Of course it came down to the last shot.
In a season that has seen a bevy of games end with shocked UConn players, apoplectic UConn fans and overjoyed opponents celebrating a game-winning shot, it would be hard to fault UConn senior Ryan Boatright for harboring some bad memories.
On this day, a quarterfinal matchup against a bruising Cincinnati team in the AAC Tournament, UConn clung to a two-point lead as Boatright stepped to the foul line for a one-and-one to seal the game. There were 25 seconds left in the game. Boatright had made his first four free throws attempts during the game.
He missed the first.
Cincinnati didn’t waste any time. Fan least-favorite Troy Caupain drove and missed a layup, but with no UConn player to defend the weak side, Shaq Thomas put in an easy put-back to tie the game with 13 seconds remaining.
“Once I missed it, man, they got that put back, it was like deja vu,” said Boatright. “This is Texas all over again.”
Of course it came down to the last shot.
Coach Kevin Ollie called a timeout and drew up the play.
Boatright explains, “Coach drew up a great play for the slip so they couldn’t double me. Once I came off, they were so nervous of me beating them baseline. I gave him one good crossover to give myself a good look…”
‘I told myself ‘I’m not going out like that. We’re going to take this last shot, and I’m going to make it.’”
He did.
The XL Center crowd (a surprisingly raucous 9,514) sprang to life, reveling in the recent history of amazing March moments that UConn has blessed them with. Despite the Huskies’ pedestrian season, there is palpable confidence flowing out of the players and the fan base. A five-year stretch of Kemba Walker, Shabazz Napier and Boatright has a way of instilling that confidence in you.
It’s something even Boatright casually acknowledged after the game in explaining the ease of his latest heroics. “[The] great guards that we’ve had, Shabazz, Kemba, we put in that work to be in that situation and to be able to make that shot.” If he had closed with “Greatness is Not an Accident” we could’ve filmed the next UConn commercial right then and there.
The Huskies are — understandably — riding high right now, but there is another reality check awaiting them on Saturday afternoon. They will meet Tulsa, the tournament’s two-seed, with a trip to the championship game on the line. The two teams split a pair of meetings this season, the latest a 25 point UConn victory in February — also in Hartford.
Throughout this season, the Huskies have scored a big win, and failed to carry that momentum forward. It’s time to determine how much March magic remains.
Notes:
Kentan Facey sat out again with a concussion. It sounds like he’ll be a game-time decision for Saturday’s game. UConn’s medical staff is rightly conservative with head injuries. He should only return when he’s out of range for further injury. Hopefully he gets well soon.
In the meantime, Phil Nolan and Rakim Lubin were serviceable inside. Lubin’s wide frame clogged up some of Cincinnati’s offense.
Rodney Purvis was UConn’s best player until Boatright took over late. He came through with three big thee-pointers and 17 total points. With Hamilton’s shot off (despite a huge three late), Purvis really stepped up.
Some really bad foul calls put Amida Brimah on the bench for much of the game. He played only 17 minutes.
Up Next:
UConn/Tulsa in the semifinals. They’ll play immediately after SMU/Temple. The first game is at 3pm, pushing the UConn game to between 5 and 5:30pm. Both games will be on ESPN2 but you should really come to Hartford and BUY TICKETS.
