There was really little doubt that UConn would win this game. Even if Seton Hall was at home, and had been on a five-game winning streak. The wins had come entirely against the bottom five teams in the Big East -- St. John's, Rutgers (twice), DePaul and Georgetown. The question about this game was: how would the Huskies look without the injured Jerome Dyson? The answer: decently, as UConn coasted to a 62-54 win.
UConn spent the first 10 minutes or so battling a bit with the Pirates. Then UConn started pulling away and never let Seton Hall get closer than five for the rest of the game. Hasheem Thabeet had a career game with 25 points, 20 rebounds and nine blocks. Jeff Adrien added a double-double of his own for UConn with 14 points and 15 rebounds.
Perhaps most importantly for UConn was that they shut down Seton Hall's most dangerous player, Jeremy Hazell. The Pirate guard has averaged 23 points, but was held to only 14 on 5-of-22 shooting. He was blanketed by UConn's guards all game and given no room to work. Center John Garcia actually was effective inside banging with Thabeet, as he produced 22 points and 13 rebounds, but no one else on the Seton Hall team could produce any reliable offense. Garcia shot 10-of-13, but the rest of the team shot 14-of-64 (21.9 percent).
UConn does have to be somewhat concerned, as they only went six deep in this game. Gavin Edwards only saw four minutes. Guards Donnell Beverly and Scottie Haralson never made it on the court. The Huskies still have some very tough games in the conference and little time to give the other reserves anything but a baptism by fire.
