UConn vs. Duke--Finally

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. —  In a game of lost jerseys and lost causes, Connecticut beat Ohio State on Saturday, 64-58, using a star nicknamed “Rip”--R.I.P., in this case--to heave the last few shovels of dirt on the Buckeyes.

Richard “Rip” Hamilton scored a game-high 24 points, including a death-blow jumper to beat the shot clock with 1:43 left, to lead the Huskies to the national semifinal victory before a crowd of 41,340 at Tropicana Field.

Connecticut, left on the Final Four’s doorstep more than once this decade, advances to its first national title game Monday.

The bad news: Connecticut faces Duke, a semifinal winner against Michigan State and all but being fitted for the crown.

“We truly believe we have a better game in us,” Calhoun said.

Connecticut will need it.

You knew Ohio State was in trouble when Buckeye Coach Jim O’Brien shook Connecticut Coach Jim Calhoun’s hand before tipoff--Calhoun has now defeated O’Brien 19 straight times.

You knew Ohio State was in more trouble when star point guard Scoonie Penn took the court wearing uniform No. 35--his No. 12 game jersey having been somehow misplaced.

Penn, who freaked out in the Big Ten Conference tournament when he forgot his lucky portable “boom box” radio and his team promptly lost to last-place Illinois, put on his replacement jersey Saturday and soon found Connecticut defender Ricky Moore draped in it.

Moore, Connecticut’s designated defensive stopper, held Penn to a three-for-13 shooting night, allowing Hamilton and guard Khalid El-Amin to polish their games.

Penn, who averaged 17 points a game, finished with 11.

“Basically, he cut the head of the dragon off,” Calhoun said of Moore’s performance against Penn.

It wasn’t the first point guard Moore has put the clamps on.

“I’ve seen them all,” Calhoun said, “and it seems like they all have bad shooting games.

El-Amin, coming off a miserable 0-for-12 performance in the West Regional final, righted himself against Ohio State with an 18-point, six-assist effort.

Calhoun didn’t figure El-Amin would go two games without making a basket.

“He’s a spotlight player,” Calhoun said. “He understands the moment.”

That battle of the marquee backcourts? It was Connecticut in a runaway, with Hamilton and El-Amin outscoring Penn and Michael Redd, 42 to 26.

“I think our pride stepped up a bit,” the sophomore El-Amin said, “the threat that a backcourt would try to outdo us.”

The surprise was that Ohio State (27-9) stayed in the contest as long is it did, shaking off first- and second-half deficits to make a game of it.

Calhoun seethed when Ohio State trimmed a nine-point Connecticut lead to one at the half.

“I said, ‘Somebody’s season has 20 minutes left to go, let’s make sure it isn’t us,’ ” Calhoun said.

The Huskies responded by scoring the first six points after intermission, later extending the lead to 51-41 with 11:45 left.

Ohio State tried to keep pace.

“But,” as O’Brien said, “it was a little bit too much for us to overcome.”

Penn made one of two free throws with 2:53 left to cut the lead to four, 59-55, setting up a controversial sequence that helped Connecticut run out the clock.

On the possession after Penn’s free throw, Husky center Jake Voskuhl lost the ball at the top of the key. He then chased the orb down and regained control, an apparent rules violation.

“I thought it was traveling,” O’Brien said.

There was no call, officials ruling Connecticut’s El-Amin called time out before Voskuhl lost possession.

El-Amin said it was the right call.

“I was so scared Jake had the ball I had to call time out,” El-Amin said.

El-Amin missed a shot out of the timeout, but Voskuhl grabbed the rebound and the Huskies were able to drain precious seconds off the 35-second clock.

As time ticked away, the 6-foot-6 Hamilton found himself guarded by the 5-10 Penn. Hamilton worked himself closer to the basket and made a jumper a split-second before the buzzer sounded.

Connecticut burned 46 seconds on the possession.

“I think we really needed time even more than the points,” O’Brien said.

Hamilton said he felt Penn’s hand swiping at the ball.

“It felt like a big wind over my head,” Hamilton said, “but I had the audacity to make the shot.”

The shot put Connecticut (33-2) up by five at 61-55 and Ohio State did not get closer.

No shock that Hamilton stole the show. He has been doing it for three years at Connecticut, scoring his 2,000th career point in Saturday’s win.

Before Hamilton could answer a question about the milestone at the postgame interview, El-Amin cut his teammate off and quipped, “Man, that’s a lot of shots.”

Had Hamilton not missed two games this season with a bruised thigh, he may have given Duke center Elton Brand a run for player-of-the-year honors.

Monday, Hamilton will get a chance to show Brand his game in person.

Not that Connecticut isn’t just Rip-roaring glad to be here.

Asked how he would prepare for Monday’s game, Calhoun replied:

“Very happily.”

*

GAME 1: Connecticut 64, Ohio State 58, Coverage, Page 8.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

COVERAGE

MEN’S FINAL

DUKE (37-1) vs. CONNECTICUT (33-2)

6 p.m. Monday, Ch. 2

FRIENDS, ENEMIES

Duke’s William Avery and Connecticut’s Ricky Moore are longtime friends, but won’t show it Monday. Page 9