Houston......We're All Good!!!!!!!!

Why do we watch sports? We watch because amazing things can happen. We watch because the greatest drama of all is the drama where the outcome is both real and unpredictable. We watch because anything can happen. We watch because all the same plot line we learn about in English class - David versus Goliath, courage under extreme circumstances, failing under the pressure of the moment - can play out over two or three hours of competition.
Uconn is one of the premiere college basketball programs in the nation. For more than 20 years now, the Huskies have been a signature team, one people all around the country know. Under Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun, Uconn has won two national championships, gone to three final fours (before last night), and produced top NBA players who carry their collegiate affiliation around as a badge of honor. To say Uconn is an underdog is a stretch. They have long since passed the time when winning is unexpected at Storrs.
Yet, the beauty of sports is that ANY team, under the right circumstances, can surprise, delight, and come from the back of the line to shine at the front of the class. Despite Uconn's stellar program resume, not much was expected from this team, this year. Even the most optimistic Uconn fans tempered their outlook. There were too many question marks. The year before had been too disappointing. Most of the players who would have major roles on the team had been playing high school ball only months before. Fans had only seen these players on YouTube videos, if at all.
Uconn's best player, Kemba Walker, was flawed. His jump shot was sporadic. He played out-of-control half the time, seemingly incapable to containing his other-worldly speed and harnessing it into a devastating weapon. Sure, everyone heard about the how well Kemba had played for the National Team, working against pros like Chris Paul and Deron Williams. Heck, Villanova head coach Jay Wright, who aided that team, said there were times Kemba was the best player on the floor.
But, could any of us actually believe that? We had heard hype around Uconn players before, and when the season started, all the expectations were dashed. Would Kemba really go from a talented yet flawed player to being a superstar? Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson, two immensely talented players, had failed to make such a leap the year before. Why would anyone believe Kemba would be different?
But, the pessimism was far more deep seeded. It went beyond the upcoming season. It was directed at the root of the program.
Uconn had gone to the Final Four only two years prior. Led by AJ Price, Jeff Adrien, and Hasheem Thabeet,  that team suffered defeat in that classic six-overtime game against Syracuse only to rebound in the NCAA Tourney and go to the Final Four, eventually losing in what amounted to a road game against Michigan State. Yet, for me at least, there was something missing in that year. Uconn was expected to be a national title contender. They were in the top five all year long. They were a team everyone spoke about as having a chance to win a national title. Then, the team lost its best defensive player in Jerome Dyson. Then, the team lost the six overtime game, making four consecutive years without a win in a tournament which they had so long dominated. Then, there was the Yahoo! Sports article that started all the NCAA infractions stuff. The team's great accomplishment was overtaken, for me at least, by all the things that hadn't happened that year, rather than the things that had.
It also seemed that, despite their unbelievable run to the Final Four, the Uconn program was on the decline. Is it unfair to say such a thing after such an accomplishment? Absolutely. But, whether it be because the fan base was spoiled, or just overly critical, the feeling was that Uconn wasn't one of the best programs any longer. As good as AJ Price and Jeff Adrien were, it didn't seem the Huskies were getting the same quality of basketball player. It was also obvious that guys like Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson had failed to progress the way other talented young stars had under Calhoun. Then, the 2009/2010 season came and Uconn failed to make the NCAA tournament. They played uninspired, lackluster basketball, and Calhoun's future was suddenly up for discussion. Would he retire? Was there a rift between he and the school, after what seemed to be a luke warm response to the Yahoo! allegations by Uconn hierarchy? There was also a question about Uconn's recruiting class. While players like Doron Lamb, CJ Leslie, and Brandon Knight were rumored to be interested in the Huskies, all chose to go somewhere else. Instead, less heralded players decided on Storrs. Though Uconn's recruiting class was rated a respectable 25th in the nation, it seemed second-rate compared to the talent that had considered, then dismissed Calhoun.
Where is the program headed? Can it ever get back to where it once was? Fans began to talk about former great programs with even more pedigree that Uconn, like Indiana, that began to go downhill while their hall of game coach aged, then fell apart when he left. Was that Uconn's fate? Was the game passing Calhoun, and would all of college basketball pass Uconn when he finally left? Did he have another run in him?
This is the narrative the began the 2010/2011 season. When Uconn took the court the first time in October for Midnight Madness, Uconn's future, both this year and the next several, was seemingly on trial. The disappointment from last year was left over. The doubt was there. Uconn, a dominant program for two decades, winner of two national titles, three Final Four appearances, numerous Big East Championships, Elite Eight showings, and home to great players, was picked to be a middle-of-the-pack team, and no one complained.
That's what has made this year so special. It is not simply about a nice run in March. Is it about the rise of expectations for this entire program, like the Phoenix out of the ashes. It is the story of young men rising to the occasion. It is about an embattled hall of fame coach, not brushing off the adversity of the season but breaking through it, instead. It is about a program, in the middle of the first year in which it was severely admonished by the NCAA for infractions, making those infractions an afterthought in a blink of an eye, and putting the program back on top.
Uconn is going to the Final Four. They are doing it in the midst of a season where the only hope was a possible NCAA Tournament bid, where the most rose-colored Storrs supporters could only dream of a birth in the Sweet Sixteen.
