John Fanta
Badalière and journalist of university basketball
The clock had just hit Midnight in Manhattan. The quarter-final of the Big East Tournament Thursday turned to Friday, and the Uconn Huskies of seeded n ° 3 found themselves locked in a tight battle with Villanova, sixth seeded, with a place in the semi-finals on the line.
It was at this point that Uconn chief Alex Karaban took over.
The big scene is nothing new for Karaban, a guy whose victory percentage would compete almost anyone in Storrs. The junior striker drained a triple directly with 6:18 in the game to give the separation of the Connecticut in what had been a pinch of twinge and tape.
A few minutes later, just when it appeared that the Wildcats could perhaps assemble one more push, Karaban buried a 3-minute dagger to go and say good night to Villanova, and hello to the three teams remaining in the tournament: St. John’s, Marquette and Creighton.
Are Huskies what they were last year? No. But they still have the DNA of the championship and the shot at the level of the elite, and at this time of the year, it will give you a blow against practically anyone.
The Huskies pulled 5 out of 8 on a 3-point range in the second half and closed the match on a 22-5 race on a 73-56 victory on the Wildcats. The victory sends the Huskies to a semi-final event test and a rubber match with Creighton at 9 p.m. HE Friday on Fox.
The Huskies did not simply do it with an elite level shoot Thursday evening. They locked the country’s top scorer, Eric Dixon, holding him only eight points in what was probably the last match of his university career. UCONN ended the 47 consecutive sequence of Dixon in two figures, a sequence which now belongs to the star of Marquette Kam Jones. In doing so, the Huskies also denied the record for the Dixon of Kerry Kittles of 2,243 points, the fifth senior year in 2,235.
But the most important thing for Karaban and the Huskies is that the team seems to peak at the ideal moment, winning its fifth consecutive match.
“It’s Mars, and here, we are desperate from the championships,” said Karaban. “We have to play our best basketball at this time of year. There is no other way. Wearing this UCONN jersey, you have to play with a certain fanfaron, especially in March where the championships are won.”
Karaban finished the match with 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while Liam McNeley followed him with 12 points, and Solo Ball and Samson Johnson had 11 each.
Samson Johnson finishes hard and 1 layup, extending Uconn’s advance on Villanova
Beyond the balanced offensive, the Huskies won the rebound battle, 31-22, and used their physique to close the game.
“I found encouraging that we were within five years at halftime,” said Uconn coach Dan Hurley. “I think that for us to close a match like that to start the playoffs, it shows a plan of what is possible for this team.”
In a way, the Huskies reminded everyone what was possible after having the impression that their season was heading in the wrong direction after a defeat of 68-62 against the back of St. John’s on February 7. But after that, Uconne avenged a defeat at the start of the season against Creighton with an incredible victory over the Bluejays behind 38 points of McNeeley.
Friday evening’s revenge match is fascinating for various reasons. To start, Creighton coach Greg McDermott has an 8-4 file against Hurley in his career. Uconn tries to go to the match for the title Big East for the second consecutive year, something they had not achieved since 2011, before doing it last season. Meanwhile, Creighton has reached the semi-final tour of the Big East tournament four times since 2014, but has not yet won.
In what has become a rivalry since the Huskies returned to the League, the semi-final match on Friday evening could deliver the goods in what will probably be Ryan Kalkbrenner’s last match against Connecticut.
But late Thursday evening, until the early hours of Friday morning, Hurley was smiling after watching her team assemble a second dominant half. Huskies look like a team that culminates at the right time.
“It’s loaned, so I’m practicing Catholic,” said Hurley with a little laugh after the match. “It’s back in the hotel room and a slice of cheese pizza for me. Then we will move to the large team that is Creighton.”
John Fanta is a national basketball and writer for Fox Sports. It covers sport in a variety of capabilities, from the call for games to FS1 to serve it as a main host on the digital network of Big East to the supply of comments on the field of the 68 media Network. Follow him to @John_fanta.
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