Top-seeded UConn blows through another opponent, beating San Diego State 82-52 to reach Elite Eight
BOSTON (AP) The rematch turned into another UConn mismatch.
Stephon Castle had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the defending NCAA champions, and the top-seeded Huskies advanced to the Elite Eight with another double-digit victory, beating San Diego State 82-52 on Thursday night in a rematch of last year’s title game.
Cam Spencer scored 18 points and Tristen Newton added 17 points and seven rebounds for UConn (34-3). The Huskies will play third-seeded Illinois, which beat Iowa State 72-69 later Thursday in the other East Region semifinal, on Saturday night for a spot in the Final Four in Glendale, Arizona.
A year after cruising to their fifth national championship - winning their six NCAA Tournament games by an average of almost 20 points - the Huskies followed up blowouts last weekend with their ninth straight double-digit March Madness victory.
They have won by 39, 17 and 30 points in this tournament.
“We suck at winning close games,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “You've got to go with the alternative.”
Backed by a virtual home crowd at TD Garden - Boston is about 90 miles from their Storrs, Connecticut, campus - the Huskies made it a double-digit lead early in the second half, 20 with about seven minutes left and 30 in the final minutes, after the teams sent in their benches. Hurley's son Andrew even got into the game with 1:44 left, drawing a celebratory cheer.
“It means a lot just to be able to travel with our fans. ... I feel like it gives us kind of a boost, a little bit of an advantage,” Castle said. “We tried to make it like ‘Storrs North.’ They showed out for us, and it was definitely electric in there tonight.”
Seven-footer Donovan Clingan, who played just 23 minutes after getting into foul trouble, had eight points and eight rebounds for UConn, which matched a school record for victories and gave the much-snubbed Big East a 7-0 record in the tournament. The Huskies trailed for just 28 seconds in the game and earned the largest victory in the Sweet 16 since Kansas beat Purdue 98-66 in 2017.
“I think the group, we have killer instincts. We play every possession with great desperation,” Hurley said. “Obviously, we’re very comfortable in tournament play.”
Jaedon LeDee scored 15 of his 18 points in the first half and Micah Parrish scored 10 for fifth-seeded San Diego State, which followed up the only Final Four appearance in school history with another Sweet 16 run.
But for the second straight year, the Aztecs (26-11) ran into UConn.
“It’s not the ending we’re going to remember; it’s the journey. Because the journey is everything,” San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher said. “We’ve been on an incredible journey together.
“They’re 7-2 on college basketball’s biggest stage over the last two years. It’s something to take great pride in,” Dutcher said. “If losing a basketball game is the worst thing that’s going to happen in your life, you’re going to have a fantastic life.”
UConn is the first defending champion to reach the Elite Eight since Florida won it all in 2006 and '07. No team has won repeat titles since.
“It’s kind of been against the odds in terms of the season we’re having, following up the national championship with an even better season,” Hurley said. “This team has defied what past champions have done and taken this program to a completely different level.”
UConn took its first 10-point lead before the midpoint of a first half in which both teams went cold about 10 minutes in. After opening a 27-16 lead with 11 minutes left, UConn shot 6 for 28 to finish the half - and still took a nine-point lead into the break.
The Huskies went up by double digits for good in the opening minutes of the second half when Newton - thanks to an offensive rebound and assist from Clingan - hit a 3-pointer to make it 45-33. Up 17 with eight minutes left, UConn scored the next nine points to pull away.
UConn won last year's championship game 76-59 and also beat the Aztecs in the 2011 Sweet 16, with Kemba Walker scoring 36 points to set a tournament record and beat Kawhi Leonard’s San Diego State. The Huskies went on to win the school’s third national championship.
UConn won it all again in 2014. Last year, the Huskies made it five, pulling away after leading by five points with five minutes left to beat San Diego State 76-59.
“Either they're better or we’re worse, I don’t know,” Dutcher said. “Yeah, they’re good. They’re connected. ... They’re an outstanding team and will be very dangerous down the road.”
