King Richard
Hamilton scores 39 as No. 1 UConn crowns B.C.
Posted: Wednesday January 06, 1999 11:16 PM
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Hit the wall: Boston College guard Willie Deane (left) runs into Connecticut guard Khalid El-Amin AP |
BOSTON (AP) - The best player on the best team in the country had the highest scoring game of his career. Connecticut needed that offense from Richard Hamilton to make up for its shaky defense Wednesday night.
"'It's a step backwards," coach Jim Calhoun said after the top-ranked Huskies beat Boston College 91-78, their third smallest victory margin of the season. "We were giving up easy points, and bad habits stay with you."
But, for the second straight year at Boston College, Hamilton broke his career high.
He had 39 points as Connecticut won its 20th straight game over the Eagles. He scored 38 last Jan. 11 as the Huskies overcame a seven-point deficit five minutes into the second half and won 80-68.
"He likes Boston. He likes this gym," Boston College coach Al Skinner said. "You need to go ask him what it is and tell me so we can change it."
"I just enjoy playing here. That's all," said Hamilton, the reigning Big East player of the year and a preseason All-America. "Those were the most open shots I've had all year."
The Huskies (12-0, 4-0 Big East) got 15 points from Khalid El-Amin and 13 from Edmund Saunders. Hamilton went 14-of-19 from the field and made all five of his 3-pointers, including two as Connecticut scored the first 12 points and led 16-2. He also committed seven turnovers.
Boston College (3-9, 0-4) was led by Michael Cotton with a career-high 23 points and 12 rebounds, while Kenny Walls added 15. The last time the Eagles beat the Huskies was Feb. 23, 1988 at Boston Garden.
Connecticut led 48-39 at halftime then pulled away with a 14-4 run over the first four minutes of the second half to take a 62-43 lead. It reached a high of 21 points, 85-64, with 3:57 left.
The Eagles, who have nine freshmen and sophomores and no seniors, were surprisingly competitive against a team whose average victory margin had been 26.1
"It's clearly the best 40 minutes of basketball we've played this year," Skinner said. "We just can't play like this against the No. 1 team in the country. We've got to play like this against everyone."
Calhoun was far less satisfied with his team's performance in his 400th game as Connecticut's coach and was upset that the Huskies couldn't pour it on - as other teams have done - after taking a big early lead.
"I've watched Duke, Cincinnati, Maryland play. How do they do it?" Calhoun said. "Rip (Hamilton) had 39 points, which is nice, but we've had much more impressive performances."
The Huskies played the second half without starting forward Kevin Freeman, who hurt his lower left leg.
Calhoun improved his record at Connecticut to 282-118 after going 250-137 at Northeastern and is the only coach in Division I history with 250 wins at two schools.
Boston College actually outscored Connecticut 39-36 over the last 17 minutes of the first half. The Eagles, trailing 44-29, finished the half with a 10-4 spurt in which Cotton had six points.
But the Huskies got the first eight points of the second half on a 3-pointer and a running layup by El-Amin, and a three-point play by Hamilton, making the score 56-39.
With the score 62-43, Boston College chipped away with seven consecutive points, cutting the lead to 12.
The Huskies led 78-64, then went on another run as Hamilton hit a 3-pointer and a 12-footer and Ricky Moore made two free throws for an 85-64 lead.
Although the Eagles lost for the seventh time in eight games, the 13-point deficit was below the Huskies' victory margins in their previous three games. Against Fairfield, Villanova and Georgetown, Connecticut won by 35, 24 and 23 points.
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