10:58 p.m.
It is all over. UConn returns to the Final Four, 66-56 over Rutgers. The Huskies are the champions of the Greensboro Regional and advance to their eighth Final Four since 1995. They will play Stanford in Sunday night’s national semifinals in Tampa.
By the way, I think it’s on record on the blog that I predicted a 10-point UConn win. Damn, I’m good.
This flight home just got a lot easier. Back with more after the celebrations, net-cutting and press conferences.
10:54 p.m.
Epiphany Prince has fouled out with 37 seconds left, with UConn leading 58-51 and almost assured of a trip to the Final Four. This is a stunning comeback, and you really have to admire the way both teams have fought in this game.
Matee Ajavon knocks down a long 3-pointer to bring it within 60-54. Rutgers is a fightin’ bunch and UConn will need every point it can muster. Two FTs and Heather Zurich’s layup make it 62-56 with 18 seconds left. One more FT should do it.
Montgomery hits it, and it’s 63-56. And now the clock is ticking until UConn’s first trip to the Final Four since 2004. You’ve got to feel fantastic for the four seniors right now.
10:48 p.m.
Hey, I’m an idiot. Maya Moore just bagged the biggest shot of her young career, and maybe the biggest UConn shot since Barbara Turner’s game-winning 3 against Georgia in ‘06. A 3-pointer that put UConn ahead 52-49. It’s now 54-51 with 1:43 and Ketia Swanier forced a Rutgers turnover. UConn ball, The pendulum has swung. Stay right here.
10:42 p.m.
UConn briefly took the lead, but right now it’s Rutgers with the momentum. We’re tied at 49-49 with 3:37 to play. UConn’s had a string of bad possessions (again) since Kaili McLaren’s layup put them ahead for the first time. Epiphany Prince responded with a 3-pointer with 5:17 left.
Rutgers forced an awful shot clock violation on UConn’s last possession, and the Scarlet Knights will have a chance to take the lead in crunch time. What a wild game this has been.
Speaking of wild, think Maya Moore’s nervous? Yeah, she has 4 points due to Rutgers’ stifiling defense, but she just dribbled away a chance at a gimme layup about a minute ago. Just the type of mental mistake that a freshman would make, but that you wouldn’t expect from Maya Moore. It would be an awful shame if UConn’s tournament came to an end because Moore picked game #37 to play like a freshman.
10:32 p.m.
Rutgers 46, UConn 44 with 7:49 to play.
The Huskies just got the benefit of what looked to be a pretty bad call, the ball going off (what I thought was) Renee Montgomery’s foot. Instead it’ll be UConn ball out of the timeout.
The Huskies are settling for jump shots, not boxing out Essence Carson (who is having a monster second half on the boards) and playing extremely impatient ball, looking to be the hero instead of working it for the best shot. This is exactly how Rutgers wants to play.
Still, to play this badly and only be down two? Geno’s gotta be thanking his lucky stars for that gift.
10:23 p.m.
Rutgers 41, UConn 36 with 11:22 to play.
As this game goes along, the more it reminds me of the 2006 Rutgers-UConn game at Piscataway. The Huskies are going through a massive scoring drought (one in each half), RU’s defensive pressure is tremendous, and easy shots are hard to come by. Right now UConn is getting beaten up in every facet of the game, and they didn’t score for more than 6:30. And despite that, Rutgers is wasting just as many second and third chances to drive a dagger through the Huskies’ hearts.
This game is a total toss-up. Who will hit the first big shot? For Auriemma’s sake, UConn better hope it has one last run in it, or they’ll relive the 2007 Big East title game nightmare all over again.
10:15 p.m.
In a game where every possession matters, the Scarlet Knights are dominating possession of the ball. They’ve gotten several second-chances, crucial for a team that doesn’t normally shoot the ball well. RU is crashing the boards at an alarming frequency and are outhustling the UConn players regularly.
Still, Montgomery and Swanier have combined for all seven of UConn’s points. It’s 37-34 Rutgers with 15:52 left. The Huskies should be wary, though. If it’s at all close in the last seven minutes, you know Stringer will throw every last ounce of energy her players at Rutgers in the form of the ‘55′ press. The longer UConn waits to take the lead, the more danger they’ll be in.
9:51 p.m.
The atmosphere is absolutely electric here as UConn slowly chips into Rutgers’ lead. Trailing by as many as 14, UConn has climbed within five (32-27) at halftime, after Kaili McLaren’s beautiful spinning post layup with 5 seconds to play.
UConn fans have got to be thrilled with that result. Rutgers threw everything they had at UConn for the first 15 minutes. Then the Huskies stepped up the defensive pressure, forced a couple of careless passes, and finally got out in transition.
The Huskies are back, at least for now. They’ll get the ball to open the second half, and they are going to need to be efficient, grab the lead and never look back. Getting the lead might be the most important thing UConn can do. It may force Stringer to overplay her hand, get desperate, and allow Moore to get untracked.
On the other hand, if the Huskies still can’t manage to figure out the awesome Rutgers press, Renee Montgomery is going to have to knock down some shots from the perimeter (or take it to the rim). Oh yeah, and find some way to get Moore the ball. UConn will not win this game if Moore gets two second-half points.
