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Think U-Conn. is a long shot vs. Kansas in NCAA tournament? Don’t bet on it. Think U-Conn. is a long shot vs. Kansas in NCAA tournament? Don’t bet on it.
(about 1 hour later)
DES MOINES — It isn’t as if there aren’t familiar names in uniform for Connecticut these days. There’s Calhoun — Omar, not Jim — and Hamilton — Daniel, not Rip. Beyond that, though, the Kevin Ollie-coached Huskies, rife with transfers and playing in something called the American Athletic Conference, bear little resemblance to the teams that were the scourge of a conference — the old Big East — that was a dominant force in college basketball for most of 30 years.DES MOINES — It isn’t as if there aren’t familiar names in uniform for Connecticut these days. There’s Calhoun — Omar, not Jim — and Hamilton — Daniel, not Rip. Beyond that, though, the Kevin Ollie-coached Huskies, rife with transfers and playing in something called the American Athletic Conference, bear little resemblance to the teams that were the scourge of a conference — the old Big East — that was a dominant force in college basketball for most of 30 years.
[NCAA tournament live updates, scores and more][NCAA tournament live updates, scores and more]
And yet, as different as they are, they still find ways to win. They got into the NCAA tournament at least in part because freshman Jalen Adams hit a 65-five-foot shot at the buzzer against Cincinnati to force a fourth overtime in the quarterfinals of the AAC tournament last week.And yet, as different as they are, they still find ways to win. They got into the NCAA tournament at least in part because freshman Jalen Adams hit a 65-five-foot shot at the buzzer against Cincinnati to force a fourth overtime in the quarterfinals of the AAC tournament last week.
The Huskies escaped that game in the fourth overtime, 104-97, and went on to win the tournament. Had they lost to the Bearcats and finished 21-11, including sixth in the conference during the regular season, they might very well have been hosting a National Invitation Tournament game this week. The Huskies escaped that game in the fourth overtime, 104-97, and went on to win the tournament. Had they lost to the Bearcats and finished 21-11, including sixth in the conference during the regular season, they might well have been hosting a National Invitation Tournament game this week.
Instead, they’re here and, after beating Colorado, 74-67, Thursday in a truly ugly first round game, they will get a shot on Saturday at Kansas, the top seed in the West Region and the No. 1 ranked team in the country. Instead, they’re here and, after beating Colorado, 74-67, Thursday in a truly ugly first-round game, they will get a shot on Saturday at Kansas, the top seed in the West Region and the No. 1-ranked team in the country.
Don’t count on them to lose.Don’t count on them to lose.
[Bennett’s fall provides only drama in Virginia’s rout of Hampton][Bennett’s fall provides only drama in Virginia’s rout of Hampton]
It is worth remembering that it was just two years ago that the Huskies squeezed into the tournament as a No. 7 seed and pulled one upset after another en route to winning the national championship.It is worth remembering that it was just two years ago that the Huskies squeezed into the tournament as a No. 7 seed and pulled one upset after another en route to winning the national championship.
That was in Ollie’s second season and it was U-Conn.’s fourth national title in 16 seasons — the first three coming under Calhoun, the Hall of Famer with the quick mind, the quick temper and the rapid-fire style of talking. That was in Ollie’s second season, and it was U-Conn.’s fourth national title in 16 seasons — the first three coming under Calhoun, the Hall of Famer with the quick mind, the quick temper and the rapid-fire style of talking.
Ollie’s personality couldn’t be more different than his former coach. He’s 43 and makes his in-game adjustments quietly, without fanfare.Ollie’s personality couldn’t be more different than his former coach. He’s 43 and makes his in-game adjustments quietly, without fanfare.
“He fired us up at halftime,” said Hamilton, who finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds.“He fired us up at halftime,” said Hamilton, who finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
“How did he do that?” a TV reporter asked.“How did he do that?” a TV reporter asked.
Hamilton shrugged. “He told us we needed to play better.”Hamilton shrugged. “He told us we needed to play better.”
They did, with a little help from Colorado, which led 42-33 early in the second half even though it had missed 10 of 18 free throws at that point. Ollie urged his big men to stop allowing Colorado center Josh Scott to catch the ball on the block so easily and then switched to full-court pressure out of a timeout, all of it leading to a 24-6 run that put the Huskies in control. They stumbled a little down the stretch, allowing Colorado to within 66-63 with a minute left, but then made their free throws down the stretch (22 of 23 for the game) to hang on. They did, with a little help from Colorado, which led 42-33 early in the second half even though it had missed 10 of 18 free throws at that point. Ollie urged his big men to stop allowing Colorado center Josh Scott to catch the ball on the block so easily and then switched to full-court pressure out of a timeout, all of it leading to a 24-6 run that put the Huskies in control. They stumbled a little down the stretch, allowing Colorado to make it 66-63 with a minute left, but then made their free throws down the stretch (22 of 23 for the game) to hang on.
Swish and advance.Swish and advance.
[Sulaimon has what other Terps lack: NCAA tournament experience][Sulaimon has what other Terps lack: NCAA tournament experience]
The game was ugly not so much because of the quality of play, but because officials James Breeding and Karl Hess were apparently being paid by the whistle. In all, the three officials called 48 fouls and about 45 of them were called by Breeding and Hess. Sean Hull, the third official, was almost an innocent bystander, having no chance to get a whistle in edgewise.The game was ugly not so much because of the quality of play, but because officials James Breeding and Karl Hess were apparently being paid by the whistle. In all, the three officials called 48 fouls and about 45 of them were called by Breeding and Hess. Sean Hull, the third official, was almost an innocent bystander, having no chance to get a whistle in edgewise.
