By Steve Ginsburg
HOUSTON (Reuters) - For once, Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight played like the freshman he is.
The 19-year-old had been sensational during the NCAA Tournament, scoring points in bunches or hitting game-winning shots with defenders in his face.
But the astonishing maturity Knight has displayed over the last few weeks evaporated on Saturday when the Wildcats lost to Connecticut 56-55 in the semi-finals of the 68-team event.
Knight, who played all 40 minutes, scored 17 points but hit only six of 23 shots, including three of 11 from long range.
Wildcats coach John Calipari said fatigue was probably a factor in Knight's dismal effort.
"But he has played that kind of minutes all year and has done fine," he said. "But there was some anxiety to his game now. I kept saying, 'It's just another game now.'
"I could say it all I want but there's some anxiety that goes along with this game that may have gotten to him a little bit because I can't remember one of two games where the last three minutes he wasn't at his best."
Calipari said he tried to take Knight out several times but "the game never stopped. It just kept going and going and going."
Connecticut will move on to face Butler in the championship on Monday, while Calipari will be left to ponder what might have been.
Kentucky recovered from a 10-point halftime deficit to take the lead at several stages of the second half. But a near- six-minute scoreless stretch by the Wildcats allowed Connecticut to take the advantage.
The Wildcats (29-9) hit only 21 of 62 shots (34 percent) from the floor and four of 12 from the free-throw line.
"I just think we missed a bunch of open shots," said Kentucky senior forward Josh Harrellson. "We had good looks. Me, personally, I couldn't knock down anything in the first half. Missed a bunch of one-footers."
Five of Kentucky's players from a year ago were selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. Buoyed by a stellar freshman class, the Wildcats reached the Final Four in what was expected to be a rebuilding year.
"As a coach, that's all you can ask of these young people. Give us a chance to win. They gave us a chance. We had our opportunity.
"You know, it's disappointing but it's been a heck of a year."
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)
