Chương 74: A Historic Performance
When Lian Dao returned to defense, he had no idea he had gained a new detractor. Instead, he was focused on guarding AJ Price.
This time, AJ Price didn't pass the ball. He kept dribbling outside, searching for an opening. A quick fake move gave him a sliver of space, and he accelerated past DeMar. Lian Dao quickly shifted to cover him.
Seeing Lian Dao approaching, AJ Price flicked the ball to the right. Jerome had positioned himself in the corner for a three-pointer. He caught the ball, adjusted, and shot.
The score was now 43:39.
You had to hand it to AJ Price—he had skill. But Lian Dao immediately responded with a three-pointer of his own, making it 46:39.
The back-and-forth continued, with UConn sticking to their game plan. This time, it was Kemba Walker's turn. He broke past Daniel, drawing a double-team from Lian Dao, then passed to Jerome in the corner.
Jerome prepared to shoot, but a hand appeared out of nowhere. Lian Dao leaped forward and swatted the ball out of the air.
Even while defending Kemba Walker, Lian Dao had kept an eye on Jerome. He anticipated Kemba's pass and timed his leap perfectly.
The crowd went wild as Lian Dao made his signature block. The USC bench erupted in excitement.
"Oh, what happened? Wasn't he guarding Kemba Walker? How did he get in front of Jerome?" Jeff Van Gundy was shocked by Lian Dao's move.
"He was tricking Kemba Walker into passing the ball. He's so smart!" Mike Brin said. "Connecticut fell right into Sickle's trap. They're in trouble now."
While the commentators praised Lian Dao's clever play, he had already made another three-pointer from outside, pushing the score to 49:39.
At this point, USC surged to their largest lead of the game, up by 10 points with 3 minutes and 23 seconds left in the first half.
The University of Connecticut called their final timeout of the half amidst an electrifying atmosphere favoring USC, turning Ford Field into their temporary home court.
Jim Calhoun had to halt play, sensing the fading morale of his Connecticut team under USC's dominant momentum. Without a timeout, the gap could widen, severely disadvantaging them in the second half.
Despite a motivational talk during the timeout, Connecticut struggled. AJ Price's pass to Jeff Adrian was intercepted by Gibson immediately after the break, although USC couldn't capitalize on a fast break.
Lian Dao opted for a pick-and-roll, surprising UConn by driving straight to the basket—an uncommon move for him in positional play. Connecticut swiftly double-teamed him, only to realize Lian Dao had passed the ball.
Then came the sound of the ball swishing through the net—Gibson's three-pointer from a 45-degree angle outside the arc. It was part of a tactical adjustment Tim had made during the timeout, exploiting a strategy UConn hadn't prepared for.
Gibson, known more for his toughness inside than his perimeter shooting, had a sweet spot at that angle. This shot, following Lian Dao's diversion, caught UConn off guard once again.
The score jumped to 52:39.
At that moment, Jim Calhoun could only shake his head as USC's lead continued to grow, realizing that even Hashim's presence in the second half wouldn't salvage the game. The opposing forward had effectively neutralized Hashim, making any hopes of a comeback futile.
As USC's morale soared, DeMar, despite not being known for three-pointers, sank one confidently. By halftime, the score stood at 64:41.
When Hashim finally took the court in the second half, Lian Dao promptly blocked him twice, further frustrating him. Despite UConn's attempts to regain ground, their outside shooting remained ineffective.
USC continued to dominate, showcasing a formidable defense that Lian Dao anchored. His presence in the paint became a "no-fly zone," dissuading any attempts at the rim with his intimidating shot-blocking ability.
Around eight minutes into the second half, with UConn's confidence shattered, Jim Calhoun conceded defeat by pulling his starters and sending a clear message of surrender.
USC followed suit, substituting out their main players. Just before exiting the court, Lian Dao achieved his tenth block of the game, capping off a historic performance.
The arena erupted as Lian Dao's stats—36 points, 20 assists, 10 blocks, and 10 rebounds—lit up the scoreboard. It marked the first quadruple-double in NCAA tournament history.
"Sickle has made NCAA history with this quadruple-double!" exclaimed Jeff Van Gundy, visibly moved by witnessing the unprecedented feat.
The crowd, both USC and UConn fans alike, erupted into chants of "MVP! MVP! MVP!"
Lei Allen, despite his alma mater's defeat, couldn't help but acknowledge and applaud Lian Dao's incredible achievement.
However, he knew his university had been thoroughly outplayed and relegated to a mere footnote in Lian Dao's historic performance.
"Even though Lester Hudson achieved a quadruple-double in the NCAA regular season last year, the magnitude of Sickle's accomplishment today is on a whole different level! USC is up against one of the top four seeded teams in the nation, a challenge far greater than anything Hudson faced, especially considering he never even played in a championship game!"
Mike Brin's enthusiasm was palpable, his words expressing a level of excitement that bordered on the hyperbolic. If Lester Hudson had been present to hear Mike's commentary, he might have found it a bit hard to swallow!
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