Walker propels UConn again in final

And they said it couldn't be done. Win five games in five days to capture the postseason tournament of the most talented conference in the country? Impossible.

But that's what Connecticut did Saturday night behind the all-encompassing leadership of the incomparable Kemba Walker, pulling out a 69-66 victory over Louisville in the final minute of the longest week any college team ever endured.

Walker finished with 19 points in the game and a Big East Tournament-record 130, the most anyone ever has scored in a conference tournament, and the Huskies (26-9) had three other double-figures scorers in Jeremy Lamb (13), Roscoe Smith (12) and Alex Oriakhi (10). Preston Knowles had 18 points, Peyton Siva 13 and Terrence Jennings 11 for the Cardinals (25-9).

Running on fumes down the stretch after playing 190 of a possible 205 minutes, Walker put UConn ahead to stay with 33.6 seconds left when he drove the lane and dished to Lamb for a layup and a 65-64 lead. After a Louisville turnover, Walker made two free throws with 16.4 seconds left to put UConn ahead by three.

"Now that the tournament is over,'' MVP Walker said, "I definitely can tell you I was tired. With two minutes left, I was gassed. But my heart took over. Peyton Siva played great defense, but I slipped by him and Jeremy was smart enough to cut and get the big basket.''

The second-half shooting percentages showed where each team was at physically. Louisville hit 54.2 percent of its shots to 28.0 percent for UConn. But Cardinals coach Rick Pitino was incensed that his team botched an inbounds play after Lamb's go-ahead basket. That led to the foul that put Walker at the line to push the lead to three points.

"I warned them in practice that if you don't get into your box and screen, you're going to lose a crucial game, and it happened to us in the biggest game we've played,'' Pitino said.

Mike Marra overthrew the pass and Lamb tipped it to Walker. After Walker made his free throws, he forced Knowles to miss a three, but Louisville got the rebound and Walker fouled Marra on an attempted three with 3.9 seconds left, giving him a chance to tie. "I was so mad at myself,'' Walker said. "I was telling everybody to stay down, and I'm the one that jumped.''

But Marra missed the middle of the three foul shots, allowing Walker to exhale. "When he missed,'' he said, "I thanked God.''

UConn's Shabazz Napier was fouled on the inbounds play and made both shots for the final three-point margin before Knowles missed a right-wing three for the tie at the buzzer.

Pitino said he hopes the loss won't affect the Cardinals' seeding in the NCAA Tournament when the pairings are announced Sunday, suggesting the selection committee take into account the fact that his team essentially lost a road game.

The Bronx-born Walker had told his teammates that it would be like a home game with the UConn legions in the stands along with his friends and family. "It's special because I'm home playing in front of the greatest fans in the world and my family and friends,'' Walker said. "Words can't describe it.''

UConn coach Jim Calhoun has won a record seven Big East tourney titles, none more special than this one.

"This particular group has been incredibly resilient,'' he said. "What these kids have gone through this week has been as moving as anything I can possibly think of. I think we're leaving feeling different about ourselves. Knowing the history of college basketball, as I've been told all day, it kind of gave you a feeling that it wouldn't happen. But it did happen.''