If Connecticut wins today and goes on to win the national title, the Huskies will have proved without a shadow of a doubt they are superior to every other team in the nation. And I’m talking not even close. Here’s why:
Focus.
Sometimes they have it, sometimes they don’t. They play only when they need to, and through this tournament that has always been good enough. The Huskies have sloshed to second-half deficits of 12 points to 16th-seeded Albany and 11 points to No. 5 seed Washington – a game in which they committed 26 turnovers.
From the iffy play of its brightest star, Rudy Gay (who was caught yawning on court to start the second half against Washington), to this maddening light- switch brand of basketball, UConn is crafting itself to be unlike any other champion we’ve seen: So good it can play how it wants, check in mentally when it must, and still win. That, folks, is superiority.
Everything I’ve been led to believe says among the characteristics that winning six games in the NCAA Tournament requires, mental focus throughout each contest might be the most important. But these Huskies don’t subscribe to that formula.
“In regulation, we probably made some of the most boneheaded plays we’ve made all season, including myself,” point guard Marcus Williams said after UConn’s latest great escape, its Friday overtime win over Washington. “And I think in overtime we made some big baskets, got some big stops and we made free throws. The determination that we had in overtime, you could see it in everyone’s face that knew we had new life. We just went out and played.”
Just think if UConn played that way every minute.
Deja vu
Watching Duke lose to LSU reminded me of a 1995 women’s Elite Eight tournament game, Colorado vs. Georgia. Ceal Barry’s Buffs, led by Shelley Sheetz, were a better team, but Georgia’s athletes won the game 82-79. This was exactly the same scenario. Duke is a better team, but LSU’s athletes made the plays to win.
My apologies to …
The Pac-10. Yes, I did my part in ripping the conference as being weak. And it was. BUT you have to love the runs put together by UCLA (a team I liked all season) and Washington. And, for that matter, the fight Arizona put up against Villanova.
High praise
Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun, on where shot-making senior Rashad Anderson fits into the best late-game heroes in team history: “He is the best clutch 3-point shooter I’ve coached, and we’ve had some great ones. Intuitively, no one makes as many big shots. I call them daggers. No player makes as many daggers as Rashad has.”
Buzzer-beaters
Anyone wondering why Boston College didn’t hold for the last shot against Villanova in overtime? The Eagles might be playing today if they had…. And speaking of ‘Nova, when it had to have the effort – from its coach – Jay Wright came through. … An under-the-radar mid-major subplot was George Mason’s inclusion in the tournament over Hofstra, a team with a better regular-season record that went 2-0 against the Patriots during the season, with one of the wins coming in the semifinals of the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament. Anyone questioning that decision now? … B.C.’s Craig Smith may have been the most underrated big man in the nation. … Do you remember any player getting away with more body contact on blocked shots than Duke’s Shelden Williams?… Good to see Washington’s Brandon Roy finally got the pub he deserved during the tournament. I wrote it earlier this year, and I’ll do it again now: He should be a first-team All-American.
