BOSTON (AP) — The rematch became one other UConn mismatch.
Stephon Fort had 16 factors and 11 rebounds for the defending NCAA champions, and the top-seeded Huskies superior to the Elite Eight with one other double-digit victory, beating San Diego State 82-52 on Thursday evening in a rematch of final yr’s title sport.
Cam Spencer scored 18 factors and Tristen Newton added 17 factors and 7 rebounds for UConn (34-3). The Huskies will play third-seeded Illinois, which beat Iowa State 72-69 later Thursday within the different East Area semifinal, on Saturday evening for a spot within the Ultimate 4 in Glendale, Arizona.
A yr after cruising to their fifth nationwide championship — successful their six NCAA Match video games by a median of just about 20 factors — the Huskies adopted up blowouts final weekend with their ninth straight double-digit March Insanity victory.
They’ve received by 39, 17 and 30 factors on this event.
“We suck at successful shut video games,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “You’ve acquired to go along with the choice.”
Backed by a digital residence crowd at TD Backyard — Boston is about 90 miles from their Storrs, Connecticut, campus — the Huskies made it a double-digit lead early within the second half, 20 with about seven minutes left and 30 within the ultimate minutes, after the groups despatched of their benches. Hurley’s son Andrew even acquired into the sport with 1:44 left, drawing a celebratory cheer.
“It means rather a lot simply to have the ability to journey with our followers. … I really feel prefer it offers us form of a lift, somewhat little bit of a bonus,” Fort mentioned. “We tried to make it like ‘Storrs North.’ They confirmed out for us, and it was positively electrical in there tonight.”
Seven-footer Donovan Clingan, who performed simply 23 minutes after stepping into foul bother, had eight factors and eight rebounds for UConn, which matched a faculty document for victories and gave the much-snubbed Huge East a 7-0 document within the event. The Huskies trailed for simply 28 seconds within the sport and earned the most important victory within the Candy 16 since Kansas beat Purdue 98-66 in 2017.
“I feel the group, we’ve got killer instincts. We play each possession with nice desperation,” Hurley mentioned. “Clearly, we’re very snug in event play.”
Jaedon LeDee scored 15 of his 18 factors within the first half and Micah Parrish scored 10 for fifth-seeded San Diego State, which adopted up the one Ultimate 4 look in class historical past with one other Candy 16 run.
However for the second straight yr, the Aztecs (26-11) bumped into UConn.
“It’s not the ending we’re going to recollect; it’s the journey. As a result of the journey is the whole lot,” San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher mentioned. “We’ve been on an unimaginable journey collectively.
“They’re 7-2 on faculty basketball’s greatest stage during the last two years. It’s one thing to take nice pleasure in,” Dutcher mentioned. “If dropping a basketball sport is the worst factor that’s going to occur in your life, you’re going to have a unbelievable life.”
UConn is the primary defending champion to succeed in the Elite Eight since Florida received all of it in 2006 and ’07. No group has received repeat titles since.
“It’s form of been in opposition to the percentages by way of the season we’re having, following up the nationwide championship with a good higher season,” Hurley mentioned. “This group has defied what previous champions have executed and brought this program to a very totally different degree.”
UConn took its first 10-point lead earlier than the midpoint of a primary half by which each groups went chilly about 10 minutes in. After opening a 27-16 lead with 11 minutes left, UConn shot 6 for 28 to complete the half — and nonetheless took a nine-point lead into the break.
The Huskies went up by double digits for good within the opening minutes of the second half when Newton — due to an offensive rebound and help from Clingan — hit a 3-pointer to make it 45-33. Up 17 with eight minutes left, UConn scored the subsequent 9 factors to drag away.
UConn received final yr’s championship sport 76-59 and likewise beat the Aztecs within the 2011 Candy 16, with Kemba Walker scoring 36 factors to set a event document and beat Kawhi Leonard’s San Diego State. The Huskies went on to win the varsity’s third nationwide championship.
UConn received all of it once more in 2014. Final yr, the Huskies made it 5, pulling away after main by 5 factors with 5 minutes left to beat San Diego State 76-59.
“Both they’re higher or we’re worse, I don’t know,” Dutcher mentioned. “Yeah, they’re good. They’re related. … They’re an impressive group and can be very harmful down the highway.”
UP NEXT
The Huskies reached the Elite Eight for the thirteenth time. The final time they made it this far and didn’t win all of it was in 2009, when Jim Calhoun’s group misplaced to Michigan State within the nationwide semifinal.
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AP March Insanity bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and protection: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