The NCAA’s crackdown on contact is a good idea, except when officials trying to advance in the tournament think the way to do it is to start calling fouls during the national anthem. Both teams had to deal with whistle-mania, which was even worse for the packed house at Wells Fargo Arena that came to see the players steal the spotlight, not the officials.The NCAA’s crackdown on contact is a good idea, except when officials trying to advance in the tournament think the way to do it is to start calling fouls during the national anthem. Both teams had to deal with whistle-mania, which was even worse for the packed house at Wells Fargo Arena that came to see the players steal the spotlight, not the officials.
U-Conn.’s title run two seasons ago was built around two superb guards, Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright, as well as DeAndre Daniels, who came into his own as an inside player at just the right time in March. All are gone. This team doesn’t have anyone as talented as those three but it does play defense and it can shoot, especially Rodney Purvis (an N.C. State transfer who scored 19 points Thursday) and Sterling Gibbs (a Seton Hall transfer who was only 2 of 9 against the Buffaloes). Most important, its uniforms read “UCONN.” U-Conn.’s title run two seasons ago was built around two superb guards, Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright, as well as DeAndre Daniels, who came into his own as an inside player at just the right time in March. All are gone. This team doesn’t have anyone as talented as those three, but it does play defense, and it can shoot, especially Rodney Purvis (a North Carolina State transfer who scored 19 points Thursday) and Sterling Gibbs (a Seton Hall transfer who was only 2 of 9 against the Buffaloes). Most important, its uniforms read “UCONN.”
“We’ve been through it all before,” Hamilton said. “We know we have to start better in the first half but it isn’t like we’re going to panic.” “We’ve been through it all before,” Hamilton said. “We know we have to start better in the first half, but it isn’t like we’re going to panic.”
He smiled. “Of course, we also have to finish better.”He smiled. “Of course, we also have to finish better.”
The Huskies did everything just well enough Thursday to escape with a win. The turning point came when Ollie went to a press with Colorado up 42-35. Instantly, Purvis made a steal that led to a layup. Then Hamilton made another back-court steal, dunked and was fouled. Suddenly, it was 42-40 and the momentum had swung for good. Gibbs made a three with 11 minutes 35 seconds to go to put Connecticut in front 47-46 and the lead never changed hands again.The Huskies did everything just well enough Thursday to escape with a win. The turning point came when Ollie went to a press with Colorado up 42-35. Instantly, Purvis made a steal that led to a layup. Then Hamilton made another back-court steal, dunked and was fouled. Suddenly, it was 42-40 and the momentum had swung for good. Gibbs made a three with 11 minutes 35 seconds to go to put Connecticut in front 47-46 and the lead never changed hands again.
“We had to get the big guys to stop letting Scott [23 points] catch the ball on the block so easily,” Ollie said. “That was our big halftime adjustment, push them off the block and be more aggressive on the ball, Get the tempo turned up. That helped and so did the press.” “We had to get the big guys to stop letting Scott [23 points] catch the ball on the block so easily,” Ollie said. “That was our big halftime adjustment, push them off the block and be more aggressive on the ball, get the tempo turned up. That helped and so did the press.”
Because anything short of going to the Final Four is considered a failure in Connecticut (see the women’s team), Ollie actually caught some heat last season when, as defending national champions, the Huskies ended up in the NIT. The Husky hordes (very few of whom apparently bothered to make the trip here) choose to forget that Calhoun had four NIT appearances among his many deep NCAA runs, including 2010, one year after going to the Final Four and one year prior to winning his third title in 2011. Because anything short of going to the Final Four is considered a failure in Connecticut (see the women’s team), Ollie actually caught some heat last season when, as defending national champions, the Huskies ended up in the NIT. The Husky hordes (few of whom apparently bothered to make the trip here) choose to forget that Calhoun had four NIT appearances among his many deep NCAA runs, including 2010, one year after going to the Final Four and one year before winning his third title in 2011.
Clearly, Ollie doesn’t lose sleep over any of that. And he firmly believes his team would have still made the tournament even without the Adams miracle. “Yeah, we’d have still been in, I’m sure of it,” he said. Then he smiled. “But I’m very glad he made it.”Clearly, Ollie doesn’t lose sleep over any of that. And he firmly believes his team would have still made the tournament even without the Adams miracle. “Yeah, we’d have still been in, I’m sure of it,” he said. Then he smiled. “But I’m very glad he made it.”
No one will every know exactly how big Adams’s shot was, but the freshman has moved past it.No one will every know exactly how big Adams’s shot was, but the freshman has moved past it.
“We’ve got bigger things to do now,” he said. “Getting here wasn’t our final goal — it was our first one.”“We’ve got bigger things to do now,” he said. “Getting here wasn’t our final goal — it was our first one.”
The coach has changed and the players change but one thing doesn’t seem to change at U-Conn. — the final goal.The coach has changed and the players change but one thing doesn’t seem to change at U-Conn. — the final goal.
For more by John Feinstein, visit washingtonpost.com/feinstein.For more by John Feinstein, visit washingtonpost.com/feinstein.