LAS VEGAS (AP) — The critique of UConn underneath coach Dan Hurley had been this system’s lack of ability to win in March.
Consecutive first-round NCAA Match exits meant the Huskies had been good, not nice — definitely not wherever in league with the UConn ladies’s program.
In maybe the maddest March of all, Huskies proved they're elite once more, placing in one other dominating efficiency just a few hours after the UConn ladies had a uncommon misstep.
Jordan Hawkins scored 20 factors and UConn overwhelmed its fourth straight NCAA Match opponent, incomes its first journey to the Closing 4 in 9 years with an 82-54 blowout of Gonzaga on Saturday evening.
“I feel it turns into just a little little bit of a psychological hurdle, particularly like early rounds of the NCAA Match the place you're feeling like perhaps the burden of the historical past and custom and first-round video games, perhaps even second-round video games,” Hurley mentioned. “The climb to get thus far has been actual and it’s been tougher than I believed.”
The Huskies (29-8) have felt proper at house of their first prolonged March Insanity run since profitable the 2014 nationwide championship, enjoying their greatest basketball of what had been an up-and-down season.
UConn managed the normally environment friendly Bulldogs at each ends within the West Area remaining, constructing a 23-point lead early within the second half to waltz proper into the ultimate part of the bracket.
These first-round exits are actually properly within the rearview mirror. So is that midseason funk.
These elite Huskies did what the UConn ladies couldn’t for as soon as and are headed to Houston, the place they may play Texas or Miami.
UConn has a reasonably good observe report as soon as it will get this far, too: The Huskies are 8-1 all-time in Closing 4 video games.
“We’ve acquired lots to show,” mentioned Andre Jackson Jr., who had eight factors, 10 assists and 9 rebounds. “We nonetheless have a chip on our shoulder.”
The Bulldogs (31-6) didn’t have the identical second-half magic that they had in a last-second win over UCLA within the Elite Eight.
Gonzaga allowed UConn to go on a late run to guide by seven at halftime and fell fully aside after All-American Drew Timme went to the bench together with his fourth foul early within the second half.
The Zags shot 33% from the sector — 7 of 29 within the second half — and went 2 for 20 from 3 to stumble of their bid for a 3rd Closing 4 since 2017.
“UConn was simply terrific tonight and we didn’t have any solutions, particularly when form of all the pieces actually didn’t bounce our approach,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few mentioned. “And we will’t take in a recreation like that when our offense is as unhealthy because it was tonight.”
Alex Karaban scored 12 factors and Adama Sanogo had 10 factors and 10 rebounds for UConn.
Timme had 12 factors and 10 rebounds, receiving a heat ovation after being taken out of his remaining collegiate recreation with 1:50 left.
“I’m simply so grateful that this system and the place took me for who I used to be,” mentioned Timme, who shared an extended embrace with Few when he exited. “They didn’t ask me to be anyone however myself.”
The Zags began off like that they had a Vegas hangover, firing off two air-balled 3-pointers and a wild runner by Timme. As soon as Gonzaga shook out the cobwebs, the Bulldogs saved the Huskies bridled with protection, with arduous hedges on screens and Timme sagging off Jackson to guard the lane.
UConn countered by getting the ball into the robust palms of Sanogo, the facilitator. The UConn large man picked aside Gonzaga’s double-teams for 5 first-half assists, together with two for layups.
“We figured that out,” Hurley mentioned. “That doesn’t work anymore.”
Karaban hit a 3-pointer on the buzzer to place the Huskies up 39-32 at halftime, and it acquired worse for Gonzaga to start out the second half.
UConn pushed the result in 12 and Timme picked up his third and fourth fouls within the opening 2 1/2 minutes — one on a cost, one other on a box-out underneath the rim.
“We introduced the staff collectively and tried to maintain optimistic ideas and attempt to preserve chipping away at that lead,” Gonzaga ahead Anton Watson mentioned. “Nevertheless it’s arduous when Drew goes out.”
The Huskies actually acquired rolling when Timme took a seat, utilizing their protection to get out in transition and arrange 3-pointers. A 14-3 run put UConn up 60-37 and Few took the calculated gamble of bringing Timme again in.
It made little distinction.
UConn saved up the stress and saved making photographs, wanting an terrible lot like the favourite to win all of it.
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AP March Insanity protection: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness and bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
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