El-Amin Shows He Can Take Pressure

Khalid El-Amin has been in tense basketball situations before, though nothing quite as nerve-racking as trying to hold off Duke in a national championship game.

But the Connecticut point guard insists he remains unfazed regardless of opponents or settings. And after watching El-Amin do his thing Monday night, who can argue?

Typically, El-Amin kept his cool, helping Connecticut win its first title with a 77-74 victory over top-ranked Duke before 41,340 at Tropicana Field. The intense El-Amin finished with 12 points and four assists, but his impact cannot be measured in a box score.

The Huskies’ stocky floor leader made several key plays down the stretch, helping thwart the Blue Devil rally. El-Amin scored the Huskies’ final four points on a tough baseline jumper and two free throws, completing the greatest season in Connecticut history.

“When we heard that we were a 10-point underdog, we thought that was ridiculous, and we just wanted to come out and prove everybody wrong,” said El-Amin, who was not too tired to admonish the Huskies’ critics at every opportunity. “I mean, 10 points? That really offended us.”

And El-Amin played with the biggest chip on his shoulder.

In the day between the national semifinals and championship game, El-Amin heard more than he cared to about Duke’s defense. He was asked how he would cope with Duke, which has slowed even the best point guards. The sophomore from Minneapolis was determined not to let that happen to him.

El-Amin developed his mental toughness on the summer basketball circuit, outplaying many more celebrated prep players. And he couldn’t wait to face Duke, with its lineup of former prep All-Americans, for the national title.

When the game was still undecided in the final moments, El-Amin found himself in the situation he covets.

“I pride myself on the big games and the big plays,” El-Amin said. “I get excited, that’s how I am, and that’s how my personality is. This was definitely the biggest game of my career, playing in front of the world for the NCAA championship. But that’s what I want, so I had better be ready.”

He was against the Blue Devils. El-Amin made a baseline jumper over Duke All-American center Elton Brand, the consensus player of the year, and forward Shane Battier to give the Huskies a 75-72 lead with 1 minute 5 seconds remaining in the season.

With 5.2 seconds to play, and Connecticut ahead, 75-74, El-Amin was fouled by Duke point guard William Avery. El-Amin figured that if he made the free throws, he would likely seal the title for Connecticut.

And if he didn’t. . . well, he didn’t even want to consider the alternatives. It was one of those put-up-or-shut-up situations, and El-Amin stepped to the line with Avery trying to distract him by talking to him.

El-Amin made both free throw attempts--bye, bye Duke.

“I really wanted to be the one shooting the foul shots,” El-Amin said. “I wanted to be up there to have that opportunity.

“I guess [Avery] thought I was nervous because the ball slipped out of my hand when I first grabbed it, and we exchanged some words. But it really didn’t matter to me.”

El-Amin was energized by the play of junior All-American swingman Richard “Rip” Hamilton, who finished with a game-high 27 points and was selected the most valuable player of the Final Four. The close teammates have led the Huskies to many great moments during their two seasons together in Storrs, Conn., and they were a winning combination again Monday.

“We just looked at each other [late in the game] and said, ‘It’s winning time,’ ” El-Amin said. “Coach [Jim Calhoun] set up the right plays at the right time, and we were able to produce.”

El-Amin was especially pleased by the expressions of Blue Devil fans late in the game, when they finally seemed to realize Connecticut, and El-Amin, wouldn’t back down.

“I looked in their [rooting] section and they looked kind of stunned, like they didn’t expect this,” El-Amin said. “That made us feel good, that they looked kind of stunned.”

Just the way El-Amin figured the evening would end.