Big East Basketball

Multiple mechanical issues and bad weather delayed the UConn men's basketball team's flight to the Final Four in Arizona for nearly eight hours, and head coach Dan Hurley spoke about the experience with reporters afterward on Thursday after his team safely landed in Phoenix early that morning.

"It was nice," Hurley joked Thursday, per ESPN's Jeff Borzello.

"A lot of thoughts because I've had a lot of time to think in just a stationary situation. I think what goes through your mind once you're done kind of complaining and cursing and muttering, you just start saying to yourself, 'You don't deserve to show such entitlement. Such an honor to get a chance -- once-in-a-lifetime experience -- to play in a Final Four, coach in a Final Four.' Once that edge wore off, [it was, 'We're] lucky to be here.' We're lucky to get an opportunity to come play in the Final Four.

"Who doesn't deal with problems with the airlines? ... But it sucked."

Per CBS Sports' Matt Norlander, UConn was supposed to take off around 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday via a plane that was supposed to arrive in town from Kansas City. But that plane never made it to Connecticut due to mechanical issues. In addition, that plane's crew would max its allowable work hours, per FAA guidelines, adding to the issues at hand.

So then Plan B needed to happen. That involved a plane flying in from Cincinnati. More problems then arose, per David Borges of CT Insider:

"A different, smaller plane was flown into Connecticut from Cincinnati, but it was not as big meaning not the full travel party could board. Though the plane landed sometime after 11 p.m., the Huskies could not actually depart. The rainy weather had turned a bit messier and windy, leaving UConn to wait once again. There was one additional minor mechanical issue resolved by the onboard mechanic, the NCAA stated."

The team then sat on the tarmac for over two hours, with rainy weather delaying the takeoff. UConn finally left 1:30 a.m. ET and landed safely in Phoenix four-and-a-half hours later.

"I ruminated a lot. I spiraled. I had my head in my hands a lot," Hurley said, per Borzello. "It was a real mindful exercise from 11:30 to like 1:45 on the tarmac. It was therapeutic to watch the de-icing on the window."

Ultimately, UConn is safe and sound in Arizona, where it will face Alabama in the Final Four on Saturday at 8:49 p.m. ET in Glendale's State Farm Stadium.

The Seton Hall Pirates are NIT champions for the first time since 1953.

Senior guard/forward Dre Davis made a clutch layup Thursday night to seal Seton Hall's 79-77 NIT championship game victory over Indiana State.

It was part of a wild end to the game for Seton Hall:

After heading into halftime tied 39-39, Seton Hall fell into a late deficit.

The Pirates then went on a nine-point run to finish the game, leading to senior Seton Hall guard Al-Amir Dawes tying the score at 77-77 with a three-point jump shot with just over one minute left.

After the win, Dawes was named the NIT MVP.

The tight game between the two teams, as well as the highlight-reel plays in crunch time by Davis and Dawes, led fans to question why Seton Hall wasn't granted an NCAA tournament bid.

The snub was a surprise for the Pirates, who won six of their last seven games, made it to the Big East Tournament quarterfinals and ranked No. 32 in the NCAA's NET rankings before being listed as one of the "first four out" of the Round of 68.

The Pirates finished the season with a 25-12 record and an NIT crown for head coach Shaheen Holloway.

Holloway was hired as the program's head coach in March 2022 after leading No. 15 seed Saint Peter's on an upset-packed run to the NCAA tournament's Elite Eight.

Now Holloway will look to guide Seton Hall on a similar journey next season as the program fights for a ticket to the next Big Dance.

Travel issues for the Connecticut men's basketball team are forcing changes to their schedule for Thursday.

Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, UConn is working with the NCAA to push back its practice and media obligations after arriving in Phoenix after 3 a.m. local time.

Huskies head coach Dan Hurley told CBS Sports' Matt Norlander flight that was scheduled to take off at 6 p.m. ET was delayed due to mechanical issues with the plane.

The NCAA issued a statement announcing arrangements were made to get the Huskies in the air at 11:30 p,m. ET.

Connecticut's X account posted a video of the players walking off the plane after landing in Arizona at 6:54 a.m. ET.

Norlander reported the Huskies had to cut down their travel party because the plane they found to use was smaller than the original and they wanted to fly directly into Phoenix rather than having to stop to refuel.

Pat Eaton-Robb of the Associated Press noted this was the first time Connecticut had to take a plane to travel for a game since returning home after a March 6 win over Marquette at Fiserv Forum.

The Huskies were able to travel by bus for the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden (New York City) and first two weekends of the NCAA tournament at Barclays Center (Brooklyn) and TD Garden (Boston).

