By TERESA M. WALKER, AP Sports Writer
December 2, 2002
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Vanderbilt Commodores shut down Ben Gordon. They never found an answer for Emeka Okafor.
The 6-foot-9 sophomore scored a career-high 25 points and had 11 rebounds as 12th-ranked Connecticut beat Vanderbilt 76-70 Sunday night. He also blocked three shots in helping beat a team that heavily recruited him out of Houston's Bellaire High School.
``I was just doing what I always do,'' Okafor said of going to the basket. ``My jumper's opened things up for me to drive past someone, and they gave me more confidence.''
The Huskies (3-1) kept going to Okafor, and he showed some patience along with a nice jumper from outside. ``It's always been in the arsenal. I just got to use it,'' Okafor said.
In the only other Top 25 game Sunday, No. 19 Indiana beat North Texas 84-58.
Both Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun and Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings, who had heavily recruited Okafor, were impressed with his performance.
``He was really terrific tonight,'' Calhoun said. ``He's changed his game. He likes the jumpers, and I like the power moves he's got.''
Stallings credited Okafor with being the difference in a game where the Commodores limited Gordon to four points, well below his 19.4-point average.
``I didn't expect that or see that coming,'' Stallings said.
Connecticut led by as much as 11 and trailed only once as Okafor helped the Huskies control their first road game against a Vanderbilt squad that started three sophomores and got even younger when subbing in three freshmen.
The Commodores (3-1) also tied the game three different times but shot only 2-of-15 from 3-point range. They had been averaging 8.8 3-pointers through their first three games but snapped a 16-game nonconference winning streak at home for Vanderbilt, which had been an impressive 54-2 against non-Southeastern Conference opponents.
``We expected to win,'' Stallings said. ``We thought we would win. We really did. We just didn't play well enough. It's important to throw these guys in the fire because that's what they're going to face all season long.''
Vandy took its only lead when freshman Mario Moore capped a 17-5 run by stealing an inbounds pass and scoring on a layup to make it 54-53 midway through the second half. But Taliek Brown hit two free throws to take the lead back. He also had a steal and a layup when Vandy pulled within 59-58 with 6:23 left, the closest the Commodores would get down the stretch.
Brown finished with 15 points for Connecticut, Tony Robertson had 12 off the bench, and Denham Brown had 13, all in the first half.
``I think we played tough against a very good Vanderbilt team,'' Calhoun said. ``I really mean that.''
The Huskies beat Vandy 84-71 last season in Storrs, and forward Mike Hayes called the latest victory in this two-game series a big victory for their own young team.
``We made some errors, but we beat a good team on the road. It is going to help our RPI out.''
Matt Freije finished with 18 points for Vandy, Corey Smith 14 and Brian Thornton 13.
Freije hit Vandy's first 3 with 13:31 left, stretching the Commodores' streak to 508 games with at least one 3-pointer. UNLV and Princeton are the only other teams to hit at least one 3 per game since the shot was introducedin the 1986-87 season. No. 19 Indiana 84, North Texas 58
At Bloomington, Ind., Bracey Wright scored 21 points, and Jeff Newton had 15 points and 14 rebounds for Indiana.
Tom Coverdale added 17 points for the Hoosiers (4-0), playing for the first time since winning the Maui Invitational. Jermaine Green led North Texas (1-2) with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
Updated on Monday, Dec 2, 2002 1:25 am, EST
Email to a Friend | View Popular
|
