The University of Connecticut started the season with uncertainty about how properly the Huskies would be capable to substitute the important thing gamers from final 12 months’s nationwide championship run.
All questions had been answered properly upfront of choice Sunday.
The second-place Huskies (31-3) enter the NCAA Tournament because the No. 1 total seed, main the East Division close to their dwelling base. And they’ve spent a lot of this season like a runaway prepare, dominating their opponents and chasing faculty basketball’s first consecutive championship in 17 years.
They will begin because the area’s prime seed for the sixth time for the reason that 2009 Final Four. The five-time champions will play an exhibition sport Friday in New York towards No. 16 seed Stetson.
“We know we have by no means had a No. 1 total seed in program historical past,” coach Dan Hurley stated Saturday night time after the Huskies received their first Big East Tournament title since 2011. “I’m engaged on it,” he stated. Make historical past in locations the place it is arduous to make historical past. ”
Hurley’s evaluation goes a step additional, including that UConn was “clearly the perfect program within the nation this 12 months.”
It’s arduous to argue in any other case.
UConn leads the nation in KenPom’s adjusted offensive effectivity rankings coming into Sunday’s closing sport earlier than the match, averaging 126.6 factors per 100 possessions, the very best since 2018 champion Villanova (127.8 factors) He has a file of. The Huskies additionally ranked in adjusted defensive effectivity (94.4), becoming a member of Arizona and Auburn as the one groups to rank within the prime 15 in each classes.
The group misplaced Adama Sanogo, the perfect participant within the Final Four, and sharp-shooting guard Jordan Hawkins, who entered final 12 months’s title race because the No. 4 seed, and received all six video games by 13 factors or extra. did. Still, Tristen Newton has risen to be the main scorer, 7-foot-2 Donovan Clingan stays an imposing but agile presence, and Cam Spencer (switch) and Stephon Castle (freshman) New gamers like these are making the Huskies energetic once more.
UConn leads the nation in KenPom’s adjusted offensive effectivity rankings coming into Sunday’s closing sport earlier than the match, averaging 126.6 factors per 100 possessions, the very best since 2018 champion Villanova (127.8 factors) He has a file of. The Huskies additionally ranked in adjusted defensive effectivity (94.4), becoming a member of Arizona and Auburn as the one groups to rank within the prime 15 in each classes.
“There aren’t too many holes in our play,” Hurley stated.
UW has misplaced as soon as since Dec. 20, and its previous eight wins have been by a mean margin of 21.2 factors. The Huskies are poised to return to No. 1 in Monday’s AP Top 25 ballot, a rating that may stay till the ultimate model is launched after the NCAA Championship Game on April 9 in Glendale, Arizona.
The query now could be whether or not the college can win back-to-back championships for the primary time since Florida in 2006 and 2007.
prime challenger
No. 7-ranked Iowa State defeated Houston, the highest seed within the South, within the Big 12 Tournament title sport, clinching the No. 2 seed as the favourite and selecting up its second win of the 12 months towards the Cougars.
The Cyclones (27-7) boast the top-rated protection in KenPom, permitting simply 87.1 factors per 100 possessions. Thursday’s opener can be in Omaha, Nebraska towards No. 15 seed South Dakota State.
The different prime challengers are third-seeded No. 13 Illinois (26-8) and fourth-seeded No. 12 Auburn (27-7). Illinois will play No. 14 seed Morehead State, and Auburn will play No. 13 seed Yale. .
This week, the Cyclones (Big 12), Illini (Big 10) and Tigers (Southeastern Conference) all received their league tournaments.
follow-up motion
Two of final 12 months’s shocking Final Four groups, nationwide runner-up San Diego State and Florida Atlantic University, reunite with the Huskies on this slot.
The Aztecs (24-10) are the No. 5 seed and can play No. 12 seed UAB within the first spherical on Friday in Spokane, Washington. The Owls (25-8) retain the No. 8 seed and can play No. 9 seed Northwestern in Brooklyn on Friday with a potential second-round date towards the Huskies.
welcome right here
Washington State University and Duquesne University are again on the sector after an extended wait.
The seventh-seeded Cougars (24-9) will play No. 10 Drake in Omaha on Thursday, this system’s first NCAA sport since 2008, when present Virginia coach Tony Bennett led Washington State to the Sweet 16. Going on an expedition.
As for the Eleventh-seeded Dukes (24-11), will probably be their first time on the sector in practically half a century. Duquesne’s Atlantic 10 title clinched this system’s first look since 1977, and it’ll play No. 6 seed BYU in Omaha on Thursday.
shot maker
There are a number of big-time scorers on this slot, led by Illinois’ Terrence Shannon Jr. He ranks third within the nation in scoring with 22.6 factors per sport, together with 40 factors towards Nebraska and one other 34 factors towards Wisconsin to shut out the Big Ten Tournament.
Also, Drake’s Tucker DeVries (sixth with 21.8 factors) and No. 10 within the nation (21.5 factors) scored 43 factors towards Austin Peay within the Atlantic Sun title sport, incomes this system its first NCAA bid. There’s additionally Stetson’s Jalen Blackmon, who ensured that.
highway to glendale
The regional match can be held in Boston, about 135 miles southwest of the Huskies’ Storrs campus. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Huskies are the favorites to win the nationwide title.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and protection: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness