The outcomes on Saturday unfolded favorably for the reigning college basketball champions.
No. 3 Purdue was defeated by Wisconsin in overtime during the Big Ten tournament semifinals. No. 7 Iowa State triumphed over No. 1 Houston in the Big 12 championship. Meanwhile, No. 2 UConn sealed its victory against 10th-ranked Marquette with a strong shooting performance in the second half, claiming both the Big East regular-season and postseason titles.
With a record of 31-3, UConn is now positioned well to secure the top seed in the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday. According to Coach Dan Hurley, the Huskies stand out in college basketball this season for their successful nonconference play, conference title, and tournament performance.
“We’ve been the best team in college basketball,” Hurley said. “Obviously March Madness next week, who knows what goes on there, but we’ve clearly been the best program in the country this year.”
How did they achieve this? Through collective contributions across the team, including returning players and new additions, all working cohesively.
Each of the starting five — Tristen Newton, Cam Spencer, Alex Karaban, Stephon Castle, and Donovan Clingan — have taken their turns leading the offense. All five players maintained double-digit scoring averages throughout the season.
On Saturday, Clingan showcased his prowess with 22 points and 16 rebounds, navigating the team through a challenging first half of outside shooting.
Standing tall at 7-foot-2, Clingan has effectively assumed the center position in the absence of Adama Sanogo, who moved to the NBA. Clingan is now a highly projected draft pick for June, alongside Castle, while Karaban is anticipated to be selected in the second round according to reliable mock drafts.
Not to forget the contributions of Newton and Spencer, both earning spots on the All-Big East first team.
“We’re deep, and we’re deep with NBA players that are unselfish and about winning,” remarked Hurley.
Despite relying on their starting lineup, the Huskies had to tap into their reserves on Saturday. Backup center Samson Johnson provided a crucial dunk following a scoreless opening 6 minutes and 33 seconds. In a rough start from 3-point range, freshman Jaylin Stewart made a significant impact.
Stewart entered the game midway through the second half and promptly sunk a 3-pointer, giving UConn its largest lead of the night. Shortly after, Newton added another three, sparking a game-changing momentum.
Fuelled by the supportive UConn fans at Madison Square Garden, Stewart nailed two more triples, finishing the game with nine points, his second-highest tally this season. It had been weeks since his last successful 3-pointer.
“Our league is especially tough on freshmen because the league is so physical,” Hurley said. “But we see on a daily basis what he displayed out there on the court. … He’s a future star. You’re looking at a future star at UConn.”
Newton recorded 10 assists the night after scoring 25 points and providing nine assists in the semifinals against St. John’s. UConn accumulated a total of 73 assists during their three-game stint in New York.
“Everybody runs and everybody can score,” Newton said. “Just share the ball, and it’ll be like that for a long time.”
Securing the No. 1 overall seed for UConn would pave the easiest route back to the Final Four, as they pursue the feat of being the first team to clinch consecutive national titles since Florida in 2006-07.
“I know we’ve never gotten a No. 1 overall seed in program history,” Hurley said, “so this is a group that seems to be making history in a place that it’s hard to make history.”
