Spring Break
Butler, Huskies tame Wolfpack
UConn advances to Sweet Sixteen
Michael Mutnansky
Issue date: 3/18/02 Section: Sports
WASHINGTON – The Connecticut win wagon keeps on rolling.
On a road trip that hopefully ends up in Atlanta and the Final Four, the Huskies made a stop in Washington, D.C. Sunday.
Led by wagon-leader Caron Butler's 34 points, nine rebound, four assists, two bocks and two steals, No. 2 seeded UConn knocked off the No. 7 seeded Wolfpack 77-74 at the MCI Center.
The win is the Huskies eleventh straight and advances them to Syracuse, N.Y. and the Sweet Sixteen next weekend.
"This team's run has been one of the most fun things I've been involved with as a coach," head coach Jim Calhoun said following his teams win Sunday. "I find myself coaching and rooting for them at the same time. I've always loved all my kids, but this team has just responded so well to everything we've told them to do."
One of the reasons for the love affair between Calhoun and the 2001-2002 version of the Huskies is their ability to play well in what Calhoun calls "winning time." Sunday afternoon, like so many of the Huskies wins over the past 11 games, the team's leader Butler chose the final minutes of the game to respond his best.
With the Huskies leading 72-65 and two minutes and 10 seconds remaining, N.C. State's Archie Miller hit a 3-pointer to make it 72-68. UConn turned the ball over the next two possessions, allowing the Wolfpack to stay in the game.
They capitalized on the extra life when Marcus Melvin hit his fourth 3-pointer of the night, cutting the lead to 72-71 with 47 seconds remaining.
Following a UConn timeout, Calhoun designed his team's final possession for Butler. The sophomore set up at the top of the key to work on N.C. State's Julius Hodge. As the shot clock ran towards zero, Butler crossed over and fired up a 3-pointer.
The shot rolled around and out, but a foul was called on Hodge and Butler was awarded three free throws. On the play it appeared that none of the players, excluding those near the official who made the call, heard the whistle.
On a road trip that hopefully ends up in Atlanta and the Final Four, the Huskies made a stop in Washington, D.C. Sunday.
Led by wagon-leader Caron Butler's 34 points, nine rebound, four assists, two bocks and two steals, No. 2 seeded UConn knocked off the No. 7 seeded Wolfpack 77-74 at the MCI Center.
The win is the Huskies eleventh straight and advances them to Syracuse, N.Y. and the Sweet Sixteen next weekend.
"This team's run has been one of the most fun things I've been involved with as a coach," head coach Jim Calhoun said following his teams win Sunday. "I find myself coaching and rooting for them at the same time. I've always loved all my kids, but this team has just responded so well to everything we've told them to do."
One of the reasons for the love affair between Calhoun and the 2001-2002 version of the Huskies is their ability to play well in what Calhoun calls "winning time." Sunday afternoon, like so many of the Huskies wins over the past 11 games, the team's leader Butler chose the final minutes of the game to respond his best.
With the Huskies leading 72-65 and two minutes and 10 seconds remaining, N.C. State's Archie Miller hit a 3-pointer to make it 72-68. UConn turned the ball over the next two possessions, allowing the Wolfpack to stay in the game.
They capitalized on the extra life when Marcus Melvin hit his fourth 3-pointer of the night, cutting the lead to 72-71 with 47 seconds remaining.
Following a UConn timeout, Calhoun designed his team's final possession for Butler. The sophomore set up at the top of the key to work on N.C. State's Julius Hodge. As the shot clock ran towards zero, Butler crossed over and fired up a 3-pointer.
The shot rolled around and out, but a foul was called on Hodge and Butler was awarded three free throws. On the play it appeared that none of the players, excluding those near the official who made the call, heard the whistle.