Nov. 28, 1997
ASU Falls to UConn, 82-61
NEW YORK - Freshman point guard Khalid El-Amin, coming off his worst game as a collegian, responded with his best one, scoring 29 points to power 11th-ranked Connecticut to a 82-61 rout of Arizona State in the consolation game of the Preseason NIT at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Richard Hamilton added 19 points for the Huskies (5-1), who took control in the first quarter and never looked back. Connecticut was relegated to the consolation game after a 67-60 loss to Florida State in Wednesday's semifinals.
Bobby Lazor scored 22 points for Arizona State (3-2), which looked nothing like the team that pushed second-ranked Kansas to overtime on Wednesday. Jeremy Veal and Eddie House, who combined for 51 points in the semifinal loss, were held to four in the first half. Veal finished with 17.
El-Amin, who shot just 3-for-18 and scored 10 points in the semifinals against Florida State, exceeded his point total from Wednesday in the first 4 1/2 minutes. He made a three-pointer early before scoring eight straight points in a 10-0 run.
After Lazor hit a 12-footer to give Arizona State an 8-7 lead, El-Amin hit three free throws after being fouled by Ahlon Lewis on a three-point attempt. He added a layup when Rashamel Jones tipped a pass as the Huskies used a fullcourt press.
El-Amin then made a three-pointer to make it 15-8 with 5:36 to play in the first quarter. Kevin Freeman capped the run with a dunk to stake Connecticut to a nine-point lead 14 seconds later.
Lazor responded with three straight baskets to pull the Sun Devils within 17-14 at the 3:20 mark, but Jake Voskuhl and El-Amin had baskets around a free throw by Lewis to give the Huskies a 21-15 advantage after one quarter.
Lazor hit a 12-foot turnaround jumper on the baseline to draw Arizona State within 34-26 with 4:16 to go in the first half, but the Huskies closed with an 8-0 burst. Freeman had a dunk and El Amin had a pair of layups before Ricky Moore hit a short hook shot in traffic to give Connecticut a 42-26 halftime lead.
Moore did an excellent job containing Veal in the first half, limiting him to one basket and two free throws.
The Huskies left no doubt about the outcome with a 10-1 run early in the second half. After a basket by Mike Batiste, El-Amin answered with a three-point play before Hamilton buried a three-pointer from the left corner to make it 48-28.
El-Amin found Moore for a fast-break layup, and after a free throw by Reggie Hester, Freeman had a layup to make it 52-29 with 7:59 to go in the third quarter.
Connecticut took its largest lead at 68-43 on a follow shot by Jones with 1:08 to go in the third quarter, capping a 14-2 burst. Arizona State came no closer than 15 points thereafter and fell to 1-2 in the all-time series.