UConn upsets Syracuse at MSG

Recommended Video:

NEW YORK — They’re back!

Led by a barrage of 3-pointers and a where-did-that-come-from performance by Eric Cobb, UConn scored an impressive, 83-76 victory over old rival Syracuse on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

Cobb had 13 points and 13 rebounds and was one of five players in double figures for the Huskies, who improved to 3-0.

Jalen Adams and Alterique Gilbert each had 16 points, Tarin Smith added 14 off the bench and Christian Vital had 11 in the Huskies’ well-balanced attack.

UConn hit 12 of 21 3-pointers, outrebounded the bigger Orange 46-32 and doled out 22 assists.

“Twenty-two assists against that zone is extraordinary guard play,” UConn coach Dan Hurley mused.

The win over the 15th-ranked Orange is UConn’s first over a ranked team since a Feb. 18, 2016 win over SMU in Hartford.

The Huskies are back.

Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley reacts during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against the Syracuse in the 2K Empire Classic, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley reacts during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against the Syracuse in the 2K Empire Classic, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York. Photo: Mary Altaffer, AP Photo: Mary Altaffer, AP Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close UConn upsets Syracuse at MSG 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

Or are they?

“I think we’re back,” said Gilbert, whose long-distance 3-pointer with 2 1/2 minutes left helped stave off the Cuse’s comeback attempt. “We’ve got a great team, great chemistry. We all play well together. It’s just a different vibe — a winning vibe.”

“These guys got what they deserved — a great moment in the Garden,” added Hurley. “Now, they get a chance to get another one (Friday).”

UConn will face Iowa for the 2K Empire Classic title at 7 p.m.

The Huskies trailed once the entire game, at 15-13 about eight minutes in. Then Gilbert hit a floater, and the Huskies never trailed again

UConn was clearly the better team in the first half and held a 38-32 lead at the break, despite six players with at least two fouls.

The Huskies upped their lead to as much as 13 midway through the latter half. Led by the shooting of Jalen Carey and Elijah Hughes, the Orange got to within four (70-66) after a Tyus Battle 3-pointer with 3:22 left to play.

But Gilbert countered with a long 3-pointer as the shot clock wound down.

“Cold-blooded,” Adams said of his backcourt mate’s trey.

“First of all, I’d like to thank my surgeon,” quipped Gilbert, who’s missed most of the last two seasons with shoulder injuries. “I just felt confident in myself. My teammates and coaches give me confidence each and every day I step out on the court, and I just shot it.”

Adams added another trey about a minute later, and UConn held on, despite some spotty foul shooting down the stretch.

Syracuse, which was without starting point guard Frank Howard, fell to 2-1.

“I’m just so proud of these dudes right here,” Hurley said. “These guys have all been through so much, either physically or just throughout their career. They deserve a Garden moment.”

When Gilbert hit Adams for an alley-oop dunk 13 seconds into the game, it was immediately clear UConn meant business. The Huskies burst out of the gates brimming with energy, charging out to a 13-4 lead started by Adams’ dunk and capped by Vital’s tough, fallaway bank.

The game was tied at 20 when Cobb became Superman. In the span of three minutes, the senior forward scored on a reverse layup, a pretty jump hook and a lefty drive to the hole, then took a charge on the other end of the floor.

All that was left was a 3-pointer — and sure enough, Cobb drained one from the corner with 4:07 left in the half to give the Huskies a 32-25 lead.

“I didn’t see that coming into the game, but I had faith in the work that I put in,” said Cobb. “Everything is starting to pay off. I’m just going to continue to work hard, each and every day.”

Hurley saw it coming, noting Cobb was the Huskies’ best big man in last year’s loss to the Cuse at MSG.

“You saw the full display of what he can do offensively,” the coach noted. “He can pass it, he was spraying it around from the high post, he was scoring at the basket, he shot a rhythm 3 ... Eric’s a guy who can really catapult this year into some real things professionally. And he certainly looked the part tonight.”

So did the entire Husky team. They’re back.

“This is just the beginning for us,” Hurley promised. “We have a chance to get a lot better from this. There’s a lot of upside to this basketball team.”

RIM RATTLINGS

UConn will play in the 2019 Charleston Classic on Nov. 21, 22 and 24 in Charleston, South Carolina.

Joining the Huskies in the in-season tournament will be Xavier, Florida, Miami (Fla.), Missouri State, Penn State, Saint Joseph’s and Towson. It will be the 12th year of the event, but the first time UConn has participated.

Fans can secure up to a $25 discount on all tournament tickets by signing up for an exclusive discounted pre-sale on www.charlestonclassic.com. Those who sign up between now and Sunday, Nov. 25, will receive first access to purchase tickets at a discount before they go on sale to the general public in July.

Additional information, including travel packages, can be found at www.charlestonclassic.com.

Many of the top prep players in the country will play in the National Prep Showcase this weekend at Albertus Magnus College, including recent UConn signee James Bouknight and recruiting targets Akok Akok, Tre Mitchell and Terrence Clarke.

Bouknight, 6-5 shooting guard from MacDuffie School who committed to UConn in September and signed his national letter of intent on Wednesday, will play on Sunday at 1:45 p.m. against Scotland Campus, which features UConn target Karim Couilably, a forward. Akok, the Class of 2019 big man from Putnam Science Academy, will play on Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 5:45 p.m. He has recently stated that he’s considering skipping college and entering the 2019 NBA draft.

Mitchell, a 6-9 forward from Woodstock Academy, will play on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3:15 p.m. Mitchell’s Woodstock teammate, shooting guard Matt Cross, also holds an offer from UConn.

Clarke, a 2021 five-star shooting guard from Brewster Academy, plays on Friday at 4:45 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m.

david.borges@hearstmediact.com