NEW YORK (AP) Connecticut kept a great adventure going. West Virginia made a section of their hockey history.
Shabazz Napier have scored 26 factors along with Jeremy Lamb put in 22 to cause the Huskies to their 13th directly postseason win, 71-67 throughout overtime with the Mountaineers on Wednesday in the subsequent spherical from the Big East tournament.
The wining kept alive the particular hopes of your second directly Big East name with the Huskies (20-12), who seem to picked up a track record five video games in several times 2009 after which it attended on to earn six far more within earning the particular school's third nation's championship.
''I do not think it may possibly take place again, but then again, I said it could actually under no circumstances happen in the very first place,'' Connecticut train Jim Calhoun said. ''Would we love to offer this your shot? Yeah. We're simply just planning to aim to play tomorrow's basketball sport for taking them when them may.''
Ninth-seeded Connecticut will certainly perform top-seeded in addition to second-ranked Syracuse inside the quarterfinals Thursday during Madison Square Garden.
The past period these kind of schools fulfilled inside quarterfinals has been last year any time Syracuse prevailed 127-117 inside five overtimes. They achieved previous 12 months while in the semifinals, a 76-71 Connecticut gain that went just one overtime.
''We're thinking of we live enjoying among the best, in my opinion coupled with Kentucky, the best crew in great britain tomorrow,'' Calhoun said.
Kevin Jones possessed 25 items for any eighth-seeded Mountaineers (19-13), that had been enjoying their very last activity as a associate of the Big East. West Virginia leaves this conference for that Big twelve future season.
''It's been a great run. We've loved it, almost all of the item anyway,'' West Virginia discipline Bob Huggins stated belonging to the school's 17 seasons in the Big East. ''There's absolutely nothing like visiting this Garden to experiment with inside tournament.''
Napier, that fouled out along with 2:35 left inside OT, scored many of the things in a 9-0 function which brought that Huskies actually at 63 together with 2:10 eventually left within regulation. He capped your run having consecutive steals at midcourt from Gary Browne and attended in pertaining to layups with both.
Napier experienced a possibility to succeed the adventure at the conclusion connected with regulation, but after dribbling apart next to midcourt having a couple of mere seconds left, his NBA-length 3-point endeavor gone journey rim.
Connecticut dominated the overtime because the Mountaineers missed all 11 shots through the field.
''We were straight down by nine by using a few minutes, 40 moments left. We dug decrease deep,'' Napier said. ''We have got anything to reduce and so why not continue right now there as well as offer it a person's all? . Everybody just attended out there as well as played as tough seeing that we can, win and also lose.''
Lamb, who possessed 25 points in the opening-round gain through DePaul, smashed your game's very last link that has a 3-pointer along with 1:04 left. Ryan Boatright acquired a couple probabilities to add to Connecticut's guide and also made among a number of free throws. The one he or she hit made it 71-67 having 19 just a few seconds kept as well as West Virginia overlooked three 3-point attempts, trying to draw a feasible foul that will offer them a chance to connect the actual game.
Last year's 11-game succeeding ability was synchronised by way of defend Kemba Walker, that's now with Charlotte in the NBA. Napier as well as Lamb each afforded actions which were sure to blend thoughts of what Walker does previous season.
Nobody in the Connecticut locker bedroom is usually pondering concerning Walker appropriate now.
''This just isn't Kemba Walker,'' Calhoun said. ''Kemba will be making a lots of money, simply just built a house, accomplishing great.
''Is the item magical? No, it is just us. It's just simply all of us realizing each other, simply how much you can easlily benefit if most of us give just about all we've got and I assume we have.''
The Huskies are usually 3-0 because this return connected with Calhoun, whom have missed eight games with spinal stenosis and also the particular Huskies won simply three involving those. He acquired back surgery treatment Feb. 27.
West Virginia completely outclassed the rebounding in opposition to Connecticut a finish having a 47-31 edge, including 26-8 on this bothersome end. The Mountaineers, however, shot just 34.7 percent complete along with built only three regarding 19 3-point attempts.
The Huskies taken forty nine percent with the field, like 7 associated with 18 through 3-point variety having Napier creating five associated with twelve and Lamb three with 8.
''Their frontcourt completely outclassed that adventure for most of the game,'' Calhoun said. ''Our backcourt presented it's individual after which it took more than along with won the game for us.''
Jones, exactly who led your Big East around scoring (19.0) and rebounding (10.9), possessed 10 rebounds, one not as much as Dominique Rutledge.
''It's some little bit of disbelief and disappointment,'' Jones said. ''My team enjoyed their hardest. We don't generate the proper decisions along at the end. We couldn't hold onto the particular ball. They stole it, a couple of turnovers intended for layups they seriously decided not to earn.''
West Virginia expects that will perceive its label referred to as Sunday if the NCAA tournament situation discipline is actually announced.
''We've performed more game titles in opposition to top rated hundred squads compared to anyone inside country. They express have fun with a hard schedule, many of us have,'' Huggins said. ''We've executed everything that they have asked us that will apart from might be win a few games.''
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