HARTFORD, Conn. – Connecticut’s freshmen might be ready to take some of the burden off star guard Kemba Walker.
Walker scored a season-low 16 points, but that was enough to help the No. 8 Huskies beat Tennessee 72-61 on Saturday, spoiling coach Bruce Pearl’s brief return to the Volunteers’ bench.
Jeremy Lamb also scored 16 points and fellow freshman Roscoe Smith added 12, hitting four of five 3-pointers for UConn (16-2). Sophomore center Alex Oriakhi had 12 points and 10 rebounds for his seventh double-double and fourth in his last five games.
“It’s going to be easier on [Walker] if we are knocking down shots for him,” Lamb said. “We took some big shots, and we were able to make some big shots.”
UConn shot 9-of-19 from 3-point range. The Huskies, who beat No. 7 Villanova on Monday, have won five in a row.