Editor's Note: Dick Weiss, a member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Fame, has covered college sports in Philadelphia and New York for more than 40 years. He will be providing regular commentary for the American Athletic Conference during the 2014-15 season.
A senior point guard carrying UConn through the postseason? That scenario is welcomingly familiar to Huskies fans
by Dick Weiss
HARTFORD, Conn. - UConn is not ready to give up on this season yet.
The electricity was turned back on in the XL Center yesterday.
Just when it looked like The Huskies, whose offense was operating on dead batteries, were headed to the NIT, they staged a furious, heroic rally, rallying from an eight-point deficit in the final 2:39 to defeat Tulsa, 47-42, in The American semifinals to keep their NCAA tournament chances alive.
The Huskies (20-13) will play regular-season champion SMU, a team it just beat here some two weeks ago, for the conference championship today at 3:15 and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament once they catch their breath.
Senior guard Ryan Boatright, who led the Huskies with 21 points, six rebounds and made all four 3-pointers he attempted, understands the significance of what the Huskies are trying to accomplish.
“Just win, no matter what you go through, no matter what you've got to do, you got to win,”' Boatright said. “It's killed or be killed, simple as that. When you go into postseason, it's one loss and you're done. So I just trust in my teammates, my teammates trust in us and we trust in the coaching staff and we go out and we fight every day for each other.”
This one was worth watching for the emotional crowd of 10,114, especially if you were a UConn fan.
Boatright is turning into the latest incarnation of Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier, only without the same level of talent the stars of UConn's 2011 and 2-014 national championship teams enjoyed. He hit a dramatic game winning three Friday night when the Huskies defeated Cincinnati, 57-54, in the quarterfinals, then hit another huge three to put the finishing touches on an 8-0 run as the Huskies tied Tulsa at 41-41 with 1:44 remaining. That set the stage for a jumper by Rodney Purvis that gave UConn the lead for good at 43-42 with 46 seconds to play.
“I'm kind of at a loss for words, but one word that comes to mind is ‘heart,’” UConn coach Kevin Ollie said. “We called a timeout with 3:40 to go and everybody looked at each other and said we still believe and we've got a will to win and they just dug in. They made big shots. We kept getting steals and that's just UConn basketball. I love my guys and they didn't falter.
“We could have laid down and said no and then that sixth man stood up and gave us that jolt of energy and we just kept playing and grinding and sooner or later we're going to tent you and we got them at the end.”
This was the third straight tournament game UConn has held an opponent to 54 points or less.
It was a heartbreaking loss for Tulsa (22-10), which was trying to make one last impression on the NCAA selection committee but let this one slip away.
“We came out, we competed hard, we felt like we did a good job throughout the game, except for those last four minutes,” Tulsa's all league guard James Woodard said. “If you don't shut out a game, anything can happen.”
The American has a shot at four bids if UConn wins the automatic and SMU, Temple and Cincinnati get in as at large picks. Tulsa and UConn certainly warrant consideration as at-large picks as well. This was a game that will become part of UConn lore, even though neither team shot the ball particularly well. UConn shot just 36.2 percent and Tulsa shot just 29.2.
Tulsa, which led for 32:40 of the game, looked like it was in control after taking a 38-28 lead with 6:25 to play before UConn came to life in this low scoring offensive struggle and eventually cut down the Hurricane lead, pulling within 41-38 when freshman forward Daniel Hamilton, who missed his first eight shots of the game, nailed a huge three with 2:39 to play.
"He's big time poise,'' Ollie said of his freshman. “Look at the other stats. He got 12 rebounds and most guys that are 0-for-8, they are doing nothing else. He had five assists. If you look at versatility, that’s what he is. He stepped up with 2:39 on the clock, 0-for-8, and hit a big three. And then Ryan stepped up and hit a three, then Rodney stepped up. All guys kept believing and they believe in Daniel.”
This has been a difficult week for Hamilton, who stayed with the team after his grandmother passed.
“We love him and we want him to get back on that plane and bury his grandma with a championship,” Ollie said. "We’re going to keep on fighting.”
This UConn team has learned how to win this week, defeating USF, Cincinnati and now Tulsa to get to this point. It wasn't always that way.
“These guys will tell you earlier in the year when Daniel and Rodney were not making shots, they were having a tough game, they get down on themselves,” said Boatright. “They lose confidence in themselves and stuff like that. Throughout the game, I kept telling them we need you, keep your heads, man, you're going to make a big play, especially Daniel, he was going to make a big play.
“I knew it because they were keying in on me and Rodney on each side of the pick and roll. He stayed with it, he said, boy, I got you man. He stepped up and made a big three.”
Boatright will have to be at his best against SMU, which was 15-3 in league play. The Mustangs and Huskies split during the regular season.
“They're a better team, we're a better team,” Olllie said. “They are the best team in our conference. They won the league hands down against Tulsa that last game.
“There's no better way than go through the best and that's what we're going to have to go through to win a championship. It's going to be a great game, game atmosphere and I can say I would not want it anywhere else but the XL Center. Thank God, we got it here and our crowd is going to stand up together with us and give us the victory we need.”