ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) — Shabazz Napier scored 23 of his career-high 29 points in the final 3:24 of regulation and two overtime periods to help No. 23 Connecticut beat Quinnipiac 89-83 Sunday night in the Paradise Jam.
UConn (4-0) trailed by 55-45 after Evan Conti’s 3-pointer with 4:56 left in regulation. But Ryan Boatright countered with a three-point play and Napier scored 11 of the Huskies’ next 13 points, including a driving layup with 4.2 seconds left.
Quinnipiac’s Dave Johnson hit a 3-pointer with 4.4 seconds left in the first overtime to send it into the second extra period. There, Napier kicked things off with a 3 and the Huskies never again trailed.
UConn has now won 67 straight games against in-state foes, dating back to a Dec. 29, 1986 loss to Hartford in former coach Jim Calhoun’s first year at the helm.
