| 03 April 2011
There’s no right way to start this article. Believe me, I’ve tried.
I’ve tried to be funny and serious. Sarcastic and stupid. Light-hearted and with an edge. But there’s nothing, no words in our beautiful English language which can describe how I feel right now. UConn will be playing for a National Championship Monday night, and I, Aaron Torres am speechless. Ask anyone who knows me, and they’ll tell you that doesn’t happen often.
Now understand, the road to get here wasn’t easy. It came with a bunch of pot holes that I’ve already mentioned a million times, and really don’t need to repeat. You already know plenty about them: The midseason struggles this past winter. The NCAA sanctions which were smacked down on the school in February. The health of Jim Calhoun, which has fluctuated like the weather over the last couple years. And I haven’t even mentioned some team named Kentucky, that the Huskies had to play on Saturday night.
Speaking of Kentucky, this article is bittersweet, if only because I love that program nearly as much as I love my own. Starting with their fans, I won’t let anyone say a damn bad word about them. Yes Big Blue Nation is zany, but truthfully, they’ll be the first to fess up to that zaniness, and admit that yes maybe, they care about their team a little too much. If you don’t believe me, I’ve got a bunch of e-mails in my inbox that admit to just that.
At the same time, you know what else the folks in Kentucky are? Some of the most kind and sincere people I’ve ever dealt with. I can’t tell you how many e-mailed me this week just to wish me luck heading into Saturday’s game. Some did it in 20 words, and some did it in 2,000 words, but it’s just that which makes Kentucky fans so darn fun. Nobody loves their school, and nobody loves basketball more than they do. As far as I’m concerned, we should all strive to care about our team that much.
And on the court Saturday night, they once again had something to be proud of. Understand that this Wildcats team was hardly the most talented since the school’s last Final Four trip in 1998. Really, they're not even the most talented of the last two years. If the 2010 squad played the 2011 squad in shirts and skins, it’d be a massacre. Patrick Patterson, DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall would’ve worked this group like a speed bag.
But what this team lacked in talent and experience, they up for in heart and grit. The Wildcats showed it when they battled to win three straight tough games to close the regular season. They showed it when they blitzed through the SEC Tournament and avenged an early season loss to Florida. They showed it with a close win over Princeton early in this NCAA Tournament, and back-to-back thrillers to beat Ohio State and North Carolina last weekend.
And there’s no doubt they showed it again Saturday night, when Kentucky fell down by double-digits at halftime, only to scrap and claw back, eventually turning a 10 point deficit into a 35-33 lead just five minutes into the second half.
From there it was on, and the two teams went back-and-forth, like the great heavyweight fighters they were. UConn took the lead. Then UK took it right back. Then it was tied. Eventually UConn seemed to seize control, leading by six with under two minutes to go.
But like they’ve been doing for the last six weeks, Kentucky refused to quit. After DeAndre Liggins made a three-pointer and then the front end of two foul shots, a six point lead was all of a sudden just two. To say my heart was racing at this point would be factually incorrect. I’m pretty sure it stopped all together.
After getting the ball back with under a minute to go and up two, UConn left the playmaking duties (and ultimately their season) in the hands of Shabazz Napier. Now understand that wasn’t totally by design, but with Liggins draped all over Kemba Walker, UConn had little choice. And unfortunately for the Huskies, for the first time in a long time, Napier looked like exactly what he is…an inexperienced freshman. With the shot clock winding down, Napier tried to split two defenders, took one misstep, and turned the ball over. Kentucky had the ball back with just a few seconds to go.
From there the drama only intensified. After a timeout, Brandon Knight got the ball, and tried to work some of his March Magic. He tried to get into the lane, tried to get a good look, but with Kemba Walker defending him, and Charles Okwandu (of all people) helping out, he couldn’t. Knight forced the ball to Liggins, who forced an errant three that was no good. Two Napier free throws later, and that was the ball game. UConn will play Butler Monday for a championship.
But before we talk Butler, let’s go back to that last play for a second, because I think it perfectly symbolized UConn’s night.
Understand that this was a game where if the Huskies were going to win, it was going to have to be on the backs of their defense. Kemba Walker was gassed by the last few minutes, Jeremy Lamb’s game was as quiet as his shy personality, and Napier was missing shots he normally makes. Simply put, the offense was an albatross the entire second half, as after shooting over 50 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes of the game, UConn was just 7 for 22 from the field after the intermission (That’s less than 33 percent for those of you who are as bad at math as I am).
Yet just like they have been for the last four weeks, this team just found a way to win. As a matter of fact, if you came up with one theme for this club, that’s exactly what it’d be. Not matter who the opponent is, or what the stage is, someone, somehow is going to make a play.
Against Pitt in the Big East Tournament it came on Walker’s game-winning jumper. Against Louisville in the Big East Final, it was a Walker pass to Jeremy Lamb. Against Arizona last weekend, Lamb had a couple late crucial steals. And on Saturday, it was smothering defense that forced the tournament’s most clutch player- Knight- to become a bystander for the biggest shot of Kentucky’s season. Looking back on UConn’s season, none of their games seem to have anything in common, except that they always seem to end in wins.
So here we are, and forgive me for being repetitive, but I’m just as shocked on this (very) early Sunday morning as I have been all season. From Maui to Manhattan, and through Anaheim last weekend, this whole season has seemed one unreal dream, and one that I really don’t want to wake up from.
As for Monday night, I honestly don’t know if this whole tournament run will end in a win or a loss. With the way this Butler team has been playing, nothing is a certainty. Well, except that we’re in for a great game.
So will UConn win Monday? I don’t know. But at this point, nothing would surprise me.
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