John Clay's Sidelines

Random UConn notes from the interview day sessions at Final Four today:

- Spent most of my time in the Kemba Walker room, since I’m working on a column for him for Friday’s paper.

- Walker came into the interview room with his jersey wrapped around his neck and hanging down his back, like a superhero. Thought it was a good metaphor.

- Lot of questions to Walker about being guarded by DeAndre Liggins. Walker got 29 points on Walker in the first meeting in Maui. Walker praised Liggins as a great defender. “I’ve gone against a lot of great defenders, and he’s one of the best. . . . But it’s not about me and DeAndre.”

- UConn is 12-0 in tournament play this year – 3-0 at Maui, 5-0 in Big East Tournament and 4-0 in the NCAA Tournament.

Continue reading ‘Kemba Walker says it’s not about “me and DeAndre”’

(H-L photo/David Perry)

Click here for the Herald-Leader photo gallery from Maui.

Big Blue Links for Thursday:

• A 21-2 first-half blitz carries Connecticut to lopsided win over the Cats, reports Jerry Tipton of the Herald-Leader.
• Click here to see and download the box score from UK-UConn.
• Connecticut marches its way through Maui, writes Mike Anthony of the Hartford Courant.
• Calipari says he underestimated Walker in recruiting, reports Anthony of the Courant.
• Oriaki helps lead Connecticut’s domination, writes Chad Ford of espn.com.
• Josh Harrellson makes a statement even Calipari likes, writes Tipton of the H-L.
• UConn overpowers the Cats, reports Brett Dawson of the Courier-Journal.
• Connecticut hands Kentucky the beach blues, writes Matt May of the Cats Pause.
• Huskies simply steamroll Calipari’s Cats, writes John Marshall of the AP.
• Cats vs. Vols helps life go on after tragedy, reports the H-L’s Mark Story.

Continue reading ‘BBL: Reactions to the Cats being mauled in Maui’

(AP photo/Eugene Tanner)

Connecticut’s Kemba Walker has taken the Maui Invitational by storm, scoring a combined 61 points in wins over Wichita State and then No. 2 Michigan State.

Walker’s Huskies meet Kentucky in the Maui finals tonight at 10 on ESPN.

In the two games, Walker has made 18 of 35 shots from the floor, including five of 15 three-pointers. He has made 20 of 22 from the foul line. He scored 31 against Wichita, and 30 against the Spartans.

Mike Anthony of the Hartford Courant:

Then Walker answered with his fadeaway and UConn had the lead for good. ”We had Kemba Walker,” Calhoun said. “And Tom didn’t.” And Walker had help. Giffey grabbed the rebound of Walker’s missed free throw seconds before Walker hit his decisive shot. Napier hit the three at the end of the half, was disruptive defensively and handled the ball, which freed Walker.

Chad Ford of espn.com writes:

After scoring 29 in the second half against a good Wichita State team on Monday, Walker has now scored 59 points in the past three halves. Remarkable. Walker scored from everywhere in this one. He hit four 3-pointers, drove to the basket at will and was relentless in pushing the ball on the break. Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo threw a number of different defenders at Walker. No one, but Walker himself, could slow him down.

Continue reading ‘How good is UConn’s Kemba Walker?’