Dougher, Martin can't save Stony Brook against UConn

STORRS, Conn. - It wasn't quite the homecoming Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell had in mind when he scheduled his alma mater Connecticut. The former Huskies point guard got to coach against his old school for the first time Friday night at Gampel Pavilion, and as he watched his young team shoot only 27 percent, Pikiell admitted, "As old as I am, I thought I could make a few of those."

Six of the 10 Seawolves who played were seeing their first Division I action, and it was a tough baptism as UConn broke open a competitive game early in the second half on its way to a 79-52 romp. The Huskies were too tall and too quick for the defending America East champions, who are trying to overcome key injuries and reach the point where they are on a first-name basis with each other.

Preseason All-Big East point guard Kemba Walker led the way for UConn with 18 points, center Alex Oriakhi had 11 points and 18 rebounds, and freshman Shabazz Napier was effective off the bench with 12 points, all from three-point range. Veterans Bryan Dougher (19 points) and Chris Martin (12) were the only double-figures scorers for Stony Brook, which was limited to just five second-half field goals and was outrebounded, 59-33, without last season's leading rebounder Tommy Brenton, who likely has been lost for the season with a dislocated knee.

"We could have made it an interesting second half, but they cracked us on the glass with the size differential," Pikiell said. "Then it became a pickup game."

Despite early foul trouble, Dougher and Martin held things together for the Seawolves and got a boost from backup freshman guard Anthony Jackson, who scored all eight of his points before intermission. A Dougher three cut the Huskies' lead to 37-31 with 28 seconds left in the opening half, but a putback by Oriakhi at the buzzer was a momentum killer.

"In the first half, we had good tempo and a chance for a two-possession game until the tip-in at the buzzer," Pikiell said. "We were managing the clock well, and then we got caught in a pickup game. I was disappointed."

After Martin opened the second half with a layup to cut UConn's lead to 39-33, the Seawolves made only one of their next 12 shots as the Huskies went on a 24-6 run for a 63-39 lead. Dougher and Martin were the only Seawolves to score in the second half until freshman starting guard Dave Coley made his first college basket with 7:24 left to play.

Coley is expected to be SBU's third scoring option, but he shot only 1-for-10 and totaled six points. Guarding Walker, Coley picked up three fouls in the first nine minutes, and it seemed to take him out of his game.

"We need him to score, and I think he can," Pikiell said. "But you didn't see it tonight. He wanted to guard Kemba Walker, and the next thing you know, he was sitting on the bench next to me."

Pikiell was pleased with Jackson - "I liked his swagger. He wasn't afraid" - and junior college transfer Al Rapier (seven points). But starters Dallis Joyner and Danny Carter were scoreless.

"We wanted to play a Big East team to show we could hang," Dougher said. "We weren't ready."

Things should improve in the Seawolves' home opener Sunday against Mount Ida.