Huskies Will Need To Contain Derrick Williams

And then there were eight.

Can you believe it?

For a team that was picked to finish 10th in their own conference (and did finish ninth, by the way), it is pretty darn unbelievable that the UConn men’s basketball team would be left standing among the final eight teams in the country.

And, not that anyone would bet on college basketball or anything, but they are installed as about a 3-point favorite against Arizona tonight.

Will they beat Arizona? I have no idea. Like I said, I’ve given up trying to predict anything about this UConn season. We all knew it would be a rollercoaster, but to have this big a high is something no one could have ever predicted.

You can say something for sure though. If the Huskies are going to make their second Final Four in three seasons, they are going to need to contain Derrick Williams, the star swingman from Arizona. Williams was masterful as the Wildcats embarrassed Duke Thursday night. He scored 32 points, including 25 in the first half, and easily could have had 10-15 more if it hadn’t turned ugly with more than 10 minutes left in the game. He was likely the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NBA draft before last night’s game, but he is all but assured of it now.

Throw the UConn offensive gameplan out the window. UConn fans can have full confidence in Kemba Walker’s scoring ability and Jeremy Lamb’s as well. (By the way, it was Lamb who was the best player on the court in crunchtime against San Diego State, not Walker.) The regional final will be all about defending Williams. And unfortunately, UConn’s weakest defensive position is on the wing. 

That, in fact, is what scared me most about SDSU. Kawhi Leonard is a similar player to Williams. Both are big, physical wing players who can score equally well facing the basket and around the rim. I was looking forward to seeing who Jim Calhoun drew up to guard Leonard at the start of the game. It was Roscoe Smith (as I assumed and feared) and he didn’t stand a chance. Leonard drove by him a couple minutes into the game for an easy layup and I groaned “That’s not a good sign.”

As it turned out, the only one who shut down Leonard was himself (and the referees). He got into early foul trouble, including a technical, and he never played a role in the game. Calhoun put Lamb on Leonard some in the second half and it worked better than Smith, but truth is, it never really mattered.

Chances are, UConn won’t get so lucky with Williams. He is prone to fouling (he has five DQs this year), especially on help side defense, but UConn can’t rely on someone else’s stupidity. Smith might have to be the most important player in the game – scary as that sounds.

A word about Jazz

Obviously everyone’s attention in the world of UConn sports is focused on the postseason tournaments, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the sentencing of John Lomax III to 18 years in prison for the murder of UConn football player Jasper Howard 16 months ago.

As far as I’m concerned, the sentence was light. Lomax’s intention when he went to his car to get the knife was nothing but violence. He didn’t pull it in self-defense. It wasn’t already on his person when the players (Howard apparently not included) got into a verbal altercation. Had the crime occurred under those circumstances it would’ve been awful, but understandable. Instead, he went to his car, took out the knife, and went to stab someone. Howard was unlucky enough to be the one in the wrong place at the wrong time.

And while Lomax’s lawyer said his client was remorseful after the sentencing, it appeared as if he was nothing of the sort. Ignoring that he said Lomax would take it back (well then why didn’t he stop and think for a moment in the interim between the dance altercation and running to his car?), Lomax made the statement, “I would never want this to happen to any family. You may despise me. I don’t despise you. We’re all God’s children.”

Excuse me? “You may despise me. I don’t despise you.”? You don’t despise them? You killed Joanglia Howard’s son. She has every right to despise you, John Lomax. We don’t care if you despise them, whatever that means.

And even more disgusting were the comments of Lomax’s family. I don’t imagine them to be happy, but to show such callous disregard for someone is troubling. Lomax’s mother, Troylynn Grimes, stated, “the truth will prevail.” Another family member said the family wanted a trial, but “the state was more concerned with getting a conviction than getting the truth.”

Maybe that relative is not familiar with the language of our courts.  Lomax plead no contest. The state didn’t make him do that. He did that. He didn’t want to contest the charges. OK, fine, they say the family didn’t have the money to fight the charges. Well then why did Lomax read a tear-filled statement all but admitting exactly how he’d committed the crime?

Lomax should’ve said nine words: “I accept my punishment for committing a heinous act.” His family should’ve said one: “Sorry.”