UP NEXT
The Huskies reached the Elite Eight for the 13th time. The last time they made it this far and didn’t win it all was in 2009, when Jim Calhoun’s team lost to Michigan State in the national semifinal.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Jay Pal vs. Donovan Clingan (Lamont Butler gains possession) | |||
19:42 | +2 | Jaedon LeDee makes two point jump shot | 2-0 | |
19:15 | +2 | Donovan Clingan makes two point layup (Stephon Castle assists) | 2-2 | |
18:46 | Lamont Butler misses two point jump shot | |||
18:44 | Alex Karaban defensive rebound | |||
18:34 | +3 | Alex Karaban makes three point jump shot (Cam Spencer assists) | 2-5 | |
18:19 | +3 | Jaedon LeDee makes three point jump shot (Lamont Butler assists) | 5-5 | |
17:55 | Lamont Butler blocks Tristen Newton's two point jump shot | |||
17:53 | Tristen Newton offensive rebound | |||
17:45 | Stephon Castle misses three point jump shot | |||
17:43 | Darrion Trammell defensive rebound | |||
17:34 | Micah Parrish misses two point jump shot | |||
17:32 | Alex Karaban defensive rebound | |||
17:15 | +2 | Stephon Castle makes two point jump shot | 5-7 | |
16:54 | Jaedon LeDee misses three point jump shot | |||
16:52 | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | |||
16:41 | Cam Spencer misses two point jump shot | |||
16:39 | Micah Parrish defensive rebound | |||
16:29 | +2 | Jaedon LeDee makes two point jump shot (Jay Pal assists) | 7-7 | |
16:04 | Jay Pal blocks Alex Karaban's two point layup | |||
16:02 | Alex Karaban offensive rebound | |||
16:02 | +2 | Alex Karaban makes two point layup | 7-9 | |
15:55 | +3 | Darrion Trammell makes three point jump shot | 10-9 | |
15:50 | Darrion Trammell shooting foul (Stephon Castle draws the foul) | |||
15:50 | TV timeout | |||
15:50 | Stephon Castle misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
15:50 | +1 | Stephon Castle makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 10-10 | |
15:26 | Jaedon LeDee turnover (lost ball) (Alex Karaban steals) | |||
15:17 | +3 | Alex Karaban makes three point jump shot (Tristen Newton assists) | 10-13 | |
15:06 | Reese Waters misses two point jump shot | |||
15:04 | Lamont Butler offensive rebound | |||
14:57 | +2 | Jaedon LeDee makes two point dunk (Lamont Butler assists) | 12-13 | |
14:46 | +2 | Cam Spencer makes two point layup (Tristen Newton assists) | 12-15 | |
14:36 | +2 | Reese Waters makes two point jump shot (Lamont Butler assists) | 14-15 | |
14:18 | Cam Spencer misses three point jump shot | |||
14:16 | Tristen Newton offensive rebound | |||
14:14 | Jaedon LeDee personal foul (Tristen Newton draws the foul) | |||
14:07 | +2 | Tristen Newton makes two point layup (Donovan Clingan assists) | 14-17 | |
13:47 | Jaedon LeDee misses two point jump shot | |||
13:45 | Cam Spencer defensive rebound | |||
13:36 | +2 | Cam Spencer makes two point layup | 14-19 | |
13:16 | Darrion Trammell misses three point jump shot | |||
13:14 | Huskies defensive rebound | |||
12:56 | +3 | Tristen Newton makes three point jump shot (Samson Johnson assists) | 14-22 | |
12:36 | +2 | Jaedon LeDee makes two point jump shot (Lamont Butler assists) | 16-22 | |
12:26 | Lamont Butler personal foul | |||
12:18 | Tristen Newton turnover (bad pass) (Miles Heide steals) | |||
12:15 | Tristen Newton personal foul (Miles Heide draws the foul) | |||
12:05 | Elijah Saunders misses three point jump shot | |||
12:03 | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | |||
11:49 | +3 | Cam Spencer makes three point jump shot | 16-25 | |
11:23 | Miles Byrd misses three point jump shot | |||
11:21 | Jaylin Stewart defensive rebound | |||
10:55 | +2 | Cam Spencer makes two point layup (Hassan Diarra assists) | 16-27 | |
10:30 | +2 | Elijah Saunders makes two point jump shot | 18-27 | |
10:30 | Jaylin Stewart shooting foul (Elijah Saunders draws the foul) | |||
10:30 | TV timeout | |||
10:30 | +1 | Elijah Saunders makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 19-27 | |
10:04 | Samson Johnson misses two point jump shot | |||
10:02 | Elijah Saunders defensive rebound | |||
9:57 | Miles Heide turnover (lost ball) (Cam Spencer steals) | |||
9:38 | Alex Karaban misses two point jump shot | |||
9:36 | Micah Parrish defensive rebound | |||
9:25 | Darrion Trammell misses three point jump shot | |||
9:23 | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | |||
9:17 | Stephon Castle misses two point jump shot | |||
9:15 | Miles Byrd defensive rebound | |||
