UConn sports

Still stunned by the egg the Huskies laid in New York?

Just about to leave the Garden but are a few more quotes and notes after St. John’s 73, UConn 51.

– Another 1-and-done in New York for the Huskies. That’s six straight losses in this tourney and five straight years of wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am.

– In case you missed it, it was UConn’s worst defeat in this event since a 93-62 loss to Georgetown in 1985.

– UConn’s last loss to St. John’s was at MSG on Feb. 9, 2002, an 85-83 overtime loss to the Johnnies. It had won nine consecutive meetings between the schools since then.

– All of the Huskies were quiet and sullen after the game. But none seemed as down as Jerome Dyson.

Obviously his second straight game with just four points will do that. He also had nine turnovers against the Red Storm.

“Me personally I played like (crap),” Dyson said.

One writer asked Dyson if he was “confused” on the court Tuesday.

“I don’t know if I was confused, it’s just I didn’t know what was going on,” Dyson said. “I can’t really put it into words. I turned the ball over too many times. I couldn’t get a shot. It’ll be a game I’ll never forget.”

Dyson has scored 1,597 points in his UConn career.

Over his last three games, however, he’s6-of-26 from the floor with 16 turnovers. He’s 0-for-7 on 3-pointers.

He’s always fighting some minor injury, but is Dyson’s healthy?

“Somewhat,” Dyson said. “But I don’t know. The last couple games I’ve been playing terrible.”

Dyson admitted he had it tough sitting the final 16 minutes against USF on Saturday.

“It hurt,” Dyson said. “My last regular season Big East game in my career and I was on the bench.”

Dyson has never played on a team that won a postseason game in his UConn career.

– UConn’s last trip to the Garden was a loss, too, but it was sort of a positive loss.

“The last time we were here we got beat on a (John) Wall layup with 40-something seconds to go against Kentucky,” Calhoun said, “and I thought the season would not turn out the way it ended today.”

– Someone asked Calhoun why he was so un-animated on the sidelines in the second half, choosing to sit silently for long stretches.

“They had eight dunks in the lane,” Calhoun said. “I’m just not sure how many of those I would have blocked if I had been jumping and yelling.”

– Something I didn’t realize until reminded by a colleague (an intelligent, experience albeit directionally-challenged colleague from Manchester) that this is the first year in a decade UConn hasn’t put a single player on either of the first two All-Big East teams.

The 2000-01 season was the last time no Huskies made either the first or second team. That year Caron Butler made the third team.

This year Jerome Dyson and Kemba Walker made the third team.

UConn had player or players on the first team in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2009. It “settled” for putting guys on the second team in 2005 and 2007.

- Neill

The Big East just announced its major awards:

Player of the year _ Wes Johnson, Syracuse

Coach of the year _ Jim Boeheim, Syracuse

Rookie of the year _ Lance Stephenson, Cincinnati

Scholar-athlete of the year _ Tim Abromaitis, Notre Dame

- Neill

After his team’s 73-51 loss to St. John’s Tuesday afternoon UConn coach Jim Calhoun tried to clear the air about his future with the Huskies.

An SNY television show intimated that Calhoun had decided to retire at the end of the season.

“It never entered my mind,” Calhoun said. “I was made aware of the story. It had nothing to do with anything and was not based on any substantive fact.”

Calhoun said like every year he will wait for a few weeks after the season ends and contemplate his future.

Yet another story indicated that Calhoun was refusing to step down because UConn AD Jeff Hathaway and President Michael Hogan refused to allow Calhoun to hand pick his successor.

“One of them I haven’t talked to in a year, the other one I haven’t talked to about that situation or about my future in maybe eight months,” Calhoun said.

Calhoun certainly is coaching the Huskies right now.

“I’m in the business of trying to recruit players to UConn,” Calhoun said. “I love the school and I still love coaching.”

The coach also said he very well may sign a new contract with UConn soon. His current deal expires in June.

“Yes there is a contract offer out there,” Calhoun said. “I haven’t seen the final copy but it’s out there, yes.”

– As for the current season and the team, Calhoun hinted the Huskies may refuse a bid to the NIT and allow the season to end.

“I have great respect for that (the NIT). I’ve never thought about turning it down,” Calhoun said. “But I think it’s a good time to sit down with myself, my staff and think about what we want to do going forward.”

The Huskies’ woeful effort Tuesday obviously was fresh in Calhoun’s mind.

