Led by Citadel and Clingan, defending champion UConn returns to the NCAA title sport, defeating Alabama 86-72

World Courant

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The tip end result confirmed UConn profitable its eleventh straight NCAA Match sport by a minimum of 13 factors.

The fact: The Huskies had been examined like no different of their quest for a potential second straight nationwide title.

UConn stored its composure and its bid to repeat as nationwide champions intact, getting 21 factors from freshman Stephon Citadel whereas holding tight defensively within the second half of an 86-72 win over Alabama within the Remaining 4 on Saturday night time.

“Our id needs to be fairly ruthless,” UConn coach Dan Hurley stated. “We’d not break you for 18 minutes, 25 minutes, however sooner or later when what we’re doing on each ends and on the board is at a excessive degree, it simply turns into troublesome for the opposite group to stick with it.”

The highest-seeded Huskies (36-3) placed on a March Insanity present earlier than arriving within the desert, a stretch that included a 30-0 run in a decimation of Illinois within the Elite Eight.

This was extra of a gradual burn.

Alabama (25-12) made essentially the most of its first Remaining 4, hitting a collection of 3-pointers to tackle a group that trailed a complete of 28 seconds by way of its first 4 NCAA Match video games.

Sensible level guard Mark Sears did his greatest to maintain Alabama in it, scoring 24 factors. Grant Nelson had one other huge sport in March Insanity, ending with 19 factors, 15 rebounds and one dunk on the spotlight reel over UConn huge man Donovan Clingan.

UConn, as standard below Hurley, wore the Tide into submission.

Clingan started to claim himself offensively within the put up, ending with 18 factors and 4 blocked photographs. Citadel and Alex Karaban (14 factors) hit huge photographs because the Huskies prolonged the lead.

And one of many nation’s greatest defenses stepped up at simply the proper time, holding the Tide and not using a area objective for a game-breaking five-minute interval, placing UConn on the verge of changing into the primary repeat champion since Florida in 2006- 2007.

“They’re nearly bulletproof,” Alabama coach Nate Oats stated.

Subsequent up for the Huskies is what needs to be a heavyweight battle in Monday’s nationwide championship sport in opposition to Purdue. It will not be for the meek, with the 7-foot-4, 280-pound Clingan dealing with the uncommon individual on earth who is larger than him within the 7-foot-1, 300-pound Zach Edey.

“A battle between the giants. I believe it is simply nice for faculty basketball. We and Purdue have clearly been the 2 greatest groups within the nation the final two years,” Hurley stated. “I believe it is simply nice for faculty basketball to get the 2 huge canine enjoying on Monday.”

The Huskies spent the primary two weeks of the match terrorizing opponents with a mean margin of victory of 27.8 factors.

Alabama put a stick within the spokes of the juggernaut by pulling Clingan away from the basket and burying three-pointers.

Clingan had two early blocks and regarded on his strategy to duplicating his Elite Eight efficiency as Illinois went 0 for 19 on photographs he contested.

As soon as the Crimson Tide began forcing Clingan into excessive pick-and-rolls, the lanes to the basket started to open up — as did the three-point line.

Alabama thrived all season from third down, beating Clemson within the Elite Eight by making 16 photographs from deep. The Tide stored it rolling in opposition to UConn, making 8 of 11 within the first half as Sears repeatedly obtained to the rim, seemingly placing the Huskies precisely the place they needed them.

No.

The Huskies stored their composure amid the Alabama three-point barrage, calmly working their offense and main 44-40 at halftime.

“We simply needed to stick collectively and tighten up on the defensive finish,” Karaban stated.

UConn continued to roll within the second half and Nelson stored the Tide inside attain. His thunderous dive over Clingan precipitated Oats to scream and crouch as if he had been doing the Haka.

Oats’ pal Hurley had the final snigger – or screamed.

Hurley constructed UConn into maybe one of the best two-way group of a technology, and the Huskies confirmed each side of their last prime.

UConn shut down Alabama’s open appears from the three-point arc and began getting the ball to Clingan, who overpowered the Tide as he obtained near the rim.

“They are surely a fantastic group,” Sears stated. “We turned the ball over and so they made us pay for it.”

The Huskies steadily expanded the lead, pushing the Tide again each time they made a run and placing themselves in place to make historical past.

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AP March Insanity bracket: and protection:

Led by Citadel and Clingan, defending champion UConn returns to the NCAA title sport, defeating Alabama 86-72

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