Different Looks On Defense Kept Gu In Game

Everyone wanted to talk about the way Connecticut clamped down on Gonzaga’s 3-point shooters - and, granted, that was a huge factor in the Huskies’ 67-62 NCAA West Regional finals win Saturday.

Overlooked in that discussion, however, was the plan the Zags concocted for UConn.

Faced with having to defend two All-Americans, forward Richard Hamilton and guard Khalid El-Amin, the Bulldogs elected to slow the tempo and throw multiple defenses at the Huskies. The result: UConn made just 37 percent of its shots and was 0 of 9 from 3-point range.

“We messed with them a little bit,” said Gonzaga assistant coach Bill Grier. “We thought we had to junk it up a little and just get them out of a rhythm and we certainly did that.”

They got a break when guard Quentin Hall forced El-Amin into two quick fouls and the 5-foot-10 floor leader of the Huskies sat out more than 15 minutes of the first half. When he came back, he was ineffective - going 0 for 12 from the field and finishing with just five points.

His absence allowed the Zags to use their first defensive trick - a diamond-and-one zone, with the diminutive Hall shadowing the 6-6 Hamilton, as he had Minnesota’s Quincy Lewis with great success in the NCAA Tournament opener. In the second half, the Zags resorted to their 1-2-2 zone, though they did pay a price.

“We knew we couldn’t come in and play them straight up man-to-man because of their penetration from the perimeter,” said Grier. “The thing you give up with a diamond-and-one or a straight zone is having guys in set spots to block out and they really hurt us on the offensive glass. The thing I was most pleased with was how we contained their transition game. I think we only gave up four or five points on the break.”

A second chance

Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun finished the first half in a lather when officials called a timeout and cost the Huskies 7 seconds of their attempt to take a lead into the locker room.

Calhoun had called timeout with 17.8 seconds remaining to set up a final play, trailing 32-31. But with 10.8 seconds to go, referee Andre Pattillo whistled play to a stop because only four GU players were on the floor.

“We erred by putting the ball in play without five (Gonzaga) players on the floor,” Pattillo said. “We stopped play immediately - as quickly as we could - to allow the substitution to get on the floor without assessing any penalty to the team.”

Pattillo was asked if that was the proper thing to do.

“We felt it was the correct thing,” he said. “That’s why we did it.”

The clock wasn’t reset, Pattillo said, because “there was no reason to. It’s not a timing error.”

Calhoun protested, however, and so did UConn guard Khalid El-Amin, who complained to the officials, “You can’t do that.”

Replied one, “We can do anything we want.”

Survival

Khalid El-Amin is the Connecticut spiritual leader in addition to leading the team in steals and assists and being second in scoring.

It could have been disaster when the sophomore guard picked up his second foul trying to guard Quentin Hall just 4 minutes into the game and had to sit out the rest of the first half.

“I told him, `Just stay with us. We’ll do our best to try to hold the fort down for these next couple minutes so you can come back in at halftime,”’ UConn’s Richard Hamilton said. “He said, `OK Rip, just let the game come to you.”’ El-Amin was not too pleased with himself for getting those fouls.

“It was definitely frustrating. I was disappointed in myself,” he said. “I just wasn’t paying much attention to detail. I was running out on Hall and he doesn’t really like to shoot. He would rather drive than shoot the outside shot.”

Moore gave more

One reason the Huskies survived was because of Ricky Moore, the senior guard who averages 6.4 points. Moore had nine of his 12 points in the first half, which ended with UConn trailing 32-31. It was just the ninth time the Huskies trailed at halftime this year.

Teammate Richard Hamilton had given Moore some advice:

“I said, `It’s your time. Khalid’s not here.’ Every time I get the ball, there’s two guys on me so that’s going to leave you open.’ He really took advantage of the opportunity and stepped up.”

Added Moore: “Khalid gives us a lot offensively. I knew somebody had to step it up. We weren’t making shots in the first half. I knew it could be my last game. That really scared me so I went out and started attacking. I think I did a great job of that.”

Hamilton had 11 of his 21 points in the first half and reserve Edmund Saunders had six of his eight.

“If (Gonzaga) had pulled away, I would have had to roll the dice,” UConn coach Jim Calhoun said. “As long as we stayed within three or four points, I felt we (could leave him on the bench).”

El-Amin played all 20 minutes in the second half, getting five points - though he was 0 for 12 from the field with four assists.

Cool customer

Connecticut led 65-62 when junior Kevin Freeman grabbed the rebound of Gonzaga’s last miss and was fouled with 6.2 seconds left.

“I knew if I made the two it was over. It was just a matter of me stepping up there and being confident,” Freeman said. “I stepped up there with extreme confidence. I knew they were going in.”

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