Uconn is going to the Final Four because they have the best player in the country. That statement is about more than just play. It is about heart. It is about leadership. It is about confidence that doesn't spill over into obnoxious arrogance. It is about will to win, to prove all naysayers wrong, and to grab his team by the shirt collar and will them to victory.
I don't know if Kemba Walker is the most talented player Uconn has ever had. He probably isn't, even though the athleticism in such a little body is, at times, awe inspiring. However, I would argue that Kemba is the best all-around leader, and clutch performer, the team has ever had. Forget the stats. Think off this: Kemba is the first Uconn player to go to two Final Fours in his career at Storrs. He practically won Uconn's Elite Eight game against Missouri in 2009 by himself, and his run through the Tournament this year will go down in legend. No one has had to do more than Kemba. As much credit as Calhoun gets for leading a young group to glory, Kemba has been his floor general, taking command, barking orders, demanding excellence, encouraging where needed, chastising when needed, and always leading by example. Kemba's brilliance can be seen in the little moments of a game. It can be seen on loose balls, when a kid with NBA aspirations slides on the floor like a base stealer in baseball, always first there, always keeping the play alive. It can be seen in his insistence that HIS team get the ball to freshman Jeremy Lamb during the key moments of the game, putting ego aside and understanding that his budding star of a teammate was on fire. It's in his fade-away shot, a shot he didn't have as recently as last year, which has become as consistent a jumper as any players has in the country.
But, you don't make the Final Four on the back of just one player. If that were the case, Jimmer Fredette would still be playing. If that were the case, Stephan Curry would have won a National Championship for Davidson. This team is more than Kemba, and that's what makes it so much fun to watch.
Early in the year, Jim Calhoun told anyone who would listen that Jeremy Lamb had a chance to be special. Then, during Uconn's run in Maui, Lamb was all but invisible, spending most of his time on the bench. The impressive freshmen were Shabazz Napier and Roscoe Smith. It appeared that, if Lamb was going to live up to his coaches high praise, it would have to come next season.
Then, in January, Lamb began to find his footing. He showed great touch on his shot, amazing quickness and ball handling skills for such a tall and long player, and smooth athleticism that allowed him to get to the basket. He also had a wonderful floater that seemed to levitate away from his extraordinary long arms and drop quietly into the net every time. Calhoun even admitted that, for most players, he would discourage such a shot. For Lamb, it was perfect.
A friend of mine described Lamb as Kemba's Scottie Pippen. I loved the analogy. He has become as good a second option for a team led by a superstar as their is in the nation. And, he plays like a senior. He plays like he has been in this spot before, even though it's all new for him.
The other freshmen have had less of a coming out party, but have been equally important. Shabazz Napier continues to be a heart attack waiting to happen. In the span of three minutes on the floor, he can make three amazing plays/shots, and make three horrendous decisions on defense and offense to cost his team the lead. The talent is there. The understanding, the cool demeanor that comes with experience, is lacking. Yet, Napier's best game since Maui probably came in the Elite Eight. It shows the penchant for the spotlight, something you have to admire in a young player.
Roscoe Smith has a world of talent, yet has been unable to harness it as capably as Lamb. But, there is one thing Smith has mastered: he has the unique ability to use his amazing athleticism to both defend and rebound at a clip not normal for his lanky build. As he matures, and his jump shot improves, Smith will be a force. For now, he will have to be content with being a special athlete, a great rebounder, and a plus defender when he wants. Pretty impressive.
No player has frustrated me more than Alex Oriakhi. A beast inside, Alex O will disappear for not just minutes but entire games. He can play like a man possessed, or a man three times smaller than his actual size. It doesn't make a lot of sense. But, while Oriakhi continues to be an on-again-off-again player, his presence inside has been absolutely necessary during this run. Whether he has played the whole game at a top level or not, he has almost always come through big in the big moment. Tip ins, offensive rebounds, good interior defense, and kickouts have defined his play over the final two or three minutes of each elimination game. Even if he can't yet play a full GREAT game, he is playing big in big moments.
This is a team. It wins as a team. It plays great defense as a team. It rebounds as a team. It believes as a team.
Maybe it is because nothing was expected. Maybe it is because we have watched these kids grow up in 19 days. Maybe it is because a run to the Final Four remains so special. Whatever the reason, this has become one of my favorite teams of all time. It has been magic. It has been wonderous. And, it isn't over just yet.
There will be plenty of time to look ahead to next weekend. Will it be Kentucky and John Calipari, or UNC and Roy Williams? We'll have to wait and see.
But, now isn't the time for game previews. It is time to say 'thank you.' Thank you Kemba, for being not only a great player, but so easy to root for. Thank you Jeremy Lamb, for being so clutch, so poised, at such a young age. Thank you to all the players, from Shabazz and his frenetic style of play to Roscoe and his high-energy play, to Alex Oriakhi and his rebounding, to Charles Okwandu and his determination. Finally, than you to Jim Calhoun. Thank you for leading this group to heights even he couldn't have predicted. Thank you for instilling all of us with excitement, not just for next weekend, but for next year and beyond. We are believe in Uconn again. We believe that the Beast of the East remains in Storrs. And, we believe that no man is more worthy of his Hall of Fame bust than you.
It's on to Houston. A month ago, as Uconn finished up a loss to Notre Dame, and wrapped a regular season that saw the team lose 7 of its last 11, such a comment would have seemed perversely funny. A sarcastic knock on a season that had, from the looks of it, little chance of getting past the first round of either the Big East or NCAA tournaments. Now, it is simply the next step on this magic carpet ride.
Thank you Uconn. I'll see you in Houston.

