Ryan Boatright is one of the most underrated UConn guards in program history. There have been talks of him belonging on the Huskies of Honor for years.
For the Stars of Storrs, the 2014 NCAA champion has now sealed two games this summer.
He appeared to have injured his ankle at the 5:03 mark in the first quarter, but once being helped off the floor, he instantly went back to the scorer’s table to check in.
“My ankle is killing me right now,” he said to the FS2 announcing crew after the game.
Jordan Jones, a former Central Connecticut guard, knocked down two free throws with 2:09 left in the first half to give the Stars of Storrs their first lead of the game.
Boatright, who had 19 points on Saturday night, drilled the last made basket of the first half with a 3-pointer that tied the game at 38.
At the break, one stat that stood out was that the rebounding margin was not in the Stars of Storrs’ favor. The Green Mountain Men had a 21-17 advantage. While the Stars of Storrs dominated the offensive glass in their win over the Brown Ballers, they went into the locker room with just one in 18 minutes.
The Green Mountain Men went on a 15-5 run in the third quarter to go up 58-52, but the Stars of Storrs went on a 6-0 run to tie it out of a timeout.
Down 63-62 heading into the fourth quarter, Elijah Thomas turned the calendar back to Saturday as he made a jumper in the post to give the Stars of Storrs the lead.
The Green Mountain Men were up one at the four-minute mark in the fourth quarter when a timeout was called for the Elam Ending score to be 77.
Green Mountain Men guard Aaron Deloney completed a rare 4-point play on a made 3-pointer after being fouled by Boatright.
Isaiah Whitehead, who led the Stars of Storrs in scoring with 18 points, knocked down his fourth 3-pointer of the night to tie the game at 75.
Despite free throws and opportunities for the Green Mountain Men to keep their inaugural season alive, they could not capitalize.
Boatright got the ball out of a timeout and knocked down a 3-pointer from the wing, which won it for the Stars of Storrs, defeating the Green Mountain Men 78-76. He finished the game with 17 points on 4-6 shooting.
Boatright told the FS2 announcing team that he told Stars of Storrs head coach Tyler Olander, a former teammate of his, to give him the ball out of the timeout instead of the play Olander had drawn up.
The Stars of Storrs finished the game shooting 48.2% from the field, 33.3% from deep and 93.8% from the free throw line.
Unlike the first game, the Stars of Storrs got demolished on the glass, with the Green Mountain Men winning the rebounding battle 41-32.
The Green Mountain Men, a point away from advancing, shot 40.9% from the field, 30.3% from the 3-point line and 66.7% from the free throw line. It is safe to say that the six missed free throws turned out to be costly for the Vermont alumni.
Dylan Penn, who led the team in scoring on Saturday night, was the leading scorer again with 20 points on 8-13 shooting.
Jordan Jones and Kassim Nicholson joined Whitehead and Boatright in double figures with 10 points each.
The Stars of Storrs will play for the regional championship against We Are D3 on Wednesday night at the SRC Arena in Syracuse, N.Y.
Calhoun's Corner 