No. 2 UConn hands No. 19 Wisconsin its first loss in Paradise Jam

Updated: Nov 25, 2009, 09:43 am

CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands -- The second-ranked Connecticut Huskies will head back across the Atlantic Ocean sporting a championship trophy after sweeping the Paradise Jam tournament in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Jerome Dyson scored 21 points and Connecticut beat Wisconsin (No. 19 ESPN/USA Today, No. 25 AP) 76-57 on Monday night.

"This was a very good win for us because we proved we could press. It's just amazing what our press did against a team as good as Wisconsin," Huskies coach Jim Calhoun said. "We squeezed them with our pressure and our defense."

Jeff Adrien had 14 points and Kemba Walker added 12 points and four steals for the Huskies (5-0), who led 38-28 at halftime. Hasheem Thabeet, who finished with nine points, seven rebounds and three blocks, was the tournament MVP.

"We're here!" the jubilant 7-3 junior center said as he held the Paradise Jam trophy, surrounded by his teammates.

Outside the locker room, Dyson said securing the tournament championship was a big boost.

"It feels great. We've been waiting for this moment a long time," said Dyson, whose steal followed by a thundering dunk with 11:52 left in the second half brought Connecticut's fans to their feet.

Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said his team made some bad decisions with the ball down the stretch.

"Just guys not moving to the ball, making hard cuts. [Connecticut is] a very difficult team to come from behind against," Ryan said. "Three or four turnovers can quickly change a game. We're not immune."

UConn scored 31 of its points off turnovers.

Keaton Nankivil led the Badgers (4-1) with 11 points, and Marcus Landry, Trevon Hughes, and Lon Leuer had nine apiece.

With the Paradise Jam victory, UConn claimed its second tropical in-season tournament title in the last four seasons, having won the Maui Invitational in 2005.