During UConn’s victory against Alabama, there was a specific play that perfectly exemplified the Huskies’ pursuit of consecutive national championships. It wasn’t a blocked shot by Donovan Clingan or a transition 3-pointer by Alex Karaban.
Tristen Newton, with a calm demeanor, stood off to the side casually chewing his gum. He then smoothly made his way back to the ball, ready to receive a pass and confidently sank a 3-pointer. This impressive shot extended UConn’s lead to nine points in the middle of the second half.
The Huskies have truly set themselves apart with not only the nation’s best offense and a top-five defense but also their remarkable composure. They exude unwavering confidence in their abilities and trust in their game plan. They understand that even if their shots aren’t falling now, they will eventually find their rhythm. Similarly, they recognize that their opponents’ shooting will regress to the average. Ultimately, the superior team will emerge victorious, and this season, it has been UConn more often than not.
On Saturday night, the top-seeded Huskies once again demonstrated their dominance, securing their place in the national championship game for the second consecutive year with a convincing 86-72 victory over the fourth-seeded Alabama.
“We don’t fall apart,” stated Clingan confidently. “Basketball is a sport characterized by momentum swings. We maintain our composure, unity, and continue to play as a cohesive unit. It’s unrealistic to expect the opposition to make every shot.”
UConn is set to go head-to-head with Purdue, a fellow 1-seed, in the highly anticipated national title game on Monday. Purdue secured their spot in the final by defeating NC State in the first Final Four matchup. As per ESPN BET, UConn has been listed as a 6.5-point favorite against the Boilermakers.
UConn’s recent astonishing 30-0 run against Illinois served as a remarkable reminder of their relentless attacking style, which has been a major theme throughout this season. The Huskies simply refuse to let up, consistently overpowering their opponents who often find themselves running out of steam well before UConn does.
“Our team is known for its relentless nature,” said coach Dan Hurley. “We may not overpower our opponents for the entire 18 or 25 minutes, but if we continue to excel on both ends of the court and dominate the boards, it becomes increasingly difficult for the opposing team to maintain their performance.”
In the opening minutes of the second half on Saturday, both teams engaged in an intense back-and-forth battle. It became evident that the team unable to counter their opponent’s moves would be at a disadvantage. The Huskies initiated the period with four consecutive points, establishing their largest lead of the game, a solid eight-point advantage. However, Alabama swiftly retaliated with a 7-0 run. Not to be outdone, UConn responded with a 7-0 run of their own. Nevertheless, Alabama managed to bounce back once again with a 7-0 run, ultimately knotting the game at 56 with 12:41 left on the clock.
UConn went on a scoring spree, netting the following eight points, leaving Alabama trailing by no less than six points for the remainder of the game.
“It’s all about the body blows,” Hurley emphasized. “We need to stay focused on guarding, rebounding, and executing our offense. We know that if we keep at it, there will come a moment in the tournament where an opportunity will arise. And we’ll be ready to seize it.”
Alabama’s ability to endure UConn’s surges was largely due to their impeccable shooting from beyond the arc. In fact, they connected on an impressive nine of their first 12 attempts from long range. However, their hot streak came to an end as they struggled to convert on their next nine three-pointers. Despite this, UConn managed to respond with crucial baskets and pivotal defensive plays at opportune moments.
“It’s really disheartening for the opposing team because they’ve witnessed it firsthand,” expressed Hurley. “They’ve witnessed us execute this strategy on numerous occasions.”
UConn faced a formidable opponent in Alabama during this year’s NCAA tournament. The Crimson Tide proved to be a tough challenge, making shots early on and putting pressure on UConn’s defense. This was particularly evident when Clingan, the star center, was not on the court. Despite this, Clingan showcased his skills with 18 points and four blocks, making his presence known in the paint and disrupting Alabama’s offense from the get-go.
When he stepped off the court, Alabama seized the opportunity, capitalizing on their first four possessions to score a rapid 10 points. In a departure from their previous four games of the NCAA tournament, where UConn only trailed for a mere 28 seconds, Alabama commanded the lead for nearly five minutes during the first half of Saturday’s game. Furthermore, UConn found themselves facing their largest deficit of the tournament when the Tide established a 23-18 advantage with 11:09 left in the opening half.
“It’s a game that requires us to persevere. We must maintain a balanced mindset, neither getting too excited nor too discouraged,” stated Karaban, who played a crucial role with 14 points and two crucial blocks against Alabama’s standout player, Mark Sears. “Even if our shots aren’t falling, we need to remain focused and fully engaged. We are well aware of our team’s capabilities, as well as the potential of our opponents… We anticipated that they would make their own runs; our task was to counter with our own strong offensive plays.”
Alabama has made it clear that their identity and what propelled them to the Final Four is their exceptional 3-point shooting. In the regional final against Clemson, the Crimson Tide impressively sank 16 shots from behind the arc. Furthermore, they have consistently showcased their proficiency by making at least 11 three-pointers in three out of their four NCAA tournament games.
Alabama’s approach in the first half against UConn remained consistent. They relied heavily on 3-pointers, with three out of their first four field goals being shots from beyond the arc. Right from the start, Grant Nelson made a triple on the Tide’s opening possession. Their accuracy from the perimeter was impressive, as they made 8 out of 11 attempts in the first half. Coach Nate Oats had given his players the green light to take as many 3-pointers as they wanted, even suggesting that they could reach 50 attempts if the defense allowed it. While the high shooting percentage kept Alabama in the game, the fact that they attempted 23 shots from beyond the arc throughout the game was a cause for concern for Oats and a source of optimism for UConn coach Dan Hurley.
According to Oats, it was anticipated that the opposing team would employ a physical approach and attempt to prevent them from shooting threes. Although shooting 23 threes was not ideal, Oats mentioned that they would have preferred to aim for the mid-30s. However, since their opponents were successful in limiting their three-point attempts, the team adjusted their strategy and focused on driving to the basket instead. As a result, they ended up taking more non-rim two-point shots than usual, accounting for almost a third of their total shots. Oats emphasized that this style of play was not typical for their team, as they typically rely on a different offensive approach.
UConn’s Clingan and projected first-rounder Stephon Castle played a crucial role in leading the Huskies to victory. Castle, a talented five-star freshman, was tasked with guarding Sears and successfully prevented him from scoring for over six minutes. In addition, Castle showcased his offensive skills by scoring 13 points during this time. Despite Castle’s reputation as a 26.2% 3-point shooter, the Crimson Tide granted him ample space on the offensive end, with Nelson leaving him open to focus on defending the lane against Clingan. Castle, however, rose to the occasion and made two early 3-pointers while also demonstrating his aggressiveness in attacking the rim. Ultimately, Castle’s outstanding performance propelled him to finish with a game-high 21 points.
“I couldn’t help but notice it right from the start of the game when we attempted to execute a play, and the defender positioned himself in the paint to guard me. I saw an opportunity to exploit this early on,” Castle remarked. “I wouldn’t necessarily call it motivation, but rather a sign of disrespect on their part to guard me from such a distance.”
With a potential game-changing run on the horizon, Sears stepped up to the plate and kept Alabama within striking distance going into halftime. Just before the break, he drained a clutch corner 3-pointer with only 50 seconds remaining on the clock. And as time expired, he showed off his finesse with a leaner in the lane, trimming UConn’s lead to 44-40.
“We drew from our experience last year,” Karaban mentioned. “Even though we were dominant against other teams, we still faced the challenge of playing in front of 75,000 spectators, in a venue filled with pressure during the Final Four. However, the experience never unnerved us. We understood the importance of sticking together and staying composed in order to overcome any obstacles.”