Uconn Vs. Arizona to go to the Final Four - Things I like, don't like about tonight's game!

Okay, let's start with the negative. Here are some things that scare the hell out of me tonight:

*Derek Williams. Enough said. The Huskies don't have a guy who really matches up well. Put Roscoe Smith on him, he can go inside and use his power. Put Alex Oriakhi on him, Williams can shoot the three or drive by him to the hole. It is, in a lot of ways, a no-win situation. It has to be a team defensive scheme, cause if they put one guy on him, it could get ugly.

*Zona's front court is strong and athletic. So was SDSU. Now, you could look and say "hey, they beat SDSU" and that would be true, but anyone who watched that second half knows SDSU got virtually whatever they wanted in the low post. That will be tough to overcome again.

*How many games can you expect Kemba Walker to be Kemba Walker? I mean, it's eight straight games. Even Michael Jordan had a down game or two. It seems easy to pencil a guy in for 35 points every night, but you can't do that for the elite players at the NBA level. Kemba is AMAZING, but I worry that he is due for an off night.

*Same applies to the team. They haven't just won eight straight games. They have won the majority of those games against top-flight opponents. Again, even the best teams get nipped. Is game 9 the game that happens?

*Uconn needs more than just Lamb and Kemba on the offensive side of the ball. They need double-digit points from some combination of Roscoe, Shabazz, Oriakhi, Coombs-McDaniels. They can't just say "hey, Kemba and Jeremy, go get us 65 points tonight. That's a lot to ask. And, remember, Lamb is still a freshman.

Now, for the things I like:

*I think this Mo Mo kid has an ego and, since he and Kemba are friends, he might want to play mono on mono. That would be a good thing. The more Zona gets away from Williams, the better that is for Uconn. Plus, while this Mo Mo kid is good, he aint Kemba. In a one-on-one battle, give me Kemba.

*Zona has been a streaky, up-and-down team all year long. They lost games to USC this year in the Pac 10, got blown out a few times, had to win in the final minute against an average Memphis team, played lights out in the first half against Texas, then let them back in the game in the second half and probably should have lost if not for the terrible 5 second call on the Longhorns, and then allowed themselves to get down by double digits to Duke in the first half of their Sweet Sixteen game before roaring back and beating the Blue Devils like a drum. In other words, Zona can throw a clunker out there. If I'm worried about an off night from Uconn, I am also pysched at the concept that Zona, coming off the high of beating Duke, might throw up a bad game.

*As great as Williams is, he needs someone else to get him the ball. Kemba will have the ball in his hands whenever he wants. If you're picking a star player, Kemba is probably the safer bet.

*Uconn didn't play great against SDSU and found a way to win. They found that way by riding Kemba and Lamb. No one doubts that Kemba needs to have another great game, but Uconn, as a whole, has better basketball in them than what they showed against SDSU. Shabazz played poorly (which can happen at any time), Roscoe shaky, Oriakhi inconsistent, and Coombs-McDaniels horrid. Again, just not a lot from other people. If they get good games from Lamb and Kemba, and then the other guys step up, hey, they could look like the team that beat Louisville in the BE Finals, a game good enough to beat almost anyone in the country.

*I like Jim Calhoun in this game over the Xavier coach. Just saying.

*I like Uconn's consistency over Zona's athleticism. Oh, and by the way, this idea that Uconn is throwing a bunch of hard-working stiffs out there, I don't buy. Lamb is as athletic as anyone in basketball, as is Roscoe, and Oriakhi, if he plays like The Beast, is a load for any team, anywhere, to handle.

I am scared of this game, but my Uconn heart says Uconn 78-73 over Zona. We will see. GOOOO UCONN!!!!!!!!!!!!

My attempt at a Sweet Sixteen running diary

I don't know how far I will get with this. If the game gets nasty, or if Shabazz puts up 30 threes before the half, I might be switching over to spring training baseball. But, in an effort to try and calm my nerves, I'm gonna try to chronicle this game.
7:12 - Couple of minutes away. The studio crew with Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Greg Anderson were horrid again. Kenny Smith proved once again that, not only has he not watched any regular season college basketball, he hasn't watched much of the tournament, either. Saying that Uconn wants to "slow it down" flies in the face of 30 years of Calhoun teams. Even Uconn's bigger, front court dominated teams, like the 2009 squad, liked to run. If Uconn can get out in the open court, they will. Note to Kenny.....this isn't the NBA. When you make Barkley look like Bob Knight, it might be time to hook up with Ernie Johnson for dinner.

7:14 - Honestly have no idea what to expect from San Diego State. They might be a better version of Pitt, or a similar version of Cinci. No idea how to gauge a team that plays in no man's land.

