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| Walker has earned those hugs with his heroics |
Last week it was a last-second bucket to beat Texas. Today? Same scenario, different opponent as Walker felled #7 Villanova and good buddy Corey Fischer with a runner in the lane with 2.5 seconds remaining. Villanova was out of timeouts, when Fischer's 40-foot desperation heave went wide, UConn had picked off yet another Top 10 opponent.
Michigan State and Kentucky have since fallen in the polls, but both were ranked in the Top Ten at the time Connecticut clipped them out in Maui. Not bad for a team picked tenth in their own conference by the coaches.
Kemba Walker continues to put this team on his back, and despite a few forced shots from time to time, is leading this team to victory as much as he is scoring them to wins. I've said for over a month that Jared Sullinger is my clubhouse leader for National POY, but concede Walker has to be mentioned in the same sentance as Sullinger and Nolan Smith and Jimmer Fredette, and might have emerged today as the leader.
From a team standpoint, today was another huge win for Connecticut as they continue to build a #1 seed-worthy profile in the loaded Big East. For Villanova, it is just their second loss, and a road loss to UConn certianly does little to damage them, but the win would have been a valuable chip in their respective #1-seed resume building pile.
The excitement keeps going tonight as the BEast's other two top teams, Pitt and Syracuse meet in Pittsburgh tonight at 7:30 (also on ESPN). The Maniac's official pick for the game is posted on www.thesportsgeek.com - if you'd like to see it.
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