Connecticut holds off late rally by Wildcats

The top-seeded Huskies were pushed until the end of the game.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Advancing to the regional semifinals provided Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun with a strong feeling of accomplishment.
Beating Kentucky made it even more special.
Connecticut took control early, then survived a furious comeback bid by the Wildcats and held on for an 87-83 victory Sunday in the NCAA tournament.
The eagerly anticipated first meeting between the two high-profile programs proved well worth the wait. Although No. 1 seed Connecticut never trailed after the opening five minutes, the Huskies couldn't wrap up the win until Rudy Gay made two free throws with 3.3 seconds to go.
"It's amazing that we were playing Kentucky for the first time," Calhoun said, "but we're trying to earn [recognition] as a lead program in America, and hopefully we continue to do that. It was obviously a tremendous, tremendous basketball game."
Washington is next
Marcus Williams scored 20 points, including four clutch free throws in the final 30 seconds, and Gay had 19 for Connecticut (29-3), which next faces the University of Washington in the semifinals of the Washington Regional.
Patrick Sparks scored a career-high tying 28 points on 10-for-16 shooting for No. 8 seed Kentucky (22-13), which failed to reach the round of 16 for only the third time in the last 12 seasons. The Wildcats are 3-8 against No. 1 seeds since the selection committee began using seeds in 1979.
"We made some runs at them and had an opportunity," Kentucky coach Tubby Smith said. "When you have an opportunity to play against a No. 1 seed, you have to raise your level of play. We did. They're a very talented team, a team I think is capable of winning it all."
UConn led by 12 at halftime and 13 with 13:37 remaining, but that's when the Wildcats finally found their shooting touch.
It was 66-57 before Kentucky's Sheray Thomas scored from the baseline and Bobby Perry added a 3-pointer to get the Wildcats within four with 7:58 left.
Close call
After UConn upped the margin back to eight, Thomas hit a 3-pointer and Rajon Rondo beat the shot clock with a 3-pointer during a 10-4 spree that got Kentucky to 74-72 with 3:16 to go.
The Huskies built their lead back to eight, but Sparks hit a 3-pointer and Thomas made a layup to get the Wildcats within two with 53 seconds to play.
Williams made two foul shots before Perry hit a layup to make it 83-81. Then, after Williams made two more free throws and Perry scored on a putback, Gay iced it at the line.
Kentucky lost despite 17-for-30 shooting in the second half, including 7-for-14 from 3-point range after a 1-for-10 performance in the first 20 minutes. Sparks, a senior, scored 16 after halftime.
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