Walker, Lamb again propel UConn
Kemba Walker of the Connecticut Huskies looks on before the second half against the Arizona Wildcats during the west regional final of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament. (March 26, 2011) Credit: Getty
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- With nine pressure-packed victories in 19 days, Connecticut has been on an exhausting sprint through the postseason for nearly three weeks now.
Turns out Kemba Walker and his Huskies aren't slowing down until they get to Houston.
Walker scored 20 points, freshman Jeremy Lamb 19 and Connecticut earned its second Final Four berth in three years, beating Arizona, 65-63, Saturday to win the West Regional.
Derrick Williams and Jamelle Horne missed three-pointers in the final seconds for Arizona, allowing the third-seeded Huskies (30-9) to hang on after Lamb, the Huskies' fearless freshman, scored six key points down the stretch.
After missing the NCAA Tournament entirely last year, coach Jim Calhoun's tireless team is headed to UConn's fourth Final Four.
"This is no time to be tired," Walker said. "We're trying to get as far as possible. We want to win this whole thing."
Williams had 20 points while battling foul trouble for the fifth-seeded Wildcats (30-8), who led with 6 minutes to play. After Lamb pushed the Huskies ahead and Walker hit a jumper with 1:13 left, Lamont Jones and Horne then hit late three-pointers for Arizona, but the Wildcats couldn't convert two good looks in the final seconds.
"The second one, I thought it was definitely going in," Lamb said. "When he missed it, I looked at the clock and saw zero-zero, and I just went, 'Whooooo.' It's the best feeling I've ever had."
UConn also made the Final Four in 1999, 2004 and 2009 -- all three times out of the West. The Huskies will face either North Carolina or Kentucky next Saturday.
The Huskies, who went 9-9 in Big East play, are the last team standing from the conference's record 11 NCAA entrants. The Huskies roared through the league tournament with an unprecedented display of endurance -- five wins in five days -- at Madison Square Garden.
"I only feel tired after everything is over," Walker said. "When I'm playing, it's no problem. I'm good."
A year after Arizona's 25-year streak of NCAA Tournament appearances ended, the Wildcats and second-year coach Sean Miller were one three-pointer away from a return to the Final Four. Williams demolished Duke in the regional semifinals with a career-high 32 points, but three early fouls limited him to 7 minutes in the first half against UConn.
Jesse Perry scored 14 points for Arizona, which trailed 34-25 early in the second half before scoring nine straight points. The Wildcats reclaimed the lead with 14 1/2 minutes left on Williams' layup, but UConn quickly scored seven consecutive points.
The Huskies led 50-41 until the Wildcats made a 12-2 run that included two rim-ripping dunks by Williams and the go-ahead slam by Perry with 7:17 left. With Honda Center rocking in Arizona red, Lamb smoothly put the Huskies ahead before following Alex Oriakhi's putback layup with a steal and a dunk with 3:08 left for a seven-point lead.
Walker kept up his scoring pace in the tournament. He dropped 33 points on Cincinnati before getting 36 against San Diego State in the regional semifinals Thursday.
