The second semifinal on Saturday matches the Connecticut Huskies, winners of the West, and the East Region champion Kentucky Wildcats (8:49 PM EST, CBS). While the Huskies won the regular season meeting between the two teams back on November 24th 84-67 to win the Maui Invitational, these are two drastically different squads. That essentially means that there isn't a whole lot to be taken out of that game, but at the very least there's a basic level of on-court familiarity with regards to the personnel.
These are arguably the two hottest teams in Houston with UConn winning nine straight games (in 19 days) and Kentucky winning ten in a row, so something's got to give. And the growth that's taken place has been a bit different when looking at the two teams.
For all the talk about Kemba Walker, which makes sense given his status as one of the best players in America, without the growth of their freshmen and sophomores Connecticut is watching tomorrow's game on TV instead of playing in it.
Freshman wing Jeremy Lamb, who looks more and more like the next Richard Hamilton, is averaging 11.1 points and has reached double figures in each of the last nine games. The Georgia native averaged 21.5 points and 3.0 rebounds in the West Regional last week, making big plays late in wins over San Diego State and Arizona.
At the point (in a reserve role) is classmate Shabazz Napier, whose presence allows Walker to work off the ball at times and essentially get some rest while remaining on the floor. Napier scored 10 points and did not turn the ball over in 30 minutes of action in the win over Arizona and averages 8.0 points on the season.
Roscoe Smith, the freshman who arrived on campus with the most acclaim, has been one of the better defensive players and allows head coach JIm Calhoun to go small and use the Baltimore native at the 4. Smith only scored nine points total last week, but he did grab 6.5 rebounds in those wins.
Tyler Olander starts up front and while he hasn't been a huge contributor when it comes to points he's improved his play throughout the course of the postseason. Two sophomores will also be key for UConn on Saturday, wing Jamal Coombs-McDaniel and power forward Alex Oriakhi.
Oriakhi has grabbed ten or more rebounds in four of the nine wins, and despite not reaching his scoring average (9.6 ppg) during the tournament his highest value comes on the boards and defensively. Coombs-McDaniel took it upon himself to work towards earning more minutes after the Maui trip, and while scoreless in Anaheim he did score 10 off the bench in the win over Cincinnati.
But it's clear who makes the Huskies go, and Kentucky's top priority will be to slow down Kemba Walker. Walker, who is a First Team All-America, averages 23.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Walker scored 33 points against Cincinnati and 36 in the win over SDSU, capping the NCAA run to date with 20 in Saturday's win over Arizona. With a flair for the dramatic as well, Walker can get his shot in a variety of ways and will be quite the challenge for the Wildcats.
Kentucky's growth has coincided with the improved play of their upperclassmen, including one who will more than likely draw the defensive assignment of guarding Walker. That would be junior DeAndre Liggins, who struggled his first two seasons in Lexington before finally buying in. One of the premier defenders in the nation, Liggins averaged 13.5 points in wins over Ohio State and North Carolina last weekend. His wingspan could be useful in guarding Walker, who went off for 29 points back in November.
Kentucky's lone senior has also been instrumental in the run. Josh Harrellson, affectionately known as "Jorts" by the fan base, averages 8.8 rebounds and has grabbed at least seven boards in each of the Wildcats' seven postseason games. He's also become a credible offensive threat, averaging 14.5 points in the NCAA Tournament.
Harrellson can score inside but keep an eye on him in handoff situations on the perimeter. He can essentially be a screener for one of UK's perimeter players while also being a threat to fake the handoff and drive to the basket. Junior Darius Miller has also been important, earning the MVP award at the SEC Tournament and averaging 11.1 points on the season. Miller shoots 44.9% from three and 48.5% overall.
Without those upperclassmen John Calipari's highly-touted freshman class doesn't have the impact they've had to date. Point guard Brandon Knight's been the best of the freshmen, averaging 17.3 points and 4.2 rebounds this season. Knight's had two of the biggest moments of the tournament for Kentucky, scoring the game-winner in the second round against Princeton and knocking down a big three late in their win over Ohio State. He also scored 30 points in the win over West Virginia, and his ability to get to the basket in addition to making perimeter shots makes him a serious threat on every possession.
Shooting guard Doron Lamb (12.3 ppg) and forward Terrence Jones (15.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg) have also been key cogs for the Wildcats, with the latter possibly being a bad matchup for the UConn big men on Saturday. Jones is mobile and can get to the rim off the dribble, but he can get in trouble when losing focus and firing away too much from deep. Lamb's a smooth guard (earning the nickname the "Smooth Criminal" in the Boost Mobile Elite 24 a couple years ago) with a very good stroke who is a product of the same AAU program (New York Gauchos) as Kemba Walker.
Where will this game be won? Likely on the boards, with both teams right around a plus-4 in rebounding margin. Harrellson's been huge over the last month for Kentucky and the same goes for Oriakhi on the other side. UConn held their own with one of the best rebounding teams around in San Diego State last week, and if they work by committee on the glass they could have an edge there. And how Liggins performs defensively against Walker will play a major role in the outcome as well. Look for the second meeting between these two to be much closer than what transpired in Maui.