7:17 - Not as many fan in the stadium, and not as loud.

7:18 - Olander needs some fashion sense, but nice defense on the low post there to knock the ball away.

7:19 - Kemba 0-2 so far, not good.

7:22 - On cue, CBS shows Kemba hasn't missed a foul shot and......he misses.

7:27 - First TV timeout. Very sloppy play from Uconn, especially defensively. Kemba is 0-3, but I love the shots he has gotten so far. If he keeps getting the same looks, I like what he can do. However, they have to tighten up on defense. I like their rebounding overall, but defensively, way too many shots near the rim. And Roscoe has to play better D. Kemba is also dribbling at the top of the key too much. More ball movement is needed. On the positive, I was really worried this was going to be a crazy San Diego State crowd. It looks like a pretty average sized crowd and those who are there are much more in the XL Center vein, rather than the Gampel type crowd.

7:40 - For some reason, at 10-10, Uconn has the C squad out there. And, SDSU hits a three. Not sure why Calhoun needs to employ the little league, everyone plays mentality so much. This has been a bad opening to the game. Kemba missing everything, bad offensive sets, the only good thing is, at this rate, Uconn will foul half SDSU's team out by the 8 minute mark in the second half.

7:45 - They ran that cut a lot early in the season, then everyone got wise to it. SDSU obviously didn't watch a lot of tape as Kemba cut for the score.

7:46 - I will say it right now, the greatest failing of Calhoun this season has been putting the ball in Napier's hands so much as the point. He is horrendous. The game slows soooo much, he makes bad passes. Just bad.

7:48 - PLEASE stop with Napier at the point.........PLEASE!!!

7:49 - Jeremy LAMB OF GOD!!!! He is going to be a special player. He has such an easy touch, he is soo long, he is a good rebounder, and he is quicker than a lot of people give him credit for. Nice bail out shot there. Then, on the other end, refs starting to call more fouls on Uconn. Hope this really doesn't become a foul fest on either team. I HATE when fucking refs interject themselves into games like these, especially when it is so shaky. They allowed a LOT of contact when that Caldwell kid scored over Okwandu, then called a touch foul on Roscoe. Which is it? We playing or no?

7:52 - This could end up being one of those games for Oriakhi. He has been bad on both ends of the floor so far. However, Kemba has to hit some of these open shots. On the plus side, Kemba can't play any worse and they are within 3

7:58 - KEMBA!!!! Quick three, the tide has turned. That whole run, though, started with Lamb. Great cross over, right to the rim, gets fouled, makes two free throws, Uconn grabs the rebound on a miss, down the other way, Roscoe, a three, then a terrific defensive stand, Kemba, a three. That's a big turn around right there, and  most importantly it gets Kemba in the flow, feeling his shot. He still needs to hit his mid-ranger, but he looks like he is feeling it now.

8:02 - Seven point lead with less than 2 to go in the first. Important to take this lead, or more, into the half. They are starting to play great D. Just need to continue to rebound and be smart with the ball. One good trend....I don't think SDSU is a great three point shooting team yet it seems like they might get into one of those mono-on-mono things where they want to match Uconn, and that could be good. Bad trend.....Uconn's bread and butter isn't 3's, so hopefully they don't get 3-happy either

8:06 - Okay, 9 point half time lead. You can't be upset with that. Couple of things I see. First, SDSU is not a great jump shooting team. They have big guys inside and they want to keep going inside. That will be the key in the second half. Make them take jump shots. Second, Kemba can get his shot when he wants, but they are going to start to zero in on him even more in the second half. Lamb and Smith, along with Napier, need to hit their shots. Finally, Oriakhi went through a stretch where he didn't look into the game, then looked like a beast. He needs to be a beast for the entire second half. He needs to rebound EVERYTHING and I would also go inside to him a few more times on offense, only because fouls will become a problem for SDSU and if they can get some of their bigs in foul trouble, it could be tough for SDSU to score.

8:12 - It is literally painful listening to Barkley and Smith. Who, exactly, thought bringing them in was a good idea? Seriously? You honestly couldn't find a former college player who, you know, FOLLOWS college basketball? These guys are clueless. They still act like they are watching professionals. Memo to Smith and Barkley. In college ball, the best team doesn't always win like they do in the NBA. In fact, the Tourney is set up to knock out the best teams in favor of the smaller school. That's why people love the tourney. Does anyone honestly think Butler is better than Pitt? Anyone think Moorehead State is superior to Louisville? Of course not, but in a one-and-done scenario, anyone can beat anyone. Barkley's reasoning as to why Florida will beat BYU? "They have betta players." No shit, Einstein. So did Louisville. So did Pitt. So did Florida LAST YEAR when they lost to BYU. Again, these are kids. They hit walls. They get nervous. They make mistakes. The best team DOES NOT always win. In fact, there are many times they don't.

8:18 - Okay, second half is about to begin. Uconn up 9. That means, as long as they don't get outscored by 10 this half, they win. Simple math folks.I like simple math. Let's do this.