According to Norlander, the other final four teams arrived in Arizona earlier this week. Alabama and Purdue flew in on Tuesday, followed by North Carolina State on Wednesday afternoon.

Even though the travel was suboptimal, the Huskies have time to get back on schedule before they actually play a game. They will square off with Alabama on Saturday night at 8:49 p.m. ET with a berth in the national title game on the line.

Connecticut has dominated the tournament thus far. Each of its four wins have come by at least 17 points with an average margin of victory of 27.8 points per game.

The Huskies are seeking to become the first men's team to win back-to-back national titles since Florida in 2005-06 and 2006-07.

The UConn's men's basketball team has finally arrived in Arizona after its original aircraft—which was set to depart Wednesday—was unable to fly due to mechanical issues.

Head coach Dan Hurley told Matt Norlander of CBS Sports that the plane expected to take UConn across the country was going to Connecticut from Kansas City but never made it due to mechanical issues.

Norlander noted that the Huskies would "have to trim its travel party, per a UConn source, but will still be a flight time decision as far as refueling" depending on the overall weight.

Alabama and Purdue already arrived on Tuesday, while NC State reached Phoenix on Wednesday afternoon. The Huskies will face Alabama on Saturday at 8:49 p.m. ET.

The NCAA is responsible for the travel arrangements for both the men's and women's NCAA tournament.

It hasn't been a banner week for the organization. Over the weekend at the women's tournament, the three-point lines at the Moda Center in Portland were not uniform, with one about nine inches closer to the basket than the other.

The issue wasn't noticed until ahead of the matchup between Texas and North Carolina State at the Elite Eight.

"The NCAA was notified (Sunday) that the 3-point lines on the court at Moda Center in Portland are not the same distance," the NCAA's vice president of women's basketball, Lynn Holzman, said in a statement. "The NCAA staff and women's basketball committee members on site consulted with the two head coaches who were made aware of the discrepancy. All parties elected to play a complete game on the court as is, rather than correcting the court and delaying the game."

After starring for Providence for the past two seasons, junior guard Devin Carter is ready to test his skills at the professional level.

Carter announced on social media on Wednesday that he is declaring for the 2024 NBA draft:

B/R's Jonathan Wasserman projected Carter to be a first-round pick in his latest mock draft, going at No. 16 to the Miami Heat.

After beginning his collegiate career with South Carolina in 2021, Carter transferred to Providence and immediately established himself as a primary option. He has started every game for the Friars over the past two years, and in 2023-24 he posted impressive averages of 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.8 steals.

Carter was named Big East Player of the Year and earned All-American honorable mention honors by AP. Unfortunately, Providence was controversially left out of the field for the NCAA Tournament, robbing Carter of the chance to showcase his skills during March Madness.

Carter's rebounding average jumps off the page, especially considering that he's just 6'3". He also added 32 blocked shots this year, and Wasserman declared that his "versatility and intangibles" would allow him to see playing time immediately in the NBA.

"Unteachable defensive intensity, toughness and instincts separate Carter and fuel his identity, though he's entered the lottery conversation by developing into a dangerous shot-maker and crafty pick-and-roll ball-handler," Wasserman stated.

Carter is the son of Memphis Grizzlies assistant coach Anthony Carter, who played 13 seasons in the NBA after entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 1999.

This year's NBA draft will be held on June 26-27 in New York City with the first round taking place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The University of Connecticut is doing what it can to make sure any celebrations of its men's and women's basketball teams don't get too out of control after there was some chaos during last year's jubilation.

"Given the prevalence of damage to the aluminum campus light poles along Fairfield Way last year, the University is temporarily removing them and has installed wall lights in that area," a UConn spokesperson told TMZ Sports.

"They provide the same amount of illumination without being vulnerable to being removed and misused, as occurred last year."

The men's team won its fifth national championship last season, and TMZ Sports noted 39 people were arrested in the ensuing celebration that included students ripping down light poles:

The men's and women's teams are each in the Final Four this season with the opportunity to add to their history of basketball success. While the men's team is going for its sixth title, the women's program has long been the gold standard of the sport and is attempting to capture a 12th national championship.

Paige Bueckers and Co. will take the court first with a Final Four showdown against Caitlin Clark and Iowa on Friday. If the Huskies can win that, they will take on either undefeated South Carolina or North Carolina State in the national title game.

Like UConn, NC State is in the Final Four in the men's and women's brackets.

The two men's teams could face off in the national championship as well with the Huskies slated to face Alabama and the Wolfpack set to play Purdue on Saturday.

