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UConn routs another overmatched foe

Dec 2, 2008 - 6:28 AM STORRS, Connecticut (Ticker) -- Gavin Edwards scored 17 points and Jerome Dyson added 15 to lead No. 2 Connecticut to a 79-49 victory over Delaware State on Monday.

The Huskies (7-0) opened the game with a 10-3 run and never looked back. They led 44-18 at the half and were never threatened after the break.

Jeff Adrien scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half and Hasheem Thabeet had 10 points for Connecticut.

"I liked what we did in the first half defensively," Connecticut Coach Jim Calhoun said. "It was a tough game to play in for our kids. I still would like to see to see them develop a little more suffocating and prideful defensive philosophy, and better ball movement.

"When we moved the ball well, we shot the ball exceptionally well. And when we moved it poorly and did some individual stuff, we obviously didn't score anywhere near the way we're capable of scoring against a team that we're superior to."

Donald Johnson scored 25 points for the Hornets (1-9). Johnson was 9-of-17 from the field, including 6-of-12 from the arc, and was the only Delaware State player to score more than six points.

Johnson had 16 of Delaware State's 18 points in the first half.

"I've told everyone all year long that Donald Johnson can shoot the ball as well as anyone in the country," Delaware State coach Greg Jackson said. "He's just on a team that's not as talented as these teams. Could you imagine Donald Johnson being on this (UConn) team. We have to get him the basketball more. We told him the night before at practice to look for his shot and he came out looking for his shot."

The Hornets came out of the break and went on a 9-2 run started by a 3-pointer by Johnson, but it was only a temporary reprieve and the Huskies stayed in control despite not making a basket for the first 4:31 of the second half.

"I'm very proud of the effort of the team in the second half," Jackson said. "I thought we made some key adjustments at halftime. We got our guards more involved in the flow of the offense. We turned the ball over entirely too many times in the first half, especially against the number two team in the country."

Thabeet, who also had 17 rebounds, broke the drought with an ally-oop dunk.

"I thought Hash was terrific," Calhoun said. "We just didn't get him the ball enough ... and it's good for us, because it will develop us for later games."

The loss was Delaware State's ninth straight and ends its eight-game, 15-day road trip. The Hornets have not played at home since losing to Cheyney 67-64 on November 15, their second game of the season.

Delaware State faced a tall order Monday in trying to end its losing skid as UConn has now won 92 consecutive regular-season games in Storrs in November and December. The Huskies are also 57-4 at Gampel Pavilion against non-conference opponents.