Led by Castle and Clingan, defending champ UConn returns to NCAA title game, beating Alabama 86-72
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) The final result showed UConn winning its 11th straight NCAA Tournament game by at least 13 points.
The reality: The Huskies were tested unlike any other time during their run toward a possible second straight national title.
UConn kept its composure and its bid to repeat as national champion intact, getting 21 points from freshman Stephon Castle while clamping down defensively in the second half of an 86-72 win over Alabama in the Final Four on Saturday night.
“Our identity is to be pretty relentless,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “We might not break you for 18 minutes, 25 minutes, but at some point if what we're doing at both ends and on the backboard is at a high level, it just becomes hard for the other team to sustain it.”
The top-seeded Huskies (36-3) put on a March Madness show before arriving in the desert, a stretch that included a 30-0 run in a decimation of Illinois in the Elite Eight.
This was more of a slow burn.
Alabama (25-12) made the most of its first Final Four, hitting a flurry of 3-pointers to go toe to toe with a team that trailed for 28 total seconds during its first four NCAA Tournament games.
Crafty point guard Mark Sears did his best to keep Alabama in it, scoring 24 points. Grant Nelson had another big game in March Madness, finishing with 19 points, 15 rebounds and one highlight-reel dunk over UConn big man Donovan Clingan.
UConn, as it usually does under Hurley, wore the Tide into submission.
Clingan started asserting himself in the post offensively, finishing with 18 points and four blocked shots. Castle and Alex Karaban (14 points) hit big shots as the Huskies stretched the lead.
And one of the nation's best defenses flexed at just right time, holding the Tide without a field goal for a game-turning five-minute stretch that put UConn on the cusp of becoming the first repeat champion since Florida in 2006-07.
“They're close to being bulletproof,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said.
Next up for the Huskies is what should be a heavyweight bout in Monday's national championship game against Purdue. It will not be for the meek, with the 7-foot-2, 280-pound Clingan facing the rare person on Earth who's bigger than him in 7-foot-4, 300-pound Zach Edey.
“A battle of the giants. I think it’s just great for college basketball. Us and Purdue have clearly been the two best teams in the country the last two years,” Hurley said. “I think it’s just great for college basketball to get the two big dogs playing on Monday.”
The Huskies spent the tournament’s first two weeks terrorizing opponents to the tune of a 27.8-point average margin of victory.
Alabama stuck a stick in the spokes of the juggernaut by pulling Clingan away from the basket and burying 3-pointers.
Clingan had two early blocks and appeared to be on his to duplicating his Elite Eight performance, when Illinois went 0 for 19 on shots he contested.
Once the Crimson Tide started forcing Clingan into high pick-and-rolls, lanes to the basket starting opening up - as did the 3-point line.
Alabama thrived from 3 all season, taking down Clemson in the Elite Eight by making 16 shots from deep. The Tide kept it rolling against UConn, making 8 of 11 in the first half while Sears repeatedly got to the rim, putting the Huskies seemingly right where they wanted them.
Nope.
The Huskies kept their composure amid the Alabama 3-point barrage, calmly ran their offense and led 44-40 at halftime.
“We just had to stay together, tighten up on the defensive end,” Karaban said.
UConn kept rolling in the second half and Nelson kept the Tide within reach. His thunderous dunk over Clingan had Oats screaming and squatting like he was doing the Haka.
Oats’ friend Hurley had the last laugh - or scream.
Hurley has built UConn in arguably the best two-way team of a generation, and the Huskies showed off both sides in their closing flourish.
UConn shut down Alabama’s open looks from the 3-point arc and started getting the ball into Clingan, who overpowered the Tide when he got near the rim.
“They’re a really great team,” Sears said. “We turned the ball over and they made us pay for it.”