8:28 - Jamaal Coombs-McDaniels should not play another minute of this game. He has already missed three EASY layups/jump shots. He is also playing bad defense. PLEASE, for the lOVE OF GOD, get him out of there. They also need to play better D on the low block. SDSU has started this half getting whatever they want down low. Can't happen. Just CANNOT happen.

8:30 - Not good when, with a free throw here, SDSU will have made up 6 of a 9 point deficit in about 5 minutes

8:38 - Tie game. Terrible start for Uconn, but these fucking refs. Again, for these assholes, NO ONE came to see you asshole pricks blow your fucking whistles. It is one of the other. You're either letting them play or calling a fucking foul every time down. I fucking hate these cocksucking prick refs, I really do.

8:44 - This is starting not to feel very good here at all. I am getting towards Billy Madison time.

8:52 - Once again, the refs are just horrid, and Uconn needs someone other than Kemba and Lamb to score over the next 7 minutes if they want to win this game. The one good thing, though, is that Uconn stopped the bleeding there a bit, albeit mainly because of an amazingly stupid tech on the kid from SDSU.

8:57 - What can you say? This kid, Kemba, is just.......amazing.

8:58 - What a horrid foul on Oriakhi. Gave this team a three-point chance for no reason, and wracked uup the fouls

9:02 - That's a killer foul by Lamb. Stiops the clock and gives them free throws.

9:04 - As masterful as Kemba has been, the last four minutes of this game can't be Kemba taking bad shots. That would be a rewind of the first Louisville game where they blew the lead because they just tried bad shot after bad shot. They need to play smart, drive to the hole, try and get some fouls, and HIT FOUL SHOTS. Oh, and play lock-down defense for the next four minutes.

9:07 - If they lose this game, just point to fucking Napier.

9:10 - This game is starting to fall apart.

9:11 - I officially fucking hate this game, I really do.

9:13 - LAMB OF GOD

9:16 - LAMB OF GOD

9:18 - You had to hit that fucking three, didn't you? You had to fucking hit that three, you little prick.

9:19 - And.......that's it. WOW. This game was about Kemba, but it was also about Jeremy Lamb.

9:44 - Okay, I made all the phone calls/texts. Time to look back at this game. First, what's amazing is, this wasn't a great game from Uconn. The Louisville game, the Cuse games were MUCH better in terms of total team effort. This was a case of two NBA players (Kemba, Lamb) taking over a game when it needed to be taken over. It also came down to the fact that Uconn did a GREAT job of rebounding against a very big, very athletic front court.
Look, I could break all the negatives down. They aren't beating Duke (or probably even Arizona) if ALL their offense comes from two players. They also need MUCH better play from Shabazz, who continues to be a major, major negative out there most plays. However, look at where Uconn is. THEY ARE IN THE ELITE EIGHT!!!!! I mean, come on, did any Uconn fan think THIS was happening? Did any of us think that Uconn, ranked 10th in the Big East, unranked in the nation coming in, sporting mostly freshmen starters, and putting sooooo much on the shoulders of Kemba Walker, would be 40 minutes from The Final Four? When Uconn dropped 7 of their last 11, did any of us think there was a chance for THIS? When Uconn lost to ND at Gampel, when Ben Hansborough went out with 8 minutes to go, did anyone envision the last three weeks?
I am amazed. Kemba is AMAZING!!!!!! Lamb is AMAZING!!!!!!!!! I don't know if they have one more win in them, let alone three. I don't know how much they have left, I honestly don't. But, I know this.......they aint going out without a fight.

It's Saturday of the Big East Tournament and Uconn has a game to play........all is right with the world

I am not a huge fan of statistics. Don't get me wrong, I understand their importance. They track what a player does not just in a game situation but over the course of a year, giving you a picture of who that player is and what he means to his team.

But, when one looks at statistics, you only get a small snippet of the full picture. Stats don't say anything about heart, nothing about will, determination, motivation, desire, and confidence. They don't say anything about the athlete's need to come through big, in big situations, to prove to the world what his soul tells him every day: "you're the best."

Stats can offer you a glimpse, but people who focus solely on statistics miss what makes sports great. We watch because sports is unpredictable. We watch because what happened yesterday, last week, last month, or last year means nothing to what might happen today. Each game is a universe unto itself. Each moment, a chance to do something great.

Going into the Big East Tournament, Uconn failed all the sports tests. They failed the stats test, having lost 7 of their last 11 games, having run erratic offense, shaky defense, and receiving little, if anything, from guys not named Kemba Walker. Even Kemba, despite his greatness, had run into a wall at times, lofting bad shots, seeing his shooting percentage dip low, and logging minutes that seemed unsustainable. The numbers (rebounds, shooting percentage, turnovers per game) all pointed to a quick March followed by a long summer of questions.

Uconn also didn't pass the eye test. The team that had played so well, so together early in the season, looked disjointed, as if they had just stepped on the court together for the first time. The zone defense became their achilles heel. They were all but defenseless (or offense-less) against it. The freshman, who had played with such poise early in the year, suddenly looked like..........freshman. And Alex Oriakhi, the talented sophomore power forward, had disappeared completely, shrinking, it seemed, from the bright lights of important Big East basketball games.