9:15 | Stephon Castle personal foul (Miles Byrd draws the foul) | |||
9:00 | +2 | Miles Byrd makes two point jump shot | 21-27 | |
8:42 | Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot | |||
8:40 | Tristen Newton offensive rebound | |||
8:40 | Jump ball. Tristen Newton vs. Lamont Butler (Huskies gains possession) | |||
8:26 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
8:24 | Jay Pal defensive rebound | |||
8:14 | Micah Parrish misses two point jump shot | |||
8:12 | Jaedon LeDee offensive rebound | |||
8:11 | Jaedon LeDee misses two point jump shot | |||
8:09 | Huskies defensive rebound | |||
7:51 | +2 | Tristen Newton makes two point layup | 21-29 | |
7:45 | Aztecs 30 second timeout | |||
7:37 | Jay Pal turnover (bad pass) (Cam Spencer steals) | |||
7:30 | Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot | |||
7:28 | Stephon Castle offensive rebound | |||
7:23 | Alex Karaban misses two point jump shot | |||
7:21 | Jaedon LeDee defensive rebound | |||
7:21 | Jump ball. Jaedon LeDee vs. Stephon Castle (Aztecs gains possession) | |||
7:21 | TV timeout | |||
7:15 | Lamont Butler misses two point layup | |||
7:13 | Jaedon LeDee offensive rebound | |||
7:13 | +2 | Jaedon LeDee makes two point putback dunk | 23-29 | |
6:53 | Jaedon LeDee shooting foul (Tristen Newton draws the foul) | |||
6:53 | +1 | Tristen Newton makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 23-30 | |
6:53 | +1 | Tristen Newton makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 23-31 | |
6:44 | Lamont Butler turnover (bad pass) (Tristen Newton steals) | |||
6:37 | +2 | Stephon Castle makes two point alley-oop dunk (Tristen Newton assists) | 23-33 | |
6:23 | +2 | Jaedon LeDee makes two point jump shot | 25-33 | |
6:03 | Donovan Clingan misses two point jump shot | |||
6:01 | Miles Byrd defensive rebound | |||
6:01 | Donovan Clingan personal foul (Miles Byrd draws the foul) | |||
5:48 | Micah Parrish misses three point jump shot | |||
5:46 | Hassan Diarra defensive rebound | |||
5:36 | Donovan Clingan misses two point layup | |||
5:34 | Donovan Clingan offensive rebound | |||
5:30 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
5:28 | Alex Karaban offensive rebound | |||
5:27 | Darrion Trammell personal foul (Tristen Newton draws the foul) | |||
5:21 | Donovan Clingan misses two point layup | |||
5:19 | Donovan Clingan offensive rebound | |||
5:16 | Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot | |||
5:14 | Tristen Newton offensive rebound | |||
5:08 | Donovan Clingan turnover (lost ball) (Jaedon LeDee steals) | |||
4:59 | +3 | Micah Parrish makes three point jump shot (Lamont Butler assists) | 28-33 | |
4:33 | Lamont Butler blocks Tristen Newton's two point layup | |||
4:31 | Huskies offensive rebound | |||
4:27 | Huskies turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
4:08 | Reese Waters misses three point jump shot | |||
4:06 | Elijah Saunders offensive rebound | |||
4:02 | Elijah Saunders misses two point layup | |||
4:00 | Miles Heide offensive rebound | |||
3:57 | Miles Heide misses two point layup | |||
3:55 | Cam Spencer defensive rebound | |||
3:50 | Cam Spencer misses two point jump shot | |||
3:48 | Lamont Butler defensive rebound | |||
3:39 | Stephon Castle shooting foul (Lamont Butler draws the foul) | |||
3:39 | TV timeout | |||
3:39 | +1 | Lamont Butler makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 29-33 | |
3:39 | Lamont Butler misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
3:39 | Hassan Diarra defensive rebound | |||
3:11 | +2 | Cam Spencer makes two point jump shot | 29-35 | |
2:48 | Elijah Saunders misses three point jump shot | |||
2:46 | Samson Johnson defensive rebound | |||
2:39 | Lamont Butler personal foul (Cam Spencer draws the foul) | |||
2:27 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
2:25 | Reese Waters defensive rebound | |||
2:08 | +2 | Micah Parrish makes two point jump shot | 31-35 | |
1:49 | Reese Waters personal foul (Cam Spencer draws the foul) | |||
1:49 | +1 | Cam Spencer makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 31-36 | |
1:49 | +1 | Cam Spencer makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 31-37 | |
1:20 | Reese Waters misses three point jump shot | |||
1:18 | Cam Spencer defensive rebound | |||
1:11 | Hassan Diarra misses three point jump shot | |||
1:09 | Alex Karaban offensive rebound | |||
1:05 | Donovan Clingan misses two point layup | |||
1:03 | < |