Kemba Walker netted 26 of his game-best 36 points to help the No. 3-seeded Connecticut Huskies defeat the No. 2 San Diego St. Aztecs, 74-67, in a fourth-round NCAA Tournament contest in Anaheim, CA Thursday night. UConn (29-9) advances to Southwest Regional final against the winner of No. 1 Duke Blue Devils vs. No. 5 Arizona Wildcats.
Walker, a Bronx, N.Y. native, made 12-of-25 shots, including 4-of-8 from 3-point land to guide the Huskies to their second Elite 8 appearance in three years -- in 2009 UConn lost to Michigan State, 82-73, in the national semifinals in Detroit, MI. Walker has averaged 27.1 points per game during the Huskies current eight-game winning streak, which includes a 2011 Big East Tournament title. Freshman guard Jeremy Lamb added 24 points for UConn, which led 36-27 at halftime.
So far, the NCAA Tournament has just been The Walker Show and everyone has just been witnesses of one of the greatest runs in NCAA history. A one-on-one matchup with Duke's freshman Kyrie Irving (a projected top 5 NBA draft pick) or senior guard Nolan Smith (a Naismith Award finalist) would be must-watch television on Saturday.