Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, April 09, 2014, Page 10, Image 10

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UConn Brings Home a Championship
Guard Napier turns in
masterpiece performance
(AP) - Shabazz Napier walked slowly through the hallway of the
stadium in Arlington, Texas - the tears still drying, the twine from the cut-
down net still hanging around his neck.
Bittersweet. Bittersweet. Bittersweet," he said, over and over again.
Bitter because it's over. Sweet because UConn won it all after being left
behind and told to go away.
Napier turned in one final masterpiece as a college player Monday
night, lifting the Huskies to a 60-54 win over Kentucky's freshmen and
bringing home a championship hardly anyone not wearing a UConn
uniform thought was possible.
"It's unbelievable because those guys, my players, stayed with the
program," coach Kevin Ollie said.
Led by 22 points from Napier, 14 points from Ryan Boatright and strong
defensive games from both, the Huskies (32-8) won it all a short year after
they were barred from March Madness because of academic problems.
That triggered the departure of five players, and coach Jim Calhoun left
because of health concerns.
For those who remained, it stoked a fire no one could put out.
"You're looking at the hungry Huskies," Napier told the crowd and TV
audience as confetti rained down. "Ladies and gentlemen, this is what
happens when you banned us."
UConn never trailed in the final. The Huskies led by as many as 15 in
the first half and watched the Wildcats (29-11) trim the deficit to one with
8:13 left. But Aaron Harrison, who pulled out wins with clutch 3-pointers
in Kentucky's last three games, missed a 3 from the left comer that would've
given the Cats the lead. Kentucky never got that close again.
Connecticut celebrates with the championship trophy after beating Kentucky 60-54 at the NCAA
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Portland
CQ> Community
Colleae
Cascade Campus
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Final Four tournament college basketball championship game Monday, April 7,2014, in Arlinaton
Texas. ( (AP photo)
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