Had Uconn lost to lowly Depaul in the first game of the BE Tournament, no Uconn fan in America would have been shocked.

But heart doesn't show up on a stat sheet. Determination to shrug off bad play and regain needed confidence can't be seen by the naked eye. Somewhere between Uconn's loss to Notre Dame on the final game of the season, and when they walked through the door at Madison Square Garden, this team found something. It found heart. It found determination. It found the confidence to believe it  not only could win, but should win. It found that desire that hides in a great athlete......and pushed it out into the open.

I will write about Kemba Walker in another post. The young man's brilliance deserves special attention. His ability to play the game - not just score points of grab rebounds, but play the game - is as good as any Uconn has ever seen, and that is saying a lot. But, this is about a team, a young team, an inexperienced team, a team of boys turning into men.

You don't beat Georgetown by 20 points, Pittsburgh, and then Syracuse with one player. It takes a well-run offense. It takes dedication to defense. It takes rebounds, tipped shots, going after loose balls, and making big plays in big situations. 

This team went from a one-man show to a team. Yes, Kemba needs to put up big numbers. All great players do. But, he doesn't need to win a game all alone.

Need proof? The biggest play of the Pittsburgh game wasn't Kemba's game winning shot (okay, maybe it was, but you'll see what I am getting at), it was the Jamall Coombs-McDaniels offensive rebound on a Kemba miss the shot before, and a time out.

Despite Kemba's brilliance on Friday night, it would have all gone for not if they had lost in overtime. That's when Jeremy Lamb stepped up and took care of business, using his tear-drop floater to put the Orange away for good (he also had what should have been the dagger three in regulation, putting Uconn up five with less than a minute to go). 

Tyler Olander didn't just come off the bench, he came out of hibernation against the Orange to make some shots, grab some rebounds, play decent defense, and be a one-man zone buster for his team. And after recording a disappearing act over the last month of the season, Alex Oriakhi is back to being what we all believed he could be, a ferocious big man who rebounds, gets put backs, and plays good defense. 

Oh, and let's not forget Charles Okwandu, the forgotten big man who has stepped up to record important rebounds and even a few made shots along the way.

Yes, Shabazz Napier is still erratic. Yes, Niels Giffey still looks somewhat lost and uncomfortable. Roscoe Smith is not the same energy guy he was a few months ago. Freshman can still look like freshman. Bad shots can still be taken. Mistakes can still be made.

But, Uconn is now a team, with a sensational player as its anchor.

I don't know what is going to happen tonight against Louisville. When Uconn won last night, I was torn as to who I wanted to see, 'Ville of Notre Dame. On a personal level, I was wary of ND. One of my best friends is an ND grad and the prospect of losing to the Irish for the third time in a year (and for the title, no less) was somewhat daunting. However, beating ND to take home the crown would have been a nice parting gift. 

From a basketball perspective, Louisville might be Uconn's worst matchup. They are playing their fifth game in five days, and they are going up against a team that just wears you down. They pressure, they fast break all the time, they run screen after screen, making you choose to either fight over the top or switch. If Uconn is tired today, Louisville is the last team they want to see.

But, this might be the type of magic carpet ride that can't be derailed by fatigue or any opponent. This might be the type of run that is destined to live on forever. Can't you just hear yourself talking about the 5 in 5 season years from now with your buddies? Can't you see Kemba, taking a day from his NBA duties, sitting in the stands at Madison Square Garden for a future BE Tournament game, and the announcers waxing poetic about how he led Uconn to a BE Championship over five days of basketball? Can't you just see that?

Maybe. Who knows. All I do know is, even if Uconn loses tonight, sure, I'll be disappointed, but I won't be devastated, or angry, or upset. Instead, I'll be hopeful for the future. Not just next week and (cross fingers) beyond, but for next year, and for a program that looked to be teetering on the edge this past season. And, I'll be grateful I had the chance to watch this team, a team that has already defied the stats and the pundits, and did it because they wanted it more than the other guy. And did it because they have the best player in college basketball playing on their team. By the way, his name is isn't Ben Hansborough. 

Settling Up On A Disappointing Regular Season

At the end of January, I wasn't just on board the Uconn Men's Basketball Team bandwagon, I was sitting on the lead horse, driving the wagon on to the NCAA Tournament. It had become one of my favorite teams, and favorites seasons, of all time. 

The 2009/10 team, the one with Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson, the one that finished the year 18-16, ousted in the NIT (I don't even remember which round), had left a very bad taste in all Uconn fans' mouths. It was a completely unenjoyable team to watch play basketball. Half the time, they looked like they didn't even want to be on the court. They weren't bad kids, and they certainly weren't bad players, but whatever it is that makes great athletes into great competitors was missing from that team, as a whole. Whenever there was a big moment in a game, a gut check, Uconn failed, usually miserably.

This year looked different. They had guts. They had a killer instinct. And, they had perhaps the best closer in the college game in Kemba Walker. It was all coming up roses.

That was January.

By the time the buzzer sounded on Uconn's 70-67 loss at Gampel to Notre Dame, their second three-point loss to that team of the season, all of those good feelings were gone, replaced by the same malaise that represented last year's lost season. It was the last in what had become a series of crushing defeats. It was a microcosim of an entire season, a rolllercoaster ride that raised spirits and expectations, then dashed them against the shores of reality.

