Walker makes the difference in win

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Kemba Walker pulled down a defensive rebound with five minutes and 24 seconds left to play in the second half of Saturday's game. Despite a four-point lead, Missouri was making a run and had momentum.

Walker darted up the court, weaving in and out of several Missouri players. As he crossed the half-court line, it was apparent Walker was on a mission.

He stutter-stepped in front of DeMarre Carroll and got the ball to Hasheem Thabeet for the and-one play.

On a day when UConn needed a career performance to overcome the Tigers, it was Walker who stepped up to the challenge.

"You know, I told Kemba around the 10-minute mark, he's growing up today," said senior A.J. Price. "He grew up. He played like a man among boys. There were times he dominated the game. He definitely helped us get over this hump."

Walker finished the day with matched a career high with 23 points on 7-of-9 shooing and added five rebounds and five assists.

Walker, who hasn't scored more than 20 points since the Huskies' win over St. John's on Jan. 15, had everything going for him.

With two minutes left to play, the Huskies let the shot clock go down to about eight seconds and appeared to have no good look at the basket. Walker cleared out Jeff Adrien from the foul line, took Missouri's Zaire Taylor off the dribble and banked in a circus shot to put UConn up by five points.

"The guy was actually played me kind of well," Walker said. "I was turning and turning and I had to get it up. I just threw it up, God helped me and it went in."

With the game in his hands, and Missouri making a comeback, something inside Walker clicked. He couldn't lose this game. Not on this day. Not with his teammates.

I felt like A.J. didn't have the best game, Hasheem didn't have the best game and I didn't want to lose, basically, and I didn't want my seniors to lose, so I went out there and basically just did anything possible for us to win," said Walker.

One of Walker's biggest additions to Saturday's game was his free throw shooting down the stretch. Walker hit four consecutive free throws with a minute to play to increase UConn's lead.

Walker said he's been putting in a lot of outside time on his free throws. His foul line routine of gripping the ball, spinning it, taking a dribble and then shooting, is something relatively new.

"In the past games, I've been missing a lot of free throws," Walker said. "Since we've been here in Arizona, I've kinda been staying back while everybody is getting dressed and working on my free throws. I knew there was going to be a time when I'd end up on the line and I would have to finish."

Sweet, sweet revenge

Stanley Robinson still remembers how many points he averaged as a sophomore in high school - 16. He also remembers getting about four dunks a game, too.

But if there's one thing that Robinson remembers about his sophomore year in high school, it's getting knocked out of the Alabama State Championship by DeMarre Carroll.

So when Robinson and the Huskies knocked Carroll out of the NCAA Tournament, there was a feeling of justice served.

"It felt good," Robinson said. "It brought back old times, but we got the 'W'. Like coach said, it's better to get this win over the high school win.

Carroll and Robinson both played high school ball in Alabama. Carroll led his high school, John Carroll Catholic to back-to-back state championships, ousting Robinson's Huffman High School from the tournament.

En route to Robinson's first win over Carroll, he scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds. He also led the team in blocks with four.

"I picked up Hasheem's slack a little bit," Robinson said. "Hasheem came over and just told me thank you."

Dominating the West

A.J. Price was named the MVP of the West Regional Bracket of the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

Price averaged over 20 points a game in the Huskies' wins over Chattanooga, Texas A&M, Purdue and Missouri.

Also on the ballot were Kemba Walker, DeMarre Carroll and J.T. Tiller from Missouri and Tyreke Evans from Memphis.

Thabeet injures finger

With 15 minutes to play in the second half, Hasheem Thabeet picked up his third foul fter knocking down a Missouri player in an attempt to go after a loose ball.

Thabeet got up from the floor holding his left hand and was wincing in pain.

According to Thabeet, team doctors will have x-rays done on his left ring finger.

After the game, Thabeet's fingernail was bruised.

The Quotable Jeff Adrien

"No, you won't see this [cut] in Detroit. I heal like wolverine." Jeff Adrien on getting a cut under his lip during Saturday's game.