Here’s some stats to look at:
FG%: UConn 44.4 (12-for-27), Rutgers 50.0 (13-for-26)
FGs: Renee Montgomery/Ketia Swanier: 2-for-13; rest of team: 10-for-14
Maya Moore: 2 pts, 3 rebs, 3 FGs, 2 ast, 2 stl
3-point%: UConn 10.0 (1-for-10), Rutgers 37.5 (3-for-8)
Either way, this game has been loads of fun (despite the earlier histrionics) and it should come down to the wire. What more can you ask from the NCAA tournament? You’ve gotta love it. Stay right here, people. You don’t want to miss this.
9:38 p.m.
Things have stabilized a little bit, which is great for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights lead 29-17 with 3:17 to play in the first.
The really remarkable thing of this output - well, two things really - is how well RU is defending Maya Moore and how well Essence Carson is playing.
If Carson could consistently hit shots like she has tonight, she’d be the best player in America. She’s already an A+ defender, and combining that with 12 first-half points (per game, let’s say) would put her in the elites with the Parkers, Wigginses, etc. For tonight, she’s the best player on the court.
Moore has proven ineffective in using screens to get open. Rutgers will take an open 3 by ice cold Ketia Swanier and Renee Montgomery right now, gladly, as long as Moore stays away from the ball. Moore has 2 points, on a breakaway layup following a steal.
9:28 p.m.
Rutgers 25, UConn 11 with 7:33 to play. This is an unbelievably bad job by every UConn player and coach so far. Not that there’s much Auriemma can do. He’s got his seven players and not much bench to work with. There’s nothing for UConn on the perimeter, and Moore has nothing to work with, a credit to Rutgers’ defense.
‘Choke’ is a rough word to use, especially with so much time remaining. But the thought is there. Eleven points in 13 minutes is inexcusable, even against Rutgers. It’s Murphy’s Law here in Greensboro, as this becomes the Daily Campus Alarmist blog.
All credit, of course, goes to Rutgers. They’re forcing the tempo, getting open looks and not allowing UConn to get off in transition after made shots by pressing for 94 feet. It’s a brilliant strategy and if the Scarlet Knights’ stamina holds up, they can win this one going away.
9:20 p.m.
Very early, but it is absolutely danger time for UConn. Essence Carson knocks down her second triple of the game to give the Scarlet Knights an 18-8 lead, 11:24 left.
This is almost eerily similar to last year’s game against LSU in Fresno. The Huskies are getting nothing - less than nothing - from their guards, a little bit from their small forward and about break-even contributions from their posts.
I can’t emphasize how badly UConn is playing at this point. They are absolutely thrown against the wall by Rutgers’ full court press, which is just merciless. Stringer obviously had a surprise prepared for this game. Montgomery and Swanier look very much like their former selves in old seasons.
It’s not panic time yet, but the Huskies are playing right into Rutgers’ hands. They’re more athletic, better shooters, and it’ll eventually even out (or at least it should). But the Huskies can’t afford to fall behind much more if they want to have a chance in the second half.
The ghost of Sylvia Fowles and 73-50 are in the air in Greensboro at this moment.
9:13 p.m.
Bad news for UConn - Essence Carson is absolutely lighting it up for the Scarlet Knights. Carson has seven points in the first five minutes. Carson and Ajavon are the X-factors of this game, I think. If they can outscore UConn’s backcourt of Montgomery, Swanier and Moore, they will be in a great position to win it.
Rutgers leads 11-6 at the 15:03 mark.
UConn’s offense has been mostly impatient - Swanier in particular, who looks a little frazzled by Rutgers’ full-court press - and Rutgers has worked for shots (on most possessions). It helps to have Carson score, but right now it’s Kaili McLaren with four and Brittany Hunter with two. It looks like RU is going with Brittany Ray on Maya Moore, and she’s doing a fair job denying the freshman the ball so far.
Tina Charles and Charde Houston are in, and we’ll see if they can provide some rebounding and offense.
9:05 p.m.
We are courtside in front of about as loud a crowd as one could be if it were described as “sparse”. Greensboro Coliseum is the site, of course, and UConn-Rutgers is the game.
A trip to the Final Four on the line, and tensions are high. Nobody wants to go home, nobody wants their season to end. But someone’s will. Just like Texas A&M, which had too many careless possessions in losing to Tennessee.
The time for talking is over, the time for action is begun. It’s not as serious as C. Vivian Stringer described yesterday (a serious, friendly and gentle “war”), but this is why you watch basketball on any level.
STARTING LINEUPS:
No. 1 UCONN (35-1): PG Ketia Swanier, SG Renee Montgomery, SF Maya Moore, PF Kaili McLaren, C Brittany Hunter
No. 2 Rutgers (27-6): PG Matee Ajavon, SG Epiphany Prince, SF Essence Carson, PF Brittany Ray, C Kia Vaughn
Small change with Ray in place of Heather Zurich.
Full disclosure: I HATE the idea of Rutgers. Hate. Hate. Hate. I’ll do my best to keep it objective. Good game, everybody. Back during the game.
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