The Huskies gradually stretched the lead, pushed the Tide back every time they made a run and put themselves in position to make history.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Nick Pringle vs. Donovan Clingan (Huskies gains possession) | |||
19:39 | Stephon Castle misses three point jump shot | |||
19:37 | Grant Nelson defensive rebound | |||
19:24 | Donovan Clingan blocks Grant Nelson's two point cutting finger roll layup | |||
19:24 | Crimson Tide offensive rebound | |||
19:19 | +3 | Grant Nelson makes three point jump shot (Aaron Estrada assists) | 3-0 | |
18:58 | +3 | Stephon Castle makes three point pullup jump shot (Tristen Newton assists) | 3-3 | |
18:44 | Grant Nelson misses two point hook shot | |||
18:42 | Donovan Clingan defensive rebound | |||
18:30 | +2 | Stephon Castle makes two point reverse layup | 3-5 | |
18:08 | Donovan Clingan blocks Nick Pringle's two point layup | |||
18:06 | Donovan Clingan defensive rebound | |||
17:55 | Rylan Griffen shooting foul (Alex Karaban draws the foul) | |||
17:55 | +1 | Alex Karaban makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 3-6 | |
17:55 | +1 | Alex Karaban makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 3-7 | |
17:27 | Rylan Griffen misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
17:25 | Aaron Estrada offensive rebound | |||
17:21 | +3 | Rylan Griffen makes three point jump shot (Aaron Estrada assists) | 6-7 | |
17:01 | +3 | Stephon Castle makes three point pullup jump shot | 6-10 | |
16:38 | Rylan Griffen misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
16:36 | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | |||
16:31 | Tristen Newton turnover (lost ball) (Aaron Estrada steals) | |||
16:16 | +2 | Grant Nelson makes two point driving layup | 8-10 | |
16:00 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
15:58 | Cam Spencer offensive rebound | |||
15:50 | +3 | Cam Spencer makes three point jump shot | 8-13 | |
15:31 | Stephon Castle personal foul (Mark Sears draws the foul) | |||
15:31 | TV timeout | |||
15:24 | Hassan Diarra personal foul (Jarin Stevenson draws the foul) | |||
15:19 | +3 | Aaron Estrada makes three point stepback jump shot | 11-13 | |
14:56 | Cam Spencer misses three point jump shot | |||
14:54 | Grant Nelson defensive rebound | |||
14:43 | Grant Nelson misses three point jump shot | |||
14:41 | Alex Karaban defensive rebound | |||
14:20 | Grant Nelson personal foul (Donovan Clingan draws the foul) | |||
14:14 | Cam Spencer misses two point cutting layup | |||
14:12 | Grant Nelson defensive rebound | |||
14:03 | +2 | Aaron Estrada makes two point driving floating jump shot | 13-13 | |
13:43 | Donovan Clingan misses two point hook shot | |||
13:41 | Alex Karaban offensive rebound | |||
13:41 | Grant Nelson shooting foul (Alex Karaban draws the foul) | |||
13:41 | +1 | Alex Karaban makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 13-14 | |
13:41 | +1 | Alex Karaban makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 13-15 | |
13:27 | Jump ball. Nick Pringle vs. Stephon Castle (Nick Pringle gains possession) | |||
13:23 | +2 | Mark Sears makes two point driving layup | 15-15 | |
12:59 | Stephon Castle misses three point jump shot | |||
12:57 | Sam Walters defensive rebound | |||
12:57 | Alex Karaban personal foul (Sam Walters draws the foul) | |||
12:44 | Aaron Estrada turnover (lost ball) | |||
12:36 | Hassan Diarra misses three point jump shot | |||
12:34 | Mark Sears defensive rebound | |||
12:26 | +3 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists) | 18-15 | |
12:09 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
12:07 | Samson Johnson offensive rebound | |||
12:06 | Sam Walters shooting foul (Samson Johnson draws the foul) | |||
12:06 | +1 | Samson Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 18-16 | |
12:06 | Samson Johnson misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
12:06 | Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound | |||
11:52 | +2 | Mark Sears makes two point driving layup | 20-16 | |
11:27 | +2 | Samson Johnson makes two point cutting layup (Cam Spencer assists) | 20-18 | |
11:09 | +3 | Rylan Griffen makes three point jump shot | 23-18 | |
10:42 | +2 | Samson Johnson makes two point dunk (Cam Spencer assists) | 23-20 | |