We could break down different aspects of the game here. One could make the case that, on Kemba's final three with seconds left, that would have given Uconn the lead, he would have been better off driving to the hole. There are a lot more positives that can happen by going to the hole (short pull-up jumper, driving right to the hole for a layup, getting fouled, or getting a bucket and a foul) whereas, with the three, there are only two possible outcomes (considering how poorly the team rebounded, there was no chance of an offensive putback). We can also ponder why, at the end of the game, Donnel Beverly remained in the game while Jeremy Lamb sat on the sidelines. Lamb hadn't been brilliant, but evidently Jim Calhoun is the only person in America under the impression that Beverly can actually play basketball.

But, those are but small pieces to a larger pie. This game was more about a season than a few possessions of coaching decisions.

With 4:16 left in the second half against Louisville at Gampel on January 29, Uconn led 55-48. They had won six consecutive games to that point, including road victories against Texas and Marquette and home victories against Tennessee and Villanova. It was an impressive run that was seemingly on its way to continuing against the explosive Cardinals. Then, it all changed.

Through the rest of regulation, Uconn would score only four more points and lose a two point lead with only seconds remaining. It was the first time Uconn looked deep into the soul of a zone defense and was turned away. It was a comedy of inept offense and horrid defense and, two overtimes later, Uconn had lost.

At the time, it was simply a disappointing defeat at the hands of a really good team. Uconn, still young and prone to mistakes, wasn't going to run through the rugged Big East like a hot knife through butter. It was bound to happen.

Looking back, it was the beginning of the end. 

Uconn would go on the lose to Syracuse, again at home, post a comeback win against an overmatched Seton Hall that somehow was able to compile a 14-point lead before falling apart, then got their doors blown off by St. Johns. There was a brief reprieve to the season when Uconn beat perrenial pain-in-the-asses Providence, then handled a surging Georgetown (before Chris Wright went down) to seemingly right the ship. It was the last real bright spot in the season.

Uconn finished up with crushing home defeats to Marquette and Notre Dame (both games they should have won) and away at West Virginia, with only a road victory against Cincinnati saving a four-game losing streak to end the year.

But, it wasn't just the losses. It was the way they lost.

Gone was the hustle, the hard work. Gone was the savvy. Gone was the killer instinct. Even the team's leader and best player, Kemba, was in a shooting funk, missing shots that had consistently gone in earlier in the year and playing frenetic, out-of-control basketball that had been his staple his first two seasons, but had seemingly been corrected this year. 

No one, however, represented the collapse of Uconn more than Alex Oriakhi. In his last 11 games, the powerful forward, Uconn's only real inside presence, grabbed double-digit rebounds only once. In the last three games, Oriakhi posted games of three points, three rebounds, four points, nine rebounds, and five points, two rebounds. 

It was worse than that.

Oriakhi was, at times, a detriment to the team. It wasn't just that he wasn't rebounding. He also wasn't defending. In his last seven games, Oriakhi posted one or fewer blocks in all of them, after having averaged more than three blocks for most of the season. His offensive game was as unreliable, as horrifically bumbling as it was at the beginning of the year, and sending him to the free throw line was the equivalent of a turnover.

Not only that, but Oriakhi's inability to be a factor on the court meant Charles Okwandu had to become more of a factor in games, rather than what he had been intended to be, which was a warm, big body to eat up fouls and rest Oriakhi when he needed a blow. Think back to that little gimme put back that Okwandu missed, a shot that would have tied the game against Notre Dame Saturday afternoon with 25 seconds remaining, and you can truly appreciate all the different ways Oriakhi hurt this team.

On January 29, every Uconn fan was in a state of euphoria. Now, on March 6, there is a sense of dread going into what should be the most exciting time in college basketball. 

So, what did we learn?

First, I don't care about November expectations. It's all nice and fine that coaches picked Uconn to finished 10th in the conference, and they actually ended up ninth. Those predictions were made before anyone saw this team play. Anyone who offered an opinion on Uconn at that time was doing so blind.

Had you offered up a 21-9 record, 9-9 in a deep Big East, and a guaranteed trip to the Dance in November, most diehard fans would have signed up. But, it's not about the record. It's about the road taken to get to the record. 

Uconn played its best basketball in December and January, then regressed. It has become a disturbing trend under Calhoun over the last several years. The magical 2008/09 run to the Final Four obscures the fact that, aside from that year, Uconn hasn't been a factor in March. They haven't won a Big East Tournament game since 2005. They failed to make the NCAA Tourney in two of those five years, and failed to make the post-season at all in 2006/07. It used to be that you didn't want to play a Calhoun team at the end of the year. Get them early, or don't get them at all. For six years, that hasn't been the case.

