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No. 19 UConn cruises past Boston University

Nov 17, 2013 - 8:54 PM Storrs, CT (SportsNetwork.com) - DeAndre Daniels scored 24 points and Shabazz Napier added 12 points with 12 rebounds and six assists as 19th-ranked Connecticut eased past Boston University, 77-60, at Gampel Pavilion.

Ryan Boatright chipped in 16 points for the Huskies (4-0), who pulled away in the second half after blowing a 19-point first-half lead.

D.J. Irving scored 17 points and Dom Morris contributed 13 with nine rebounds for Boston University (2-1), which had beaten Northeastern and UMass-Lowell to start the season.

The Huskies scored the game's first 10 points, led by eight from Daniels, and built a 32-13 advantage with just over six minutes left in the half on a three by Boatright.

"I just wanted to stay aggressive the whole time. I played terrible the first two games," said Daniels, who had a total of 19 points in UConn's first three games. "I wasn't able knock down the shots. I'm just staying aggressive, just keep shooting, and I was able to hit some shots tonight."

BU trimmed the deficit to 37-32 at the break, as Irving hit a trio of shots from beyond the arc during a 12-0 run to close the half. A trey from John Papale to start the second half made it a two-point game, and Irving's jumper two minutes later gave the Terriers their first and only lead at 43-42.

"We started off the game pretty well and then we kind of took our foot off the gas pedal, which I don't like to see," said UConn coach Kevin Ollie. "They are a tough team to guard."

A three-point play by Morris a few minutes later tied the game for BU at 46-46, but UConn scored the next seven points as part of an 18-3 run that finally put the scrappy Terriers away.

Napier drilled a pair of threes and Daniels' jumper with just over eight minutes left capped the burst and gave the Huskies a 64-49 cushion.

UConn led by as many as 19 a few minutes later and the Terriers got only as close as 13 down the stretch.

"I was proud of my guys," said BU coach Joe Jones. "I thought we fought hard. I think the size and length of Connecticut early on had us a little shaken, and then once we calmed down and we got in a rhythm we showed flashes of the team that we can be."

Game Notes

The Huskies shot 49.1 percent from the field and held BU to 34.4 percent ... BU made just 8-of-32 from beyond the arc, but matched UConn's rebound total of 36 ... UConn improved to 42-12 all-time against BU, including 22 wins in the last 24 meetings.