“I think it’s a good time to reflect,” Calhoun said. “Where we were today and how we ended up is certainly not typical. We’ve been beaten before and we’ve ended seasons on some sour notes.”

This one was seemingly much different.

- Neill

By Neill Ostrout

STAFF WRITER

NEW YORK _ UConn point guard Kemba Walker called the Huskies’ Big East tournament opener against St. John’s a do-or-die situation.

Well, the Huskies are officially dead now.

Despite facing an opponent it has dominated in recent years, including earlier this season, the free-falling Huskies lost to the Red Storm 73-51 Tuesday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.

It was the Huskies’ most lopsided loss of the season and their worst defeat in this event since a 93-62 loss to Georgetown in 1985, two seasons before coach Jim Calhoun arrived in Storrs.

After sitting squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble at the end of February, UConn (17-15) has now lost four straight games and is likely headed to the NIT.

No. 13 St. John’s (17-14) advances to play fifth-seeded Marquette in the second round here Wednesday.

Sean Evans led St. John’s with 19 points.

Walker had a team-high 12 for UConn.

UConn’s last loss to St. John’s came here on Feb. 9, 2002. It had won nine consecutive meetings between the schools since then.

The Huskies have lost six straight games in the league tournament, playing just one game in each of the last five years.

The Huskies, who struggled mightily right from the opening tip, were down by as much as 17 points in the first half. A late surge by Walker, who scored the final four points, pulled the Huskies within 13 at the break.

UConn trailed by nine points with eight minutes to play in the game, but 10-0 spurt by the Red Storm quickly put the game out of reach.

Among its other problems, UConn made just 6-of-17 from the free throw line.

Despite saying at first he planned to sit his seniors at the game’s outset, Calhoun stuck with his “usual” starting lineup including Jerome Dyson. However the senior guard did begin the second half on the bench and didn’t re-enter until there was 13:56 left in the game.

Dyson finished the game with four points and nine turnovers.

UConn is trailing St. John’s 35-22 at the half of their Big East tournament first-round game.

The Johnnies were up by as much as 17 points.

UConn doesn’t seem to be able to shoot….or rebound….or play defense. Other than that, things are going very well for the Huskies.

Gavin Edwards has eight points for UConn.

- Neill

The Big East tournament is underway and there’s already one team going home.

Ninth-seeded South Flrorida held off 16th-seeded DePaul 58-49 in the opener. USF was up big (15) at the half, DePaul made a run to get withing five, but the Bulls were never in really hot water.

Now we’re waiting for UConn-St. John’s.

- Neill

Breaking news!

Sources say Jim Calhoun has decided to coach the UConn basketball team today against St. John’s in the Big East tournament.

OK, sorry for the sarcasm but let’s just say the reports of Calhoun’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.

We’re here at Madison Square Garden for the Big East’s annual basketball party and much of the talk is around Calhoun’s future and the SNY “story” last night that “sources close to Calhoun” say he is “considering retiring at the end of the season.”

Calhoun is also considering adding more mustard to his roast beef sandwich for lunch today. I wouldn’t call that set in stone, however.

Um, the man is about to be 68 years old and, obviously, he’s had some health issues in recent years. Will he consider retiring at the end of the year? Yes, he’s said as much.

Calhoun said recently that _ like he often has in recent years _ he will wait a few weeks after the season and make a decision on his future.

The fact that he missed seven games this season and that his contract expires in June has probably increased the odds that this could by Calhoun’s last at UConn. But is he officially done? Absolutely not.

UConn officials here say they haven’t heard any retirement talk from the coach.

Calhoun isn’t available for comment before games, but let’s say it’s a safe bet that win or lose today against St. John’s the coach will set the record straight about his future plans after the game.

- Neill

The bowl game that will debut at Yankee Stadium this year will be called the New Era Pinstripe Bowl and will be played on Dec. 30, the Big East announced Tuesday.

ESPN signed a six-year deal to televise the game.

The Pinstripe Bowl will pit a Big East team (essentially the fourth-place team…the BCS picks, then Champs Sports Bowl, then Meineke Car Care Bowl, then Pinstripe) against the Big 12 team with the sixth-best conference record after BCS selections.

It will be the first bowl game in the Bronx since the Gotham Bowl Dec. 15, 1962, when Nebraska beat Miami 36-34 at the original Yankee Stadium.

- Neill