Games #27-#28. In what should be two highly entertaining games on the island of Maui, we’re back for the semifinals of the tournament.
It was a beautiful November day in Lahaina, but for Kemba Walker, Terrence Jones, Isaiah Thomas and Kalin Lucas, the birds chirped just a little bit louder and the sun shone just a little bit brighter on Monday. These four players each led their team to victory in the quarterfinal round of the Maui Invitational, and in so doing have set up a superb Final Four-quality semifinal round that will be must-see television across college hoops nation on Tuesday night. In the first semifinal, Tom Izzo’s Michigan State team will take on Jim Calhoun’s Connecticut squad in a battle of quick, heady scoring point guards (Lucas and Walker) and slow but equally cerebral coaches. In the second semifinal, a game that has been a long time coming will occur with Kentucky and Jones taking on Washington and Thomas, the obvious storyline being that UK recruited the much-better-than-expected Jones out from under the Huskies last spring, a situation that left the diminutive but talented point guard none too happy about the poaching. It should be a wonderful afternoon/evening of hoops again here in the island paradise, so join us for a little conversation as RTC Live comes to you from the Maui Invitational.