From Tate George, to Richard Hamilton, to Khald El-Amin and Ricky Moore, Emeka Okafor and Kemba Walker, the list of UConn heroes in the NCAA tournament has grown long over the years. Add the name of Shabazz Napier to that roll of honor as the diminutive senior from Roxbury, Mass., came up extra large for the Huskies Saturday night in Buffalo.
Despite playing only eight minutes in the first half and leaving the game briefly with a right leg injury with four minutes remaining and the outcome in the balance, Napier came through with another unforgettable performance for UConn. He scored 21 of his 25 points in the second half as No. 7 seed UConn knocked off No. 2 seed Villanova 77-65 in a third round game of the NCAA tournament.
With the victory, UConn (28-8) advances to the East Regional semifinals in New York City. In the first NCAA games ever to be played in the current Madison Square Garden, UConn will meet the winner of Sunday’s game between No. 3 Iowa State and No. 6 North Carolina.
Villanova (29-5) got 18 points from Ryan Arcidiacono but became the highest seed in this year’s tournament to lose. All of the other No. 1 and No. 2 seeds are still alive.
Lasan Kromah scored 12 points for UConn. DeAndre Daniels, Ryan Boatright and Terrence Samuel each had 11. Samuel was especially impressive off the bench, filling in for Napier and playing out standing defense, while adding a bit of valuable offense.
But it was Napier, personifying UConn’s mental and physical toughness against a former Big East rival, who put the game away with three consecutive 3-pointers to give the Huskies a 54-45 lead with 6:08 left. But when he hurt his leg in a collision with a Villanova player and had to be helped to the bench with four minutes left, there were more than a few concerned Husky fans.
Napier immediately had his shin area wrapped in ice after the game. But when he returned to the floor, he and the Huskies put the game away at the free throw line, where they made 22 of 28 shots.
The NCAA was a regular visitor to the old Madison Square Garden, but CCNY in 1950 was the last national champion crowned there and New York City hasn’t hosted any round of the tournament since 1961. Of course, Madison Square Garden has been the site of many of UConn’s greatest victories, including many in the Big East tournament.
Michigan State, one of the favorites to win the tournament, advanced to the New York regional Saturday with a victory over Harvard in Spokane, Wash. The Spartans will be joined by Virginia or Memphis, who play Sunday in Raleigh, N.C.
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