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Kemba and the Miracles

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On Monday night in Houston, Jim Calhoun, Kemba Walker and the rest of the UConn Huskies won the 2011 National Championship.

It was the lowest scoring NCAA championship since 1949.

Butler was 12-for-64 (18.8 percent shooting) and only had three two-point field goals. They hit nine-of-33 three-point field goals, which was the only reason why the game wasn’t an utter blowout. Their 2-point percentage was the worst percentage all season long, beating Mount St. Mary’s against Virginia Tech‘s 11 percent shooting.

It was historical in more ways that one. Tim Reynolds tweeted some statistics about last night’s performance:

  • Butler’s 18.8% is the third-worst shooting performance in NCAA tourney history. Others were in 1940 (Springfield) and 1946 (Harvard).
  • Only five teams in NCAA tournament history — all-time — have shot under 20% in a game. Only two under 19%.
  • Only seven teams shot under 20 percent in a game this season
  • Only teams worse in a game this season? St. Peter’s (.167 vs Robt Morris) and Idaho (.120 vs. Montana).
  • Worst shooting by any team so far in this NCAA tournament? St. Peter’s, .293 vs. Purdue

Matt Howard was one-for-13 in his last collegiate game ever, his worst performance of the season.

It wasn’t pretty. But it shouldn’t be remembered that way.

But look further into the box score and you’ll see this: 10 blocked shots for UConn.

Yes, Butler missed a lot of open looks but the Huskies defended a lot of those misses. Credit Jim Calhoun and the Husky defense for this title. They say defense wins championships and Calhoun has always had a great shot-blocking team.

Last season was one of UConn’s worst defensive teams in the last 15 seasons. They fizzled out in the NIT.

This team was built for the postseason and tournament play. This is reflected in their 14-0 neutral site record this season.

UConn lost four out of their last five regular season games. Only one of those losses (Notre Dame) was decided by less than seven points.

But somehow, this team clicked on March 8th, and Kemba carried them to the title, much like Danny Manning did for Kansas in 1988. Side note: Kansas played in the 1988 Maui Invitational, too. The Jayhawks only beat Chaminade and then lost to Iowa and Illinois.

Call them Kemba and the Miracles. Unranked to start the season. They were picked to finish 10th in the Big East; they finished 9th. They were the first ever Big East team to win five games in the Big East Championship.

Calhoun isn’t the most likable coach in the country. I’m sure he realizes this. The players, however, are very likably. They were unfairly grouped together with Calhoun and were portrayed as the bad guys. Kemba Walker is a great ambassador for college basketball. He deserved to win National Player of the Year honors over Jimmer.

Much like 1988, the best team in the NCAA probably didn’t win the tournament. However, the best tournament team did.

And that’s all that matters.

Additional reading:  To Calhoun, the end matters most.

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