ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - The North, singing along to their legend of Kemba Walker is favorite pep-band songs and growing bigger with each thoroughly drowning out the postseason feat for the UConn cross-country travelers. Connecticut Huskies, who are Walker's layup put UConn up on the brink of another trip 40-32 early in the second to the Final Four. half, but the Aztecs finally Walker scored 22 of his 36 remembered they're bigger and points in another dynamic taller than the Huskies, second-half performance, repeatedly using their relentlessly driving UConn advantages to set up open down the stretch in a 74-67 shots while keeping Walker's victory over San Diego State teammates from getting in the West regional comfortable. semifinals Thursday night. Gay's free throws put the Freshman Jeremy Lamb added 24 Aztecs ahead 43-42 with 13 points and hit a clutch 3- minutes left, and back-to- pointer with 1:43 left for back buckets put San Diego the third-seeded Huskies (29- State up 53-49 with 9:19 to 9), who won five games in play — but Walker even five days to capture the Big managed to turn that to the East tournament and now are Huskies' advantage. going to an NCAA regional After Franklin made a steal final for the 10th time. and fed White for a layup, Walker, the fearless Franklin and Walker exchanged playmaker from the Bronx a little trash talk. On the generously listed at 6-foot-1, way back to their benches scored 12 consecutive points moments later, Franklin and for the Huskies down the Walker bumped shoulders — and stretch. Walker went crashing to the UConn advanced to Saturday's floor, drawing a technical regional final against the foul and hitting both free winner of top-seeded Duke's throws. meeting with Arizona later at Except for two regular-season Honda Center. meetings with BYU, the Aztecs With four 3-pointers and a were perfect throughout the little veteran savvy to draw winningest season in school a run-stopping technical foul history. San Diego State against San Diego State's obliterated the school record Jamaal Franklin in the second for victories and won the half, Walker outdueled Aztecs Mountain West tournament point guard D.J. Gay, who before knocking off Northern scored 16 points and trimmed Colorado and Temple for its UConn's second-half lead to first two NCAA tournament 65-64 on a 3-pointer with victories. 2:53 to play. But UConn's road was rockier, Lamb replied with his 3, and with a 9-9 regular-season his emphatic last-second dunk mark in the Big East. With set off a celebration in the three freshmen in their section of thoroughly starting lineup, most outnumbered UConn fans at expected the Huskies to need Honda Center, just 90 minutes another year before up the interstate from San contending for big prizes. Diego. UConn has been streaking ever Gay scored 16 points for the since its regular season second-seeded Aztecs (34-3), ended with four losses in who couldn't quite catch up five games. After Walker to the Huskies down the drove them to the Big East stretch. Kawhi Leonard had 12 tournament title in dramatic points and nine rebounds but fashion, and the Huskies never dominated inside, while knocked off Bucknell and Billy White added 14 points Cincinnati in the first two and Malcolm Thomas had 13 rounds behind Walker, who points and eight rebounds. already has obliterated the Walker scored 14 points in single-season school scoring the first half to stake UConn record. to a 36-27 lead during a 19-5 The West Coast vibe suits the run, but the Aztecs replied Huskies, who also came out of with an 11-2 surge early in this region during their runs the second half. Thousands of to the 1999 and 2004 national San Diego State fans who sold titles, along with their trip out every home game on campus to the 2009 Final Four. this season turned the Honda Copyright 2011 The Associated Center into Montezuma Mesa Press.
Tags: Diego, leads, Past, state, UConn, Walker
