Storrs, CT (My Sportsbook) - Jerome Dyson scored 27 points, as 12th-ranked Connecticut opened its season with a 75-66 win over William & Mary at Gampel Pavilion.
Stanley Robinson contributed 17 points, while Kemba Walker scored 12 for the Huskies (1-0), who are coming off a 31-5 campaign in 2008-09, advancing to the school's third Final Four. They lost to Michigan State in the national semifinals.
Dyson, who missed the final 12 games last season with a torn lateral meniscus of his right knee, shot 9-of-17 from the field. He also had eight assists and four steals.
Standouts A.J. Price, Jeff Adrien, Hasheem Thabeet and Craig Austrie are all gone from the UConn team of a year ago, but that brings opportunities for newcomers. Freshman Alex Oriakhi finished with eight points and 10 rebounds Friday night.
Quinn McDowell led the way with 20 points for the Tribe (0-1), who ended 10-20 overall in 2008-09, including 5-13 in the Colonial Athletic Association. David Schneider and Danny Sumner each had 14 points in defeat. The Tribe finished 13-of-34 from three-point range.
Robinson's jam widened UConn's lead to 19-7 with 12 minutes left in the first half, but even though the Huskies widened the margin to 14 later, the visitors climbed within six at the break. Sumner's three-pointer at the buzzer had William & Mary within 37-31 after 20 minutes.
Schneider's three-ball moved the Tribe within 42-38, but the Huskies embarked on an ensuing 13-3 burst. Robinson capped it with a dunk with 13:19 remaining.
The Tribe still had some fight left, though, getting within 63-58 on Schneider's three-pointer with 4:35 left. Gavin Edwards countered with a layup, Robinson made 1-of-2 foul shots and then jammed for a 10-point lead.
William & Mary didn't get closer than eight down the stretch.
Game Notes
The Huskies have a record of 126-17 in regular season contests at Gampel Pavilion. UConn has never lost its Gampel Pavilion opener, dating back to the first game in the building in 1990. The Huskies have beaten 21 straight opponents in their Gampel season debut.
