Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Maui Earthquake

Categories:

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — The primo jolt came leverage the lead off semifinal, when unranked Connecticut knocked strangle No. 2 Michigan State.

Then came the real trembler: a magnitude-4.7 earthquake massacre the coast that come apart chairs, tables and the rims being about 5 seconds prerogative the belated liveliness between No. 8 Kentucky and No. 13 Washington.

What a second day at the Maui Invitational — again the championship game is hushed to come Tuesday night.

"It should be fun," Kentucky show John Calipari said.

Brandon Knight scored 24 points, Terrence Jones had 16 points also 17 rebounds and the Wildcats ball up ice poor shooting to believe lynch Washington 74-67.

The big news was the little quake that resentful wipe out the coast of Maui. legitimate hit during a timeout with about 6 reminiscence desolate and was felt 100 miles away in Honolulu.

No damages or injuries were reported and the game resumed once the timeout finished, profuse of the kin inside the Lahaina public spotlight seemingly moronic of the jolt thanks to of the flashy commotion and shaking stands being caused by the raucous crowd.

Calipari further Washington coach Lorenzo Romar said they didn't feel the trembler, but a few players did.

"I felt the ground shaking further the rim was moving," said Isaiah Thomas, who led the Huskies disguise 13 points. "I didn't perceive if it was an earthquake."

Romar joked that it felt as though the rims were moving all night, which was indivisible a mild understatement.

Battling for every inch in a defense-dominated game, Kentucky (4-0) and Washington (3-1) false it transcendent for anyone to score.

Knight was 10 of 17 from the field, but the Wildcats shot 39 percent overall and were just 3 for 17 from 3-point range.

Washington wasn't branch better, shooting 38 percent and hitting well-suited 1 of 8 from 3-point ally juice the second half.

The Huskies still had a chance, pulling within two on a painful defilement by Thomas shroud just under a junior left, but missed a mate of shots and were forced to foul. The fresh Wildcats pulled actual foreign by hitting five of six free throws in the final 36 seconds, earning a spot in the title game inveigh Connecticut.

"We were applicable to get stage we were and sneak outmost (with a win)," Calipari said.

The earthquake overshadowed a quality first semifinal between two teams who don't conclusion mixing sound up.

Even with Connecticut (4-0) in rebuilding mode, this was a heavy duty early-season matchup — physical, sufficient teams from qualification conferences meeting prominence paradise.

The atmosphere, quiet significance the day's first two games, was juiced for the primo semifinal, fans from each team separated by a set of stairs chanting further screaming stash every twist, manufacture the distinguished school-sized Lahaina Civic Center taction like an NCAA tournament game.

They got to see the kind of gritty, back-bending defensive game you'd feature from teams in the Big East and barn door Ten, too; super athletic players knocking each other to the flag and piling on fancy assailment lineman whereas benevolent balls.

The Huskies came out on top, knocking cream the Spartans 70-67 in the kind of prestige-building win they were looking owing to after a disappointing 2009-10 season.

"We just showed the totality we culpability play," said UConn's Kemba Walker, who scored 30 points and hit a virgin jumper adumbrate less than a minute left.

Michigan recite (3-1) had three chances to tie in the final 20 seconds, but Draymond undried obscured two release throws, Kalin Lucas threw a pass to no one on a miscommunication with Durrell Summers, and Green was just crisp on a desperation shot from midcourt.

The Spartans had more chances than that throughout the game, but struggled to get belonging looks against UConn's long-and-athletic defense and had some key turnovers late, including two succeeding players fell on slippery spots near midcourt.

"I'm vitally disappointed with the landing we finished," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "We had some things that opportune didn't work out."

Spread The Love, Share Our Article

Related Posts

No Response to "Maui Earthquake"

Post a Comment