10:24 | Rylan Griffen turnover (bad pass) | |||
10:24 | TV timeout | |||
9:58 | +2 | Donovan Clingan makes two point hook shot (Tristen Newton assists) | 23-22 | |
9:38 | Aaron Estrada misses three point jump shot | |||
9:36 | Tristen Newton defensive rebound | |||
9:30 | +2 | Donovan Clingan makes two point dunk (Tristen Newton assists) | 23-24 | |
9:30 | Crimson Tide 30 second timeout | |||
9:30 | TV timeout | |||
9:06 | Donovan Clingan shooting foul (Nick Pringle draws the foul) | |||
9:06 | +1 | Nick Pringle makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 24-24 | |
9:06 | +1 | Nick Pringle makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 25-24 | |
8:37 | +2 | Stephon Castle makes two point cutting dunk (Donovan Clingan assists) | 25-26 | |
8:26 | Rylan Griffen turnover (bad pass) (Cam Spencer steals) | |||
8:19 | Nick Pringle shooting foul (Stephon Castle draws the foul) | |||
8:19 | +1 | Stephon Castle makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 25-27 | |
8:19 | +1 | Stephon Castle makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 25-28 | |
7:54 | +3 | Aaron Estrada makes three point stepback jump shot (Nick Pringle assists) | 28-28 | |
7:41 | Mark Sears blocks Donovan Clingan's two point layup | |||
7:39 | Aaron Estrada defensive rebound | |||
7:31 | Tristen Newton personal foul (Aaron Estrada draws the foul) | |||
7:31 | TV timeout | |||
7:19 | Nick Pringle turnover (bad pass) (Stephon Castle steals) | |||
7:18 | Mark Sears personal foul (Stephon Castle draws the foul) | |||
7:18 | Mark Sears personal foul (Tristen Newton draws the foul) | |||
7:18 | +1 | Tristen Newton makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 28-29 | |
7:18 | Tristen Newton misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
7:18 | Grant Nelson defensive rebound | |||
6:59 | Aaron Estrada misses two point driving floating bank jump shot | |||
6:57 | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | |||
6:48 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
6:46 | Cam Spencer offensive rebound | |||
6:37 | Aaron Estrada shooting foul (Stephon Castle draws the foul) | |||
6:37 | Stephon Castle misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
6:37 | +1 | Stephon Castle makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 28-30 | |
6:09 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses two point stepback jump shot | |||
6:07 | Grant Nelson offensive rebound | |||
5:58 | Aaron Estrada misses two point turnaround jump shot | |||
5:56 | Alex Karaban defensive rebound | |||
5:47 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
5:42 | Mark Sears defensive rebound | |||
5:30 | Samson Johnson blocks Grant Nelson's two point layup | |||
5:28 | Alex Karaban defensive rebound | |||
5:23 | Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot | |||
5:21 | Hassan Diarra offensive rebound | |||
5:20 | Rylan Griffen blocks Hassan Diarra's two point layup | |||
5:18 | Huskies offensive rebound | |||
5:17 | Cam Spencer misses three point jump shot | |||
5:15 | Mark Sears defensive rebound | |||
5:13 | Cam Spencer personal foul (Mark Sears draws the foul) | |||
5:00 | +3 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists) | 31-30 | |
4:29 | +3 | Tristen Newton makes three point jump shot (Alex Karaban assists) | 31-33 | |
4:17 | Latrell Wrightsell Jr. misses two point driving layup | |||
4:15 | Hassan Diarra defensive rebound | |||
4:09 | Hassan Diarra misses two point driving layup | |||
4:07 | Grant Nelson defensive rebound | |||
4:06 | Alex Karaban personal foul (Rylan Griffen draws the foul) | |||
4:06 | Rylan Griffen misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
4:06 | Cam Spencer defensive rebound | |||
3:44 | +2 | Tristen Newton makes two point driving floating jump shot | 31-35 | |
3:30 | Mark Sears turnover (lost ball) (Hassan Diarra steals) | |||
3:12 | Tristen Newton turnover (bad pass) | |||
3:12 | TV timeout | |||
2:56 | Aaron Estrada misses two point driving layup | |||
2:54 | Grant Nelson offensive rebound | |||
2:53 | Samson Johnson shooting foul (Grant Nelson draws the foul) | |||
2:53 | +1 | Grant Nelson makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 32-35 | |
2:53 | + |