UConn's women's team is in the rare position of underdog given the presence of South Carolina and Clark's record-breaking performances that have helped her become the face of the sport, but the men's team is seen as the favorite after winning its first four NCAA tournament games by an average of 27.75 points.

The Huskies showed their dominance with a 30-0 run during their Elite Eight win over Illinois and are two wins away from cutting down the nets in back-to-back years.

If they do, the celebrations may look a bit different this time around.

Donovan Clingan is two wins away from helping lead UConn to a second consecutive national championship, and he might have a fruitful NBA career waiting for him at the end of the run.

Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN relayed the following tidbit on Monday: "One general manager asked ESPN recently, 'Rudy Gobert or Donovan Clingan?' regarding who will be the more impactful defensive player, which highlights a college player being compared to a three-time NBA defensive player of the year winner."

Clingan averaged 12.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.5 assists per game this season while shooting 64.3 percent from the field this season. He is a major reason the Huskies are the favorites to take home another national title and will have an opportunity to further prove himself on a national stage in Saturday's Final Four.

The big man just posted a double-double of 22 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks and three steals in the Elite Eight win over Illinois, underscoring his ability to impact the game in multiple ways and dominate on the defensive side.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman projected Clingan as the No. 7 overall pick in his most recent mock draft and also highlighted his defense.

"His rim protection feels like one of the most bankable strengths of any prospect's," Wasserman wrote. "And despite being limited offensively, he still provides scoring value with his finishing, putbacks and low-post game. And he's started to look more savvy with his passing."

Whichever team ends up with Clingan in the first round of the draft could have a defensive anchor for years to come.

UConn head coach Dan Hurley understands the target on his team's back.

Following the Huskies' 77-52 victory over Illinois in the Elite Eight, Hurley acknowledged that the UConn fanbase is passionate to the point that it is "obnoxious as s--t" and that as a result "everybody hates us."

However, he said that it unites the program and gives the Huskies an "us against them mentality" that makes celebrating with the fans even sweeter.

UConn's significant success is certainly a contributing factor to some hatred pointed toward the team. The Huskies are defending national champions and look poised to repeat.

UConn won the Big East, entered the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 overall seed and has won each matchup in the tournament by at least 17 points.

The last Huskies loss dates back to Feb. 20 against Creighton, a team that has already fallen in this year's tournament. While the Final Four should present a big challenge, UConn looks like a true threat to become the first repeat champion since Florida in 2006 and 2007.

To get there, a matchup against Clemson or Alabama will first be in the way.

UConn played like a team ready to repeat as NCAA champions on Saturday night at TD Garden in Boston.

The No. 1-seeded Huskies downed the No. 3-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini 77-52 to clinch a berth in the Final Four against the winner of Saturday's matchup between Clemson and Alabama.

UConn's win was spearheaded by an incredible 30-0 run that started near the end of the first half and extended into the second half. Once the Huskies began cooking, there wasn't much Illinois could do to stop them.

Big man Donovan Clingan was unstoppable for the Huskies on Saturday, finishing with 22 points, 10 rebounds and one assist. He was a major reason why the team went on its 30-0 run.

Cam Spencer finished with 11 points, 12 rebounds and five assists and Hassan Diarra finished with 11 points, three rebounds and two assists.

While UConn was dominant overall, March Madness fans were particularly impressed with its unprecedented 30-0 run:

UConn was the team to beat entering this year's NCAA Tournament, but they proved on Saturday why they should be the most feared program in the country at this point in the season.

If the Huskies end up repeating as champions, they'll be the first team since Florida in 2006 and 2007.

In a rematch of the 2023 national title game, UConn cruised past San Diego State 82-52 in the men's NCAA tournament on Thursday.

Despite some first-half struggles, the Huskies pulled away during the final 20 minutes to advance to the Elite Eight. The Aztecs cut the deficit to 35-31 just before halftime, although they weren't able to get any closer throughout the duration of the game.

Senior guard Cam Spencer led the Huskies with 18 points, shooting 6-of-12 from the field while adding five rebounds and three assists. He also connected on two of his four attempts from behind the arc.

Stephon Castle recorded his first career double-double, as the freshman guard scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in 28 minutes on the floor.

College basketball fans were impressed with the dominance shown by head coach Dan Hurley's team.

After finishing with a record of 33-3, UConn has shown no signs of slowing down in the tournament. The Huskies have won each of their three March Madness games easily, outscoring opponents 248-162.

The defending champions are now set to face off against the winner of Thursday's matchup between Illinois and Iowa State.