The Price Is Right: A.J. Price Guides UConn Huskies Into Final Four

How many players in college basketball have been through what A.J. Price has gone through in his four years at UConn? 

Probably none.

One of the most talented recruits ever to come to Storrs, Price almost never played a game for the Huskies.

Price first had to sit out his entire freshman season in the fall of 2004 as a result of suffering a near fatal blood vessel abnormality in his brain. Price spent weeks in Hartford Hospital's intensive care unit, and is lucky to be alive today. 

He was supposed to step right in and lead the defending national champions, who lost guards Taliek Brown and Ben Gordon in 2004.

The following year, after going through surgery and being medically cleared to play, Price was caught in the middle of a scandal that involved stealing laptops on campus. Teammate Marcus Williams was also involved.

Price wasn't as lucky as Williams, who was able to rejoin the team once Big East play began. Price was kicked off campus and suspended from the basketball team for the entire 2005-2006 season.

At that point, there were many people who believed Price would never play a game for the Huskies. The 2006 team was loaded with talent and who knows, might have won a championship with Price. They, however, lost in the Elite Eight to Cinderella George Mason.

It seems that the trip back home to Amityville, NY helped Price to grow up and mature. 

During his sophmore season, he appeared in all 31 games and started at point guard in 23 of them. He started to show glimpses of greatness and was beginning to play like the player everyone wanted to see right out of high school.

You could tell it was an adjustment for Price and being away from the game for two years, it took time for him to get back in the flow of the game.

As a junior last season, Price was as good as advertised. He was a unanimous First Team All Big East selection, and was second on the team in scoring at 14.1 ppg. He also led the team in scoring on numerous occasions. He really came into his own and was adapting to the college game very well.

He led the Huskies to a No. 4-seed in the NCAA Tournament that season, but yet again, he faced adversity. He fell on a breakaway and landed awkwardly on his knee, tearing his ACL and the injury greatly affected the huskies. 

They were upset by No. 13-seed San Diego in a heartbreaker.

Price was determined to come back better then ever, and he has after rehabilitating his knee injury on a daily basis and was ready for the beginning of the season.

Price, along with teammate Hasheem Thabeet, has been the engine that has driven this team to where it is today, so when the Huskies take the court this weekend, you have to realize they wouldn't be there if it wasn't for the play of AJ Price.

Price is leading the team in ppg this season scoring 14.7, and is the leading assist man at 4.58 assists per game. He does it all for this team on offense and defense.

More importantly, he is the main three-point threat on the team, especially since Dyson went down. When a big shot is needed, Price answers and has delivered every time his number is called upon.

A.J. Price and the UConn Huskies are eighty minutes away from a third national title in ten years. That is truly special, and would put UConn among elite company. 

For his efforts in this year's NCAA Tournament, Price was named as the West Region's most outstanding player, and I'm sure he would like to earn a few more accolades before his college career is over.

This UConn team is so close and has been through a lot over the last few years. Price has been on a roller coaster ride that has gone from almost not being alive to possibly playing for a national title. 

Price recently said, "Now this is my last chance, my last chance to do something historic and leave my mark. I just want it so bad." 

Wouldn't it be fitting, when all is said in done, to see Price and the Huskies cutting down the net in Detroit on Monday?

If Price can shoot the ball like he has all year long, and the Huskies continue to dominate down low, I don't see them being beaten. 

They've been on a mission all season, and have held their expectations high. Winning a national championship is every team's goal, and they have a good shot at accomplishing the feat. 

The Price is right, and Jimmy Calhoun might just go three-for-three in National Championships won when the Huskies make it to the Final Four.