The Daily Campus

Issue date: 3/27/09 Section: March Madness

Media Credit: Dan Gindraux Freshman guard Kemba Walker drives to the hoop against Missouri Saturday in the West regional final in Glendale, Ariz. The Huskies won, 82-75.

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Kemba Walker pulled down a defensive rebound with 5:24 left to play in the second half of Saturday's game. Despite a four-point lead, Missouri was making a run and had control of the momentum.

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

He stuttered, stepped in front of DeMarre Carroll and got the ball to Hasheem Thabeet for the and-1 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 guard 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."

In all, Walker finished the day by matching his career high with 23 points on 7-of-9 shooting 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 tick 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 five points.

"I was turning and turning and I had to get it up," Walker said. "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."

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

Continued...

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