This year was no different. Not one played on the team improved as the season progressed. Most, actually, fell deep into whatever rabbit hole they got stuck in after January. Shabazz Napier never shook the boneheaded play that ended up costing Uconn more than his flashes of brilliance ever helped. Roscoe Smith, an energy guy, rebounding phenom, terrific defender, and decent outside shooter in the beginning of the year, became a non-factor in the end of the year. Jeremy Lamb continued to ride the rollercoaster, going up and coming down, from game to game, from half to half, and, at the end of the season, had somehow played himself out of crunch time minutes. Jamal Coombs-McDaniels had a brief spurt of competency, then was returned to irrelevancy by both his play and an inexplicable lack of confidence displayed in him by his coaching staff (instead of riding the lightning in the bottle, Calhoun and Blaney seemed to be doing everything they could to squash that lightning before it could naturally extinguish itself). 

Niels Giffey and Tyler Olander, two players with what seem to be very good skill sets, got no playing time down the stretch.

This team to me will forever be the Benjamin Button group. Somehow, with little experience, they came out playing together, showing a familiarity one would only expect from a seasoned group. Then, as the season went on, the time you would expect growth, they, instead, looked more and more like a team with no sense of eachother. Had you reversed the year, with Uconn struggling in the first half and then coming together in the second half, it would have all made sense, and the 21-9 record would seem like a step in the right direction. The fact that it ended up being the opposite leaves a sour, confused taste in my mouth.

What's even more disappointing is that this 7-11 end to the season clouds any glimmers of hope for the future. This recruiting class wasn't as highly regarded as many in the country and, coming into the season, the focus was more on what Jim Calhoun had missed rather than what he had snagged. He lost out on players like Brandon Knight, CJ Leslie, Doron Lamb, and others, all top-rated players who were considering Uconn, then decided to call some other program home. Before that late-game breakdown against Louisville, it seemed like Calhoun had once again proven his Hall of Fame chops with his recruiting. Wasn't Shabazz Napier as good a prospect as Brandon Knight? Wasn't Jeremy Lamb a star in the making? Wasn't Roscoe Smith as exciting and athlete as their was in the country?

Maybe, though, Uconn's recruiting class is, as Dennis Green would say, exactly who everyone thought they were. Maybe there is a reason why Napier wasn't as widely recruited as others. The same for Lamb and Smith. Maybe this is simply an average recruiting class.

Or, maybe, it is an example of a growing concern for me.

The NBA is littered with former Uconn  players, many of whom are significant contributors to their teams. Ray Allen is a Hall of Famer in waiting. Caron Butler, Emeka Okafor, and Rudy Gay are all top performers on good teams. Rip Hamilton, despite his recent problems, remains one of the more respected veterans in the game and Ben Gordon is instant NBA offense. 

Jim Calhoun recruited and then coached up all of those players. 

But, recent years have seen more talent wasted than realized. The team that went to the Final Four only produced AJ Price as a viable NBA player (something he will have to continue to prove as he returns from yet another injury). Hasheem Thabeet is dangerously close to joining Kwame Brown and Darko Milicic as Jeopardy answers to "Biggest NBA Busts" questions, and Jeff Adrien has only gotten a token look from the Golden State Warriors this year. 

Last year's team, however, was far more of an indictment on Calhoun's ability to coach his players up. Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson both arrived as super-athletic but raw talents. Both showed NBA skills. And neither improved at all over the course of their four years with Uconn. Perhaps Dyson was always undersized to be a shooting guard in the NBA, but he was bigger and stronger than Ben Gordon, yet never refined his game beyond slashing to the basket and hurling his body at other players. Robinson is the bigger failure. He has al the tools. He has a decent jump shot. He is long and quick, yet strong for his size. And, he can literally jump out of the building. How Robinson never progressed to the point of NBA lottery pick, how he was allowed to remain at his mediocre level when greatness was attainable, is still a mystery. 

It's impossible to know how this new group of players will ultimately turn out. Kemba will certainly play in the NBA, yet his size and still-inconsistent shot makes him a dicey pro prospect. The early returns on highly-touted Oriakhi and Coombs-McDaniels are not promising.

Maybe Calhoun still has his magic. Maybe he has one more run with a tough group of kids. Yet, after the last six years, there is certainly not guarantee that the "glory days" are still attainable,

Uconn still has time to redeem its season. March is known for its madness. The fan in me will somehow find a way to rekindle hope. I can already begin to make the case now. Depaul on Tuesday should be no problem. Uconn has already beaten Georgetown once this year and, without Chris Wright, the Hoyas are struggling just as much as the Huskies. Then, a matchup with Pittsburgh. Again, anything can happen.

When Selection Sunday comes around, I'm sure I'll find a way to convince myself that Uconn's bracket opens up for a trip to the Sweet Sixteen, with an outside chance at the Elite Eight. But, that will simply be the fan in me.

The reality is this team will probably have a short run in March, followed by a long spring and summer of questions. And, instead of excitement come October, I'll be filled with something more resembling dread. Will Oriakhi improve at all (heck, will he even return)? Can Napier truly lead the team as its point guard? Can Lamb become a top player? Can Roscoe make the leap from great athlete to great basketball player, the way Stanley Robinson was never able to do? Will guys like Olander and Giffey become contributodors, or will they remain in Calhoun's doghouse? And, of course, has the game begun to pass the old Hall of Fame coach by, or does Calhoun have another run at a championship in him?

Of course, maybe March gets a little crazy for the next two weeks? We can always believe, right?