On Wednesday night, the UConn basketball team was unsure how they were getting to the Final Four in Phoenix.
Due to their flight being delayed at Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Connecticut for nearly eight hours, the Huskies finally landed in Phoenix at 3:12 a.m. CBS’s Matt Norlander said that airline travel seems to be the Huskies’ biggest challenge in March so far.
But the Huskies have a mantra this season: “UConn vs. Everybody.”
Coming off their program’s fifth NCAA Championship season, UConn basketball picked up right where they left off. Dan Hurley’s squad went a dominant 28-3, credit to stifling defense and an offense that ranks top of the nation in efficiency. They followed that up with another Big East Tournament title, the eighth in program history (tied with Georgetown for the most in conference history).
The NCAA Tournament saw the Huskies as the top overall seed, coming out of the East Region. They cruised through the first weekend, chalking up blowout wins over 16-seed Stetson and 9-seed Northwestern.
In Boston, it was more of the same. In the Sweet Sixteen, UConn defeated San Diego State by 30 in a rematch of last year’s National Championship. In the Elite Eight, the Huskies made a mockery of Illinois, one of the best offenses in the nation.
That brings us to Phoenix, where UConn is just two wins away from repeating as National Champions.
For a team that lost three starters (Adama Sanogo, Andre Jackson, Jordan Hawkins) to the NBA this past season, to repeat as National Champions with a better overall season is a tremendous feat.
UConn is led by Wooden Award finalist Tristen Newton, a 6-5 guard from El Paso, Texas. Newton averages 15.0 PPG, 6.1 APG, and 6.7 RPG, an impressive statline that resulted in two triple-doubles on the year. Newton now has the most triple-doubles (four) in program history.
5th-year guard Cam Spencer is tied for 5th in the nation in 3P%, shooting nearly 44% from beyond the arc. He leads the Huskies with 1.5 SPG, providing a spark on the defensive end as well.
UConn center Donovan Clingan does not get nearly the amount of credit he is due. The big man contributes on offense. He defends the rim like the nation’s best. He changes ends well. Clingan should be a huge indicator to how UConn basketball does this weekend, especially with the impending Zach Edey matchup should both teams end up in the final.
Head coach Dan Hurley has the tools, and an offense to boot. The Huskies run ingenious half-court sets, utilizing constant motion to set up good looks and open cutters. There is a reason this team is considered the best in the nation.
Saturday provides an interesting test for UConn: An Alabama team that ranks amongst the highest-scoring offenses in the nation. Much of the gameplan from the Huskies’ Elite Eight matchup against Illinois will be used, and UConn won that game without much of a scare.
The Huskies are the team to beat in the Final Four. It is their title to lose.