SB Nation DC - Connecticut Beats Louisville, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Georgetown To Win Big East Championshiphttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48897/dc-fave.png2011-03-12T23:15:43-05:00http://dc.sbnation.com/rss/stream/17987172011-03-12T23:15:43-05:002011-03-12T23:15:43-05:00Big East Tournament 2011: Connecticut Beats Louisville 69-66 To Win Big East Championship
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<p>There was under one minute remaining in the Big East Tournament Championship game, and with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/connecticut-huskies">Connecticut Huskies</a> down by just one point, there was only one player who could take the potentially game-winning shot. Kemba Walker. Right? He's made three game-winning shots already this year.</p>
<p>But this time, Walker did something equally brilliant. With 33 seconds remaining, he drove to the basket, he jumped towards the rim, and then he dished the ball to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123382/jeremy-lamb">Jeremy Lamb</a> for an easy layup to give the Huskies a 65-64 lead over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/louisville-cardinals">Louisville Cardinals</a> in the Big East Title game.</p>
<p>Holding a slim lead, Connecticut managed to steal the ball from Louisville on the ensuing possession, and Walker was fouled. He made both free throws to extend UCONN's lead to three.</p>
<p>With nine seconds remaining, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26051/preston-knowles">Preston Knowles</a> missed a three-point attempt, but the rebound landed in the hands of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100011/mike-marra">Mike Marra</a>, who was fouled in the process of shooting a three-pointer with 3.9 seconds to go, setting up the three biggest free throw attempts of Marra's life. He made two of them. He needed all three.</p>
<p>After two free throws from Connecticut's Shabazz Napier increased the team's lead to three again, Knowles had one more chance to send the game to overtime, but his three-point attempt once again rimmed out, giving the Huskies the Big East Tournament title, and making Jim Calhoun the first coach ever to win seven Big East Championship games.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/12/2047376/big-east-championship-2011-connecticut-louisville-score-kemba-walkerMartin Shatzer2011-03-12T22:37:21-05:002011-03-12T22:37:21-05:00Big East Championship 2011: Connecticut Leads Louisville By Just 3 With 10-Minutes To Play
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<p>We could be in for an exciting finish at Madison Square Garden in New York. But we would expect nothing else from the Big East Conference. There are just 10 minutes remaining in the Big East Championship, and the Huskies lead 49-46.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52415/kemba-walker">Kemba Walker</a> may have literally broke the ankles of <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/louisville-cardinals">Louisville Cardinals</a> guard <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100008/peyton-siva">Peyton Siva</a>. The enigmatic sophomore had to leave the game with just over 12 minutes to go after Walker drove past him en route to being fouled. Walker is leading all scorers with 12 points so far, while Siva was leading the Cardinals with nine points before departing.</p>
<p>The news didn't get any better for Louisville, as <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26051/preston-knowles">Preston Knowles</a> exited just moments later. Neither player sat out long though, as both reentered the contest with 10:51 to go.</p>
<p>Connecticut has led by as many as 14 points, but this game has been close ever since Walker took a seat in the second quarter due to foul accumulation.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/12/2047312/big-east-championship-2011-connecticut-louisville-scoreMartin Shatzer2011-03-12T21:55:24-05:002011-03-12T21:55:24-05:00Big East Tournament 2011: Connecticut Leads Louisville 38-32 At Halftime Of Championship Game
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/louisville-cardinals">Louisville Cardinals</a> have figured out the best way to slow down Kemba Walker. Make sure that his coach sticks him on the bench. Walker picked up his second foul of the Big East Tournament Final with over seven minutes remaining in the first half, and Jim Calhoun gave his star guard the rest of the half off. Walker will need to be more careful in the second half when driving to the basket. His second foul was an offensive charge when pushing the ball up quickly through the lane.</p>
<p>The change has visibly hurt the Huskies. Their defense hasn't been as sharp and their passing hasn't been as crisp.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Louisville has been working the ball around in the offensive zone, finding the open shooter, and draining buckets. The Cardinals trail now by only six heading into the locker room for halftime. But will their progress continue with Walker back on the floor in the third quarter. We'll find out soon enough.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/12/2047248/big-east-tournament-2011-connecticut-louisville-scoreMartin Shatzer2011-03-12T21:32:50-05:002011-03-12T21:32:50-05:00Big East Tournament 2011: Kemba Walker Cannot Be Slowed As UCONN Leads Louisville 21-10 At 10-Minute Mark
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52415/kemba-walker">Kemba Walker</a> didn't need to score a single point in the Championship game to set the record for the most points ever in a single Big east Tournament. Its a record he already holds. But that won't stop him from scoring anyway. Walker has eight of his team's 21 points in the first 10 minutes as the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/connecticut-huskies">Connecticut Huskies</a> lead the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/teams/louisville-cardinals">Louisville Cardinals</a> by 10 midway through the first half.</p>
<p>The team has been feeding Walker the ball every possession, and why not? The guy is currently turning in one of the greatest performances in Tournament history.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/123382/jeremy-lamb">Jeremy Lamb</a> has seven points for the Huskies, including a big three-pointer to extend his team's lead to eight.</p>
<p>The two teams are tied in rebounds, but shot selection has been the key. Louisville is shooting under 33% from the field in the first 10 minutes, while Connecticut is over 50% in what is becoming a fast-paced game.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/12/2047232/big-east-tournament-2011-kemba-walker-louisville-connecticutMartin Shatzer2011-03-12T10:55:43-05:002011-03-12T10:55:43-05:00Big East Tournament Bracket And Schedule: Connecticut, Louisville Meet In Championship Game
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<p>After two thrilling semifinal games in the<a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/2011/3/7/2034676/big-east-tournament-2011-bracket-schedule"> 2011 Big East Tournament,</a> the championship will pit Kemba Walker and his Connecticut Huskies against Rick Pitino's Louisville Cardinals. The Huskies are trying to win this title after playing on the first day, while Louisville hopes to follow up its comeback win over Notre Dame with a Big East championship, which will take place Saturday night at 9 p.m. on ESPN. </p>
<p>Connecticut got to this point by <a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/8/2037995/big-east-tournament-2011-connecticut-depaul-score">defeating DePaul </a>in the openin round, then following it up with wins over three straight ranked opponents. The Huskies <a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/9/2040193/big-east-tournament-2011-georgetown-uconn-score">topped No. 8 seed Georgetown</a>, 79-62, in the second round, <a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/10/2042521/big-east-tournament-2011-uconn-pitt-score-kemba-walker-buzzer-beater">topped No. 1 seed Pittsburgh</a> in the quarterfinals <a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/10/2042556/kemba-walker-buzzer-beater-video">on a Walker buzzer beater</a>, then<a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/11/2045437/big-east-tournament-2011-syracuse-connecticut-score"> defeated No. 4 seed Syracuse </a>in just one overtime in the semifinals Friday night. Louisville, the No. 3 seed, got a double bye in the tournament, <a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/10/2043365/big-east-tournament-2011-marquette-louisville-score">topping No. 11 seed Marquette</a>in the quarterfinals and <a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/12/2045623/big-east-tournament-2011-louisville-notre-dame-score">rallying to beat No. 2 seed Notre Dame last night</a>.</p>
<p>On paper, this is obviously a matchup between Walker and a deep, ranked opponent. That would seem to give Louisville the edge, especially after the win over a Notre Dame squad that was playing as well as anyone in the nation. But such was the case with all of Connecticut's previous victories in this tournament. Who's to say Kemba can't do it again.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/12/2046203/big-east-tournament-bracket-schedule-final-kemba-walkerMike Prada2011-03-12T00:19:09-05:002011-03-12T00:19:09-05:00Big East Tournament 2011: Louisville Rallied For 83-77 Overtime Win Over Notre Dame
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<p>As the ads at Madison Square Garden will tell you, "Nobody Beats the Wiz", and frankly, when it comes to conference tournament basketball, nobody beats the Big East, either. Louisville 83, Notre Dame 77 is the nightcap to yet another great day of Big East tournament basketball, with the Cardinals advancing to the championship game tomorrow night against Kemba-Conn with their win.</p>
<p>After trailing 46-32 at the half Rick Pitino's Cardinals' rallied back behind Peyton Siva, Terrence Jennings and, dare I say it, G:TB favorite Gorgui Dieng (4 points, 8 rebounds, 3 good fouls). Despite shooting just 38% from the floor Louisville was able to pressure the Irish into a few key turnovers in the second half that led to momentum shifting buckets on the other end of the floor.</p>
<p>Louisville returns to the Big East Final for the second time in three years, this time facing the Huskies and en fuego guard Kemba Walker tomorrow night at the Garden. I can assure you it will be a good show.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/12/2045623/big-east-tournament-2011-louisville-notre-dame-scoreT.J. Doyle2011-03-11T22:49:56-05:002011-03-11T22:49:56-05:00Big East Tournament 2011: Notre Dame Leads Louisville, 46-32
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<p>In the "<a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/11/2045437/big-east-tournament-2011-syracuse-connecticut-score">Who Want to Lose to Kemba Walker</a>" Bowl, Notre Dame quickly raised a hand, shooting 57 percent percent from the field to lead the Louisville Cardinals 46-32 in the first half of tonight's 2011 Big East Tournament semifinal matchup. The Irish have been uber efficient in the first half, making 17 of 30 two point field goals and five of eleven three point attempts while holding Louisville to just 38 percent shooting.</p>
<p>Unheralded senior guard Scott Martin led Notre Dame in the first half with 13 points and four rebounds, while Proactive candidate and all-around lunchpail guy Tim Abromaitis chipped in with 12 points, two boards and two assists for the Irish.</p>
<p>No easy Rick Pitino jokes here, other than to say his team needs to get out of the gate quick in the second half if they want to repeat last year's run to he Big East Final.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/11/2045523/big-east-tournament-2011-louisville-notre-dame-scoreT.J. Doyle2011-03-11T21:37:03-05:002011-03-11T21:37:03-05:00Big East Tournament 2011: Kemba Walker Leads Connecticut To Big East Championship Game With 76-71 Win Over Syracuse
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<p>Kemba Walker decided enough is enough with the Gerry McNamara Big East Tournament lore. After topping Pittsburgh with a buzzer beater, Walker decided to drop 33 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and five steals in an otherworldly performance that bolted the UCONN Huskies to the Big East final with a 76-71 win over Syracuse.</p>
<p>And we all thought <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3koPRFXzi3o" style="color: #c8181d !important; text-decoration: none !important; background-color: transparent;">we were going for six overtimes</a> like the last time these two teams played. Scoop Jardine sent the game into overtime, but Walker was just too much in the extra frame.</p>
<p>The No. 9 seed Huskies await the winners of Friday's Louisville/Notre Dame match-up in the Big East final. Let's face it, it's the most anticipated big top showdown since Pee Wee was a box office draw. UCONN has now beaten three straight ranked teams on their way to the 2011 Big East Conference Tournament Finals, and the team's confidence seems to have risen with each game. With a game-changer like Walker dominating each March possession the Huskies are a must watch team at all times.</p>
https://dc.sbnation.com/georgetown-hoyas/2011/3/11/2045437/big-east-tournament-2011-syracuse-connecticut-scoreT.J. Doyle