The freshman swingman had just helped the Huskies rally from a brutal first half and a three-point deficit to capture the third national championship in school history with a 53-41 victory over Butler.
Along with the Wooden National Championship Trophy, a torch may have been passed to this lanky 6-foot-5 kid from Norcross, Ga.
“I think in the future you are going to see Jeremy Lamb become one of the best players in all of college basketball,” coach Jim Calhoun said.
What a journey the 2010-11 season has been for Lamb and UConn. Fittingly, it ended with the ball in Lamb’s hands as the clocked ticked down. He tossed it high into the Reliant Stadium stratosphere as the horn sounded.
Lamb and Huskies superstar Kemba Walker rushed to the rescue when the team needed them most, bouncing back from shooting woes over the first 20 minutes to make sure this one didn’t get away.
Scoreless in the first half, missing the only two shots he took, Lamb came to life, finishing with 12 points, seven rebounds and a block to cement the win. He made 4-of-6 attempts from the field to close, knocked down a pair of free throws and drilled a 3-pointer to help UConn pull away. His defense also was key as the Bulldogs shot a preposterous 18.8 percent from the field.
Lamb said a YouTube-worthy tirade from Calhoun at halftime helped inspire the comeback. The youngster responded with aplomb to the motivational ploy.
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