UConn's Napier slays Spartans

NEW YORK - Connecticut was the school searching for a home when the conference musical chairs stopped last year. UConn was the school that could not play in the 2013 Big East or NCAA Tournaments because of low Academic Progress Rate scores. This UConn team lost three times to defending champion Louisville by a combined 55 points - 12 at home, 33 in the regular-season finale at Louisville and 10 in the American championship game in Memphis when the 'Ville led by 21 before easing up late.

UConn was also the school that had Shabazz Napier. And that was Napier yesterday afternoon at Madison Square Garden, slowly walking down the court across from the benches, the serious look on his face finally turning into a gigantic smile. He was going to end his career where it began - the Final Four in Texas, Houston in 2011 when Kemba Walker's one-man show gave UConn its third national championship, this weekend in Arlington at the Jerry Jones Dome, where Napier might be hot enough to get UConn its fourth.

UConn beat Michigan State, 60-54, in the East Region final. It was a team show on defense, a Shabazz show on offense. The Huskies never let the Spartans near the rim, forcing them to shoot threes, blowing out to a quick, 10-point lead as MSU's first 12 possessions resulted in 1-for-9 shooting and four turnovers.

The MSG crowd felt like an old Big East Tournament crowd except just about everybody was rooting for one team. That was an edge for UConn. So was the fact that Spartans senior point guard Keith Appling was a shadow of himself after his midseason wrist injury. He had seven 20-point games before he got hurt, a total of just 61 points in 13 games and just one made three after he came back.

UConn (30-8) won despite missing eight consecutive shots after getting the early lead and then the last seven of the half. The game really looked liked it had turned Michigan State's way when the Spartans led, 32-23, with 16 minutes left. Gary Harris (22 points) was going off. UConn, which had scored just 11 points in the previous 19 minutes, looked like it might never score again.

Shockingly, Napier knocked out a deep three and that was the signal that the game was about to twist UConn's way again. The Huskies scored 12 straight points and never gave up the lead again.

"They made their run and it was time for us to make ours," Napier said.

Michigan State (29-9) was down, 49-39, with 6 minutes left and seemingly done. The Spartans closed to 51-49 with under 2 minutes left.

With everybody going crazy around him, Napier frowned, told Phillip Nolan, his designated screener, to wait a while before setting that screen. When Nolan finally came, Napier slipped behind him, rose up and nailed another jumper. When the Spartans closed to within two again, Napier waited and waited and then rose up behind the three-point line. Appling fouled him. Napier was not going to miss from the foul line.

He hit all three. It was over, except for the celebration on the court and in the stands.

"Our fans come here and as we always say, it's like our third home," Napier said.

Nobody other than Saint Joseph's, which made Napier take 22 shots to get his 24 points, has been able to do anything with the UConn senior star in the NCAAs. He had 25 against Villanova, 19 against Iowa State and 25 more against the Spartans.

"His will to win," Harris said when asked what was most impressive about Napier. "You could just see it."

Napier was 6-for-14, including 4-for-9 from the arc, against the Spartans. His teammates were 11-for-35 and 1-for-13. The team defense held the Spartans to just 39.1 percent and .871 points per possession, far off their season averages. When it mattered most in the second half, UConn got 1.26 PPP.

UConn has attempted 92 free throws in four NCAA games, making 81 (89 percent). Yesterday, the team was 21-for-22, Napier 9-for-9.

Kevin Ollie (4-0) remains the only unbeaten coach in NCAA Tournament history.

"My coaching staff came up with a great design out there and the defense was amazing," Ollie said.

It was, and the designated successor to Jim Calhoun is in the Final Four in just his second season.

"It's a great time when you can get on that ladder, but I was really taking my time,'' Ollie said. "One step at a time. And that's what you've got to do to get up top of the ladder."

A season after being denied a chance to play at MSG in the Big East Tournament, UConn left with the nets.

"Our game plan was simple," Ollie said. "We wanted to hit first. Everybody was kind of picturing them as the giant and we didn't want to wait for the giant."

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo could not believe how his team played. The Spartans looked disjointed most of the game, with 18 baskets and 16 turnovers, a ratio that is always a loser.

"We had 16 of the most out-of-body turnovers known to mankind, to be honest," Izzo said.

He was honest with his team when he called timeout with 6 seconds left. He wanted to talk to his underclassmen about how the team had played.

"Sometimes, that happens with pressure," he said. "Sometimes, it happens with fatigue."

Mostly, Shabazz Napier happened. Michigan State needed to knock out UConn early in the second half. When they could not, the Spartans gave Napier a chance to take control of the game one final time. And he did.