UConn sports

By Neill Ostrout

STAFF WRITER

GLENDALE, Ariz. _ The Phoenix are has always been good to the UConn men’s basketball team. Now the Huskies get to find out how Detroit treats its guests.

UConn, the top seed in the West, beat third-seeded Missouri 82-75 Saturday afternoon at the University of Phoenix Stadium to earn the program’s third berth in the Final Four. Both of the Huskies’ previous trips, in 1999 and 2004, came out of Phoenix and resulted in national championships.

Kemba Walker came off the bench for a career-high 23 points, frequently using his speed to help the Huskies break Missouri’s full-court press. The freshman was also 4-for-4 from the line down the stretch to help close things out. UConn made all 10 of its free throws in the final minute and two seconds.

A big fist pump from head coach Jim Calhoun, who has been under scrutiny for possible NCAA recruiting violations, and a jubilant celebration by the UConn players followed the final buzzer.

Despite being very tired at the final buzzer A.J. Price, the region’s MVP, scored 18 points for the Huskies (31-4).

“We’re not going to let anything get between us and the Final Four,” Price said before the game.

Stanley Robinson added 13 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots for the Huskies.

Missouri (31-7) got 13 points each from Leo Lyons and Matt Lawrence.

UConn raced out to a 13-2 lead. Maybe playing a little too fast.

Missouri caught up with some fast break points and the shooting of Matt Lawrence.

UConn center Hasheem Thabeet picked up two fouls late in the half. Backup Gavin Edwards (hometown boy down here) playing well, though.

UConn is scorching the nets, shooting 19-of-27 (70 percent) but isn’t running away.

Halftime in Glendale and we’ve got a game.

Huskies lead 44-38 after A.J. Price’s runner at the buzzer.

Price has 10 points so far, same for Jeff Adrien.

- Neill

A few minutes to tip-off here at the Phoenix Dome.

Officials are John Cahill, Les Jones and Mike Littlewood, if you care. The Huskies are very familiar with the first two.

We’ll see what kind of pace is set.

– Music trivia/blog title contest in affect. Obscure song but popular with UConn’s audio staff during pre-games in Storrs and Hartford.

- Neill

UConn issued another statement in regards to the Nate Miles/Josh Nochimson situation this morning:

“The University is working collaboratively with the NCAA to conduct a thorough review of the issues raised in the recent news accounts regarding alleged recruiting violations in the men’s basketball program. On Wednesday morning March 25th, soon after the article was posted, the University and NCAA enforcement staff initiated conversations on this matter. A comprehensive examination of the facts and circumstances involved has begun. The review is being conducted by the NCAA and the University in a manner consistent with NCAA enforcement procedures.”

- nostrout@ctpost.com

There are few more genuine people around than Stanley Robinson. The UConn forward may seem like he’s not paying attention at times, but he can surprise you.

Robinson on the podium for a press conference can often be an entertaining thing, and Friday was no different.

For starters, when four of UConn’s players were asked the same question in quick order (“Are you guys worried about depth being a problem?”), Robinson was the last in line.

Having listened to Craig Austrie, Jeff Adrien and A.J. Price provide good answers, Robinson didn’t want to waste anyone’s time.

“I think they pretty much summed it up right there, to be honest with you,” Robinson said. “No sense of me just keep saying the same thing.”

That drew plenty of laughs from the assembled reporters. As did Robinson’s comments about former Birmingham, Ala., foil DeMarre Carroll.

Carroll was two years older than Robinson when the former was at John Carroll Catholic High and the latter at Huffman High. They’re meeting today in the West Regional final, with Carroll at Missouri and Robinson a Husky.

“We were always meeting in the regional finals (state high school playoffs) to go to the Civic Center. That’s the Big Dance, what we call the Big Dance in Alabama,” Carroll said. “We always beat him, so hopefully we can keep that trend.”

Robinson didn’t question Carroll’s memory.

“That’s the truth,” Robinson said. “I’m looking to get him back, to be honest with you.

“We were born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. We always played each other in basketball in high school. They always won on the winning end.”

It’s always fun when you win on the winning end.

