Cuse Sweeps up after UConn

Down eight midway through the second half; getting murdered on the boards; and struggling offensively against UConn, with Jim Calhoun back on the bench. Does that sound like the recipe for a win in the Big East tourney? Let’s add the fact that Joseph, Jardine (the two seniors) and CJ Fair collectively shot 2 for 18 from the field. Yet despite all that, Cuse managed a three-point win, and moved on to the semifinals, where they will face Cincinnati (and not Georgetown) tomorrow night. So how did that happen?

First of all, it was the defense, as it’s been all season long. The Orange have managed thirty-one wins, many of them coming on nights when no one seemed able to hit an outside shot, by playing tough D. Today was no different. They held UConn to 34 percent shooting, and only 26 percent from beyond the arc. Second, it was the bench, who today scored more than half of the Orange points. Waiters led the way with 18, most of them coming on drives through traffic. But the difference maker today was Southerland, who had shown signs of regaining his touch in the Louisville game, and ended up scoring ten of the team’s final fifteen points -- and all ten of them coming in the final eight minutes of the game. How’s that for clutch? Third, and this escaped the attention of ESPN, but Christmas gave the Orange quality minutes in the first half. He had only two points, but grabbed five boards, and had two blocks. I really liked him in the role of backup center; he seemed to give the Orange much more presence down low than Keita has been providing.

Right now, as I compose this posting, Georgetown is gone, and Marquette is trailing. It turns out that the bye is not such a great deal, especially in the first tournament game. Whoever has the bye may be rested, but they have to face a team that’s already tournament tested, and used to playing under the pressure of one-and-done. Cuse was lucky to eke out this win, particularly against the Huskies. Tomorrow night, I hope they aren’t as tight, and that the offense shows up, even if it’s just for one of those runs that they’ve produced all year long. In the coming weeks, they’re not going to get by on defense alone. And they’re going to need the seniors. But right now, I’m going to enjoy the fact that the Orange swept UConn, beating them in the Dome, on the road, and in the Garden, their home away from home. Go Orange.