Connecticut Rolls Without Coach

Coach Jim Calhoun wasn’t around to direct Connecticut, but after a slow start the Huskies did the many of things that helped make them the No. 1-seeded team in the West Regional in a first-round game at Denver on Thursday.

Richard Hamilton had 28 points and Connecticut closed out the first half with an 18-1 run in a 91-66 victory over No. 16-seeded Texas San Antonio. Calhoun was not at the game because of virus-like symptoms, leaving the coaching duties to assistant Dave Leitao.

Texas San Antonio (18-11) actually led 19-17 after nine minutes but Connecticut (29-2) was ahead 52-27 by half-time.

“We showed that we have spurt-ability, and we just continued to put the pressure on them,” said point guard Khalid El-Amin, who had a career-high 10 assists.

Said Texas San Antonio Coach Tim Carter: “As much as I was talking about a miracle to [the media], behind the scenes I was talking about, ‘Why not us?’ We scored 39 in the second half, and they scored 39. If that big run doesn’t take place in the first half, who knows what would have happened.”

New Mexico 61, Missouri 59--A closely guarded Lamont Long made a jumper in the lane with 5.5 seconds left that allowed the No. 9-seeded Lobos (25-8) to reach the second round for the fourth consecutive season.

“I was trying to get fouled and didn’t,” Long said. “I just tried to get to the hoop, threw up a shot and I happened to make it.”

New Mexico’s leading scorer Kenny Thomas, who had 14 of his 20 points in the first half, picked up his fourth and fifth fouls in a 30-second span with less than two minutes left in the game. No. 8-seeded Missouri (20-9) turned the fouls into the continuation of a three-point play by 6-foot-11, 335-pound Monte Hardge and two free throws by Keyon Dooling to tie the score at 59-59 with 1:31 left.

Missouri missed on three chances to the lead, and after Long’s basket,

Brian Grawer put up an off-balance three-point shot that came up short.

New Mexico plays Connecticut Saturday.

Iowa 77, Alabama Birmingham 64--The No. 5-seeded Hawkeyes (19-9) made 10 of their first 12 three-point shots and extended Coach Tom Davis’ career at Iowa for at least one more game.

Davis was told last year his contract would not be renewed after this season. He has led Iowa to nine NCAA tournaments--and first-round wins--in 13 seasons and will leave as the school’s all-time winningest coach (268-139 record).

“There are so many factors why we want to keep it going,” said senior forward Jess Settles, who had a team-high 17 points. “Coach wants us to win for the school, for ourselves. We want to win for him, the school. This team has so many story lines as far as why we want to win.”

Iowa, which had been averaging less than six three-point baskets, made 12 of 23 shots from behind the arc.

“We hadn’t been shooting the three very well,” said Davis. “These guys were just very motivated to play. They knocked them down. What was important was they had the confidence to take them. They didn’t shy away from taking the tough shot in tough situations.”

Guard Dean Oliver shook off the effects of a virus he has battled all week to score 15 points, making both of his three-point shots, and have six assists in 19 minutes.

Forward Fred Williams scored 15 of the first 20 points for No. 12-seeded Alabama Birmingham (20-12) but seemed fatigued in the second half and finished with 26 points and 11-of-25 shooting. The Blazers lost in the first round for the fourth consecutive time.

Arkansas 94, Siena 80--The No. 13-seeded Saints dared to run-and-gun with the No. 4 Razorbacks and paid the price.

Arkansas (23-10) made 15 of 30 three-point shots and converted many of Siena’s 24 turnovers into points to win its 10th consecutive first-round game.

Siena (25-6) thrived on its pressure defense and fast-break offense all season, but couldn’t keep up with Arkansas and its revered “40 minutes of hell” style.

“I call it a street fight,” Arkansas Coach Nolan Richardson said. “We’re good at street fighting. We’re at our best when we’re scrambling.”

Chris Jefferies scored 16 points to lead five double-figure Arkansas scorers, and Kareem Reid had 10 assists to pass Lee Mayberry as the school’s all-time leader with 737.

Siena, a small Franciscan school in Loudonville, N.Y., fell behind by 20 points early and never came close to repeating its upset of No. 3-seeded Stanford in its only other tournament appearance 10 years ago.

“Arkansas three’d us out of the building,” Siena Coach Paul Hewitt said. “I just told our guys to keep doing what we have been doing in terms of pressuring them, trying to play our tempo, but if they continue to shoot the three [-point shot] like that, they are going to send us home.”

Said Arkansas forward Chris Walker: “I think they tried to push the ball, but we pushed it harder.

Arkansas plays Iowa Saturday.