– His name is Hasheem Thabeet. Maybe it seems easy to say and write for me because I’ve done it for quite some time now.

At least one member of the media here in Glendale had a lot of difficulty getting it right Friday.

When this scribe (not sure who it was, Kansas City Star guy, I think) asked the Missouri players about facing Thabeet, he called UConn’s center “The Beast.”

I thought it was a mistake but the guy did it again a minute later, asking someone else about facing “The Beast.”

When Thabeet actually got on the dais to answer questions, the guy starts his question with “Hakeem, what…”

Thabeet, who hadn’t heard any of the previous “Beast” stuff, didn’t let him go on.

“It’s Hasheem,” the big man said.

“I’m sorry,” the reporter said. “I guess I could just call you ‘Beast’ right?”

Well, no, I don’t think you could.

– In the blog title/80′s song competition we have a tough one. Extra credit on this one.

- Neill

UConn coach Jim Calhoun just got off the podium here in Glendale, Ariz. He provided about 30 minutes of the best “no comment” answers in the history of journalism when discussing the Nate Miles-Josh Nochimson stuff.

Love him or hate him, believe him or don’t, Calhoun certainly can be eloquent when he wants to be.

I’ll have more later but here’s a sampling of his comments:

– The crux of Calhoun’s message:

“I truly believe in what we’ve intended and tried to do as a program,” Calhoun said. “If we’ve made mistakes, someone else will judge that for us.”

Much like he said to Yahoo Sports on Thursday, he said the NCAA rulebook is sometimes unclear.

“In a 508-page manual, a mistake could have been made,” Calhoun said. “Do I know that any have been made? No, I’m not making judgments one way or the other.”

– Calhoun never mentioned Nochimson by name but did refer to him.

“It’s not my job to know what every human being who’s ever graduated from UConn is doing _ every single moment, 24 hours a day,” Calhoun said. “Is it my responsibility according to that 508 pages? Yes.”

– Calhoun was hoping he and UConn would have some time to figure out what may have went wrong.

“After 37 years I guess it’s hurtful _ not that someone said it couldn’t happen _ but not to give it time to see if something did happen,” Calhoun said.

He then offered something of a compliment _ and rebuke, too _ to some of the assembled media

“I have a lot of respect for a lot of you people, whether you realize it or not,” Calhoun said. “So if you all of a sudden just jump (to conclusions), I think you’re better than that. You don’t need to jump.”

– Calhoun bristled at the notion that his relative silence on the issues or his lack of venom somehow makes him admit guilt. The last time the coach got angry at those questioning his integrity or whatever (remember Ken Krayske?), he sort of blew up.

“Which way do you want it?” Calhoun said. “Just tell me.”

“Someone said ‘he didn’t yell, therefore he’s guilty,’ ” Calhoun continued. “Someone said I bullied someone when they asked me about my salary. Not UConn but about Comcast.”

– The coach was asked about his potential retirement, mentioning a talk he had with former North Carolina coach Dean Smith about the subject.

“The great thing he said to me was ‘Don’t ever make a decision after a great win or after a bad loss. And particularly don’t make it after a season. Wait some time to see how things look,’ ” Calhoun said.

“I love my team. I love coaching. I’ve really enjoyed this team. I think my final answer is: this team has made this season very enjoyful for me personally.”

- Neill

Back at the Phoenix Dome. Felt like I never left.

We’ll see what else the day reveals in terms of Nochimson news and Calhoun reactions, other than surgeries and doctors.

Also, there may be some time to write about basketball. We’ll let you know.

- Neill

Missouri knocked off Memphis 102-91 in the late game here Thursday.

That will move third-seeded Missouri into Saturday’s West Regional final against top-seeded UConn. Game time is 4:40 p.m. (1:40 p.m. for those in Arizona).

FYI, UConn and Missouri have never played before.

Late Thursday night some people were already calling Missouri’s win the biggest in school history.

“We have UConn on Saturday so we can’t dwell on this win too much,” Mizzou’s J.T. Tiller said.

Said DeMarre Carroll, “That could be our next biggest victory.”

Should be fun.

- Neill