March 16, 2024, 9:14 PM ET
NEW YORK — Donovan Clingan had 22 factors and Jaylin Stewart made three second-half 3-pointers in a decisive flip for No. 2 UW-Con to beat Tenth-seeded Marquette 73-57 on Saturday night time. It gave him sudden momentum when he gained. Won the Big East Tournament for the primary time in 13 years.
Conference MVP Tristen Newton added 13 factors and 10 assists because the top-seeded Huskies gained their eighth title, tying Georgetown for probably the most in convention historical past. It was the primary time since 2011, when Kemba Walker led UConn to 5 wins in 5 days at Madison Square Garden after which the nationwide title.
Stewart, a freshman who averaged 2.4 factors off the bench, got here as University (31-3) held off a troublesome Marquette group taking part in with out injured star Tyler Kolek (Oblique) for six consecutive video games. , scored 9 factors in about 4 minutes.
Cam Jones led the defending champion and third-seeded Golden Eagles (25-9) with 13 factors, eight rebounds and 4 assists.
On nights when the Huskies struggled from the perimeter, they turned to the 7-foot-2 Clingan inside. He was 7-for-12 from the sphere, and as time ticked down, the sophomore huge man waved to excited Huskies followers packed into the midtown Manhattan area generally known as “Storrs South.” .
Two years after UConn final gained the Big East Tournament, the convention disbanded and the Huskies teamed up with the soccer college to create the American Athletic Conference. There they gained the nationwide championship once more in his 2014, however slumped after that.
UW returned to the Big East in 2020-21 and rose to nationwide prominence. The Huskies gained their fifth NCAA title final 12 months, however coach Dan Hurley’s group did not win the convention event. UConn hadn’t even reached the Saturday night time finals in its first three seasons again within the Big East.
Bringing that award again to school was a giant deal for Hurley, a New Jersey native and former Seton Hall guard.
Hurley accepted the trophy Saturday night time and talked about all the pieces the group completed final 12 months, telling the gang: “But we’re not achieved but.”
This season, UConn improved to 8-3 within the Big East finals and 7-0 at MSG.
As all the time, faculty followers packed the Garden, and Marquette confronted a street recreation atmosphere for the second night time in a row. On Friday night time, the Golden Eagles defeated a raucous crowd in Providence in a aggressive semifinal match.
Couldn’t do it once more in opposition to the highly effective Huskies.
“Today was positively tough, however we’ve got an incredible group, an incredible seed, and all we’d like is an opportunity to make the event,” mentioned David Joplin, who had 12 factors and 6 rebounds within the Golden Eagles’ lowest-scoring recreation. Ta. This season, the distinction is 12 factors.
Two of the most effective groups within the nation performed 9 minutes of the ugliest basketball conceivable in the beginning of the sport.
At the second media timeout, the rating was tied at 4, with the Golden Eagles and Huskies capturing a mixed 3-of-22 from the ground. The protection was aggressive and bodily, however it was additionally onerous to inform what number of close-range photographs rolled off the rim.
Things obtained higher from there, with Newton making a 3-pointer with three seconds left within the first half, giving UW a 26-24 lead at halftime.
In the second half, each groups started to shoot fewer photographs, and with about 10 minutes left, University, led by Stewart, started to claim its energy.
The Huskies led 19-5 and with 5:52 left, Hassan Diarra hit a nook 3 to take a 60-44 lead. Stewart boosted his efficiency with a long-range shot. He entered the sport this season hitting simply 6-of-30 3-pointers.
The Associated Press contributed to this text.