Connecticut Finally Brushes Off Colgate

All-American guard Ray Allen scored 12 of his game-high 24 points during a 15-0 first-half spurt that helped top-seeded Connecticut defeat No. 16 Colgate, 68-59, Thursday in the first round of the Southeast Regional. The Red Raiders shot only 34.9% in the game.

But Connecticut’s national-title hopes took a hit when backup point guard Ricky Moore, a key player as the Huskies won the Big East tournament, suffered a separated right shoulder in the first half that could end his season.

“We have a versatile team, so someone can step in and fill his position,” Allen said of losing Moore.

Connecticut led by as many as 19 in the first half and 43-26 at halftime. Colgate, which had shot 27% in the first half, cut the lead to eight points with less than four minutes to play in the game but got no closer.

“We just had a tough time mustering our zip,” said Jim Calhoun, whose Huskies raised their record to 31-2 and play Eastern Michigan in the second round Saturday.

Adonal Foyle, a 6-foot-10 sophomore, kept Colgate (15-15) in it early--he had 21 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots for the game--but Connecticut’s Allen and point guard Doron Sheffer (19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds) dominated the Red Raider backcourt.

Mississippi State 58, Virginia Commonwealth 51--The Bulldogs’ shooting was bound to get better, but not by much.

Darryl Wilson scored 15 points as the Bulldogs (23-7) survived a miserable shooting slump and beat the Rams (24-9).

Mississippi State’s saving grace was its defense, which forced the Rams (24-9) to shoot even worse (31%). The victory sent the fifth-seeded Bulldogs into Saturday’s second round against Princeton.

Bernard Hopkins led Virginia Commonwealth with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Eastern Michigan 75, Duke 60--Crumbling under a wave of pressure and offensive rebounding, the Blue Devils suffered their first first-round loss since 1955--and the first winless tournament performance of Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s 16-year tenure.

Five-foot-five point guard Earl Boykins harassed Duke’s Chris Collins into seven turnovers and a four-for-10 shooting game. Boykins scored a game-high 23 points and had five assists and four steals.

Duke, which finished its season at 18-13, shot only 40% from the field (24 for 60), and turned the ball over 17 times.

“I thought their defense just dominated us,” Krzyzewski said.

Eastern Michigan is 25-5.