STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Charles Okwandu, left, and Kemba Walker contest a shot by Pitt's Brad Wanamaker in the first half.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTThe UConn bench celebrates Kemba Walker's game-winning shot in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament on Thursday. The Huskies advanced to the semifinals with a 76-74 win over top seed Pitt.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTJeremy Lamb dunks dunk after a second-half steal during UConn's Big East quarterfinal win over Pitt on Thursday. Lamb had 17 points as the Huskies won their third straight tournament game.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn guard Shabazz Napier drives to the basket during the first half of the Huskies' Big East quarterfinal win over Pitt on Thursday.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Kemba Walker works for the space needed to get off his game-winning shot against Pitt in the Big East quarterfinals on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn freshman forward Roscoe Smith is attended to after being injured in the first half of the Huskies' Big East quarterfinal game against Pitt on Thursday.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Charles Okwandu is fouled by Pitt's Nasir Robinson during the Big East turnament quarterfinal Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
MIKE SEGAR, REUTERSShabazz Napier, right, hugs teammate Kemba Walker after Walker's game-winning shot against Pitt on Thursday.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTKemba Walker celebrates his game-winning shot against Pitt on Thursday that sends UConn into the Big East semifinals.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Alex Oriakhi puts up a shot in pregame warmups before the start of the Huskies' Big East quarterfinal.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Kemba Walker puts up the game-winning shot in the Huskies' 76-74 Big East quarterfinal win over top seed Pitt on Thursday.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Kemba Walker is fouled by Pitt's Lamar Patterson in the first half. of the Huskies' Big East quarterfinal.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Roscoe Smith tries to get a hand on a shot by Pitt's Brad Wanamaker during the Huskies' 76-74 win over Pitt on Thursday in the Big East quarterfinals.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Kemba Walker puts up the game-winning shot in the Huskies' 76-74 Big East quarterfinal win over top seed Pitt on Thursday.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTKemba Walker is fouled by Pitt's Brad Wanamaker with a minute left in the UConn's 76-74 Big East quarterfinal win over the Panthers on Thursday.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTRoscoe Smith warms up in front of teammate Jamal Coombs-McDaniel prior to the start of the Huskies' Big East quarterfinal meeting with Pitt.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Alex Oriakhi, left, is fouled by Pitt's Dante Taylor during second-half action in the Huskies' 76-74 win over Pitt on Thursday. Oriakhi had 13 points and seven rebounds.
STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTThe UConn and Pitt men's basketball teams get loose prior to the start of the Big East quarterfinal on Thursday.- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Charles Okwandu, left, and Kemba Walker contest a shot by Pitt's Brad Wanamaker in the first half.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTThe UConn bench celebrates Kemba Walker's game-winning shot in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament on Thursday. The Huskies advanced to the semifinals with a 76-74 win over top seed Pitt.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTJeremy Lamb dunks dunk after a second-half steal during UConn's Big East quarterfinal win over Pitt on Thursday. Lamb had 17 points as the Huskies won their third straight tournament game.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn guard Shabazz Napier drives to the basket during the first half of the Huskies' Big East quarterfinal win over Pitt on Thursday.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Kemba Walker works for the space needed to get off his game-winning shot against Pitt in the Big East quarterfinals on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn freshman forward Roscoe Smith is attended to after being injured in the first half of the Huskies' Big East quarterfinal game against Pitt on Thursday.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Charles Okwandu is fouled by Pitt's Nasir Robinson during the Big East turnament quarterfinal Thursday at Madison Square Garden.
- MIKE SEGAR, REUTERSShabazz Napier, right, hugs teammate Kemba Walker after Walker's game-winning shot against Pitt on Thursday.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTKemba Walker celebrates his game-winning shot against Pitt on Thursday that sends UConn into the Big East semifinals.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Alex Oriakhi puts up a shot in pregame warmups before the start of the Huskies' Big East quarterfinal.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Kemba Walker puts up the game-winning shot in the Huskies' 76-74 Big East quarterfinal win over top seed Pitt on Thursday.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Kemba Walker is fouled by Pitt's Lamar Patterson in the first half. of the Huskies' Big East quarterfinal.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Roscoe Smith tries to get a hand on a shot by Pitt's Brad Wanamaker during the Huskies' 76-74 win over Pitt on Thursday in the Big East quarterfinals.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Kemba Walker puts up the game-winning shot in the Huskies' 76-74 Big East quarterfinal win over top seed Pitt on Thursday.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTKemba Walker is fouled by Pitt's Brad Wanamaker with a minute left in the UConn's 76-74 Big East quarterfinal win over the Panthers on Thursday.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTRoscoe Smith warms up in front of teammate Jamal Coombs-McDaniel prior to the start of the Huskies' Big East quarterfinal meeting with Pitt.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTUConn's Alex Oriakhi, left, is fouled by Pitt's Dante Taylor during second-half action in the Huskies' 76-74 win over Pitt on Thursday. Oriakhi had 13 points and seven rebounds.
- STEPHEN DUNN, HARTFORD COURANTThe UConn and Pitt men's basketball teams get loose prior to the start of the Big East quarterfinal on Thursday.
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UConn's Charles Okwandu, left, and Kemba Walker contest a shot by Pitt's Brad Wanamaker in the first half.
ExpandBy Mike Anthony
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UConn erased a 12-point deficit and took a one-point lead on two Kemba Walker free throws with 6.1 seconds remaining in the first half, but Travon Woodall beat the buzzer to give top-seeded Pittsburgh and 41-40 halftime lead over the ninth-seeded Huskies today in a Big East tournament quarterfinal at Madison Square Garden.
Ninth-seeded UConn was overwhelmed early. Pittsburgh, so strong and so precise, got 11 early points from Ashton Gibbs and built leads of 20-8 and 35-23.
But Shabazz Napier made a three-pointer to spark a 10-2 run that pulled UConn to 37-33. And after a Gilbert Brown jump shot pushed the lead to six, the Huskies scored the next seven points, finally taking the lead on Kemba Walker’s two free throws.
Walker had 13 points in the half and Jeremy Lamb eight.
Gibbs had 16 for Pitt, and Gilbert Brown and Nasir Robinson seven apiece.