick Snowden with 2:50 remaining, but that was its final basket. Gordon made 1-of-2 at the line and freshman Emeka Okafor added a pair to pull Connecticut within 70-69 with a minute left.

The Huskies got back the ball and set up a play in which point guard Taliek Brown had Gordon and leading scorer Caron Butler available. Brown came off a screen by Butler and fed Gordon, who set his feet and calmly drained the jumper.

"The play we originally drew up, it kind of got messed up," Gordon said. "Caron had the instinct to set a screen on Talieks man. I fled down to the corner. My first instinct was to regain my balance. I was fortunate enough to make the shot." Brown had dribbled the shot clock down to seven seconds before starting the play.

"The play was for whoever was open," he said. "I could take it myself or give it to Caron. I saw Ben wide-open and he hit the shot." It was Gordons second clutch shot of the season as he nailed a game-winner in a 75-74 victory at Georgetown on February 19. The Big East All-Rookie selection helped the Huskies notch their first victory in four tries against Villanova in the conference tournament.

The Wildcats had one last chance and ran Gary Buchanan off a screen for an open 3-pointer at the top of the key. Buchanans jumper fell short and the Huskies stormed the court in celebration.

"I had a good look," Buchanan said. "(U-Conn center Emeka) Okafor jumped out on me. It went to the right. We just wanted the best available shot. It turned out it was a 3-pointer." Butler finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds for Connecticut, which shot 41 percent (26-of-64). Okafor added 11 reboards, but the Huskies were outrebounded, 42-40.

"This really is a good win for us," Huskies coach Jim Calhoun said. The good thing we did, obviously, was Ben made some big shots, along with Caron." The game was a see-saw affair from the start as the teams battled to a 37-37 halftime tie.

Villanova seemed to gain control with seven straight points, including a 3-pointer by Reggie Bryant for a 61-56 lead with 7:43 left.

The lead was still five when Buchanan connected on consecutive baskets for a 67-57 advantage with just over five minutes remaining. But Snowdens 3-pointer was the only basket the Wildcats got the rest of the way.

"We played hard but collapsed in the closing moments of the game," Villanova coach Jay Wright said. "We made a couple mistakes down the stretch, a couple bad decisions and shots." The game was a far cry from the last time the teams met, a 46-40 victory for Connecticut in Hartford on February 11. That was the second-lowest scoring game in Big East history, but the Wildcats chose to run with the Huskies in this one.

"Jay plays three different ways," Calhoun said. "He played us one way down in Villanova, played us a slow tempo at our place, then tonight just came out and played us. I thought Jay did a great job coaching." Buchanan, Bryant, Brooks Sales and Ricky Wright finished with 13 points apiece to lead Villanova, which had a three-game winning streak snapped. Sales also had 13 rebounds for the Wildcats, who likely are headed to the National Invitation Tournament.