Newton Big East Player of the Year
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
By Samori Benjamin
The reigning National Champion UConn Huskies began their post season in dominant style on Thursday afternoon with an 87-60 win over the #9 seed Xavier Musketeers in the quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden Thursday afternoon. One day after narrowly edging out the Butler Bulldogs in the opening round of the event Xavier kept the pace with the Huskies for 20 minutes and trailed by one at halftime before being outscored 48 to 27 in the second half. Xavier’s three-pronged guard attack of Quincy Olivari, Davion McKnight, and Desmond Claude who combined for 65 of Xavier’s 76 points the day before, produced just 37 points in this one. “Just because we’re a nine seed doesn’t mean anything,” Quincy Olivari said after the game. “We were competing in that first half, and I told everybody last night, like to unpack your bags because we staying. Just to maintain confidence.”
That would not be the case for The Musketeers as Connecticut had as balanced an attack as a team can have with six players scoring in double figures with no player scoring more than 13. “I think Danny and his staff have put together an incredible team. I personally think they’re better this year than last year,” Xavier head coach Sean Miller said about UConn head coach Danny Hurley after the game. “Their offensive efficiency, and their scoring punch, and their balance is just at another level this year than it was last year.”
The reigning champions have a date with the St Johns Red Storm late Friday afternoon in the Semi-Finals.
