UConn Women Fall to OSU, Stun Twitter as Geno Auriemma's Final Four Streak Ends at 14
Mar 25, 2023
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 25: Cotie McMahon #32 of the Ohio State Buckeyes reacts during the second quarter against the UConn Huskies in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament at Climate Pledge Arena on March 25, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
For the first time since 2007, the UConn women's basketball team will not be going to the Final Four after the Ohio State Buckeyes crushed the Huskies 73-61 in the Sweet 16 on Saturday in Seattle.
OSU's relentless press amid a tremendous defensive effort helped lead to 25 UConn turnovers, including 18 in the first half alone. Ohio State went on a`16-0 first-half run en route to a 36-26 halftime edge.
First-year forward Cotie McMahon scored 18 first-half points en route to a team-high 23. Senior guard Jacy Sheldon made all 10 of her free throws along the way to 17 points. Five of the seven Buckeye players had two or more steals, led by Taylor Thierry's four.
UConn had openings late in the third quarter and midway through the fourth to get back into this game, but Ohio State responded each time.
McMahon hit the bench late in the third after committing her fourth personal foul with OSU up 50-41. However, Rikki Harris went on a personal 8-0 run early in the fourth to put OSU up 64-46 with 7:19 remaining.
UConn responded with a 9-0 run to cut the deficit in half, but McMahon returned to put home a back-breaking three-point play for a 67-55 lead with 4:01 remaining. OSU never led by fewer than nine points for the rest of the game.
Senior forwards Lou Lopez Sénéchal (25 points on 9-of-13 shooting) and Dorka Juhasz (13 points, 10 rebounds, three steals, two blocks) paced UConn.
The No. 3 seed Buckeyes entered this game as a heavy underdog against the No. 2 Huskies, but OSU was in full control of this game from the second quarter onward. The Buckeyes played great defense, hit clutch shots and frankly were the much better team on this day.
It was a remarkable win for a well-deserving Ohio State team and a stunning loss for the historically great Huskies, who will be going home far earlier than usual.
The end of an era: UConn will not advance to the Final Four for the first time since 2007, as the 3-seed Ohio State Buckeyes upset the 2-seed Huskies in the Sweet 16. UConn last lost this early in the tournament in 2005.
THE OHIO STATE BUCKEYES ARE HEADED TO THE ELITE 8. The Huskies Elite 8 streak comes to an end. UConn's Final Four streak comes to an end. Buckeyes win 73-61. ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE FROM EVERY SINGLE BUCKEYE PLAYER. OSU headed to the Elite 8 for first time since 1993
While UConn losing in the Sweet 16 is certainly both significant and surprising — and illuminates a larger trend in women’s college basketball — let’s make sure to focus on the positives and give Ohio State plenty of love. First Elite Eight since 1993! Program-changing win.
Coach Kevin McGuff and OSU players walking into the postgame presser after upsetting UConn by double digits in Seattle with SUE BIRD in the building: pic.twitter.com/fRWpgYFiTB
This win marks the first time that Ohio State will be going to the Elite Eight since 1993, when the Buckeyes reached the national championship game before falling to Sheryl Swoopes' Texas Tech squad.
Watch March Madness Live to stream every tournament game through the Final Four.
NCAA Tournament 2023 Odds: UConn Betting Favorite To Win Men's Title Ahead of Elite 8
Mar 25, 2023
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 23: Andre Jackson Jr. #44 of the Connecticut Huskies reacts with head coach Dan Hurley after coming out of the game during the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 23, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
With all four No. 1 seeds eliminated from the field, Connecticut is now favored to win the 2023 NCAA men's basketball tournament.
Per the latest odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, the Huskies have +320 odds (bet $100 to win $320) going into the Elite Eight.
Texas is a close second at +360, followed by Gonzaga (+500) and Creighton (+550).
Updated NCAA Tournament Odds
Connecticut +320
Texas +360
Gonzaga +500
Creighton +550
Kansas State +800
San Diego State +900
Miami (FL) +1100
Florida Atlantic +1300
The No. 2 Longhorns are the highest-seeded team still in the field. They made easy work of Xavier with an 83-71 win in the Sweet 16 and have won their first three tournament games by an average of 12.3 points.
Connecticut, No. 4 in the West Region, is the lower seed going into the Elite Eight against No. 3 Gonzaga. Head coach Dan Hurley's squad has three consecutive double-digit wins, including a dominant 88-65 victory over Arkansas on Thursday.
The Huskies have won nine of their last 10 games overall dating back to the regular season. Six of those victories have been by at least 12 points.
Gonzaga, still chasing its first national title in program history, has been playing with fire in its past two games. The Bulldogs nearly blew an eight-point lead in the final 65 seconds against UCLA in the Sweet 16 before Julian Strawther's three with 7.2 seconds led them to a 79-76 win.
Before getting to the Sweet 16, Gonzaga held on for an 84-81 win over TCU in the second round.
Florida Atlantic has the lowest odds to win the national title of any team still standing, but it's coming off an impressive showing against Tennessee. The Vols' 55 points were their fewest in a game since a 46-43 win over Auburn on Feb. 4.
The Owls will take on Kansas State on Saturday looking for their first appearance in the Final Four.
Miami and San Diego State took down arguably the top two teams in the tournament on Friday with wins over Alabama and Houston. The Hurricanes' offense lit up the scoreboard with 89 points on 51.7 percent shooting from the field.
San Diego State held Alabama to 32.4 percent shooting overall and a 3-of-27 record from three-point range in a 71-64 win.
Both the Aztecs and Hurricanes are seeking their first-ever appearance in the Final Four. Miami will take on Texas in the Elite Eight on Sunday, and San Diego State follows with a showdown against Creighton .
Watch March Madness Live to stream every tournament game through the Final Four.
For all the latest betting information and reaction, check out B/R Betting.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL). Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).
21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/IL/TN only. In partnership with Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
UConn Men's Basketball Team's Items Stolen from Bus While at Practice in Las Vegas
Mar 24, 2023
ALBANY, NY - MARCH 17: Head coach Dan Hurley of the Connecticut Huskies looks on during the first half against the Iona Gaels during the first round of the 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at MVP Arena on March 17, 2023 in Albany, New York. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Based on its performance in Thursday's Sweet 16 win over Arkansas, you would never know Connecticut's time in Las Vegas leading up to the game has been rough.
Per Mike Anthony of CT Insider, Huskies players had several items stolen from their team bus while they were practicing at the Thomas & Mack Center on Tuesday.
Anthony noted players and athletic director David Benedict filed a police report, but specific details of the report were not made available.
According to Anthony, UConn head coach Dan Hurley said after the win this week was a "disaster" before Thursday's game:
"Then stuff gets stolen. It was a debacle. Obviously when you play at UConn, you have tremendous resources. The way we travel gives us a chance to pursue championships. It wasn't what you expected when you got to Las Vegas for the Sweet 16. We didn't know there would be police reports from day one. We didn't know we'd be moving with our tails between our legs back into the hotel just to get our bags and leave. It was an awkward situation. But now we're in a much better place."
Freshman center Donovan Clingan told Anthony his iPad was stolen out of a backpack he left on the bus and a manager had a laptop stolen.
Clingan did say he was able to track down the location of his iPad using an app on his phone and found it was "like three miles away" from the bus.
Earlier this week, David Borges of CT Insider reported UConn switched hotels after arriving in Las Vegas on Tuesday because the team's original accommodation had "awful" conditions, including rooms with "dirt, vomit...and worse" in them.
Despite the rough start to their week, the Huskies didn't let it impact them on the court. They made easy work of Arkansas with an 88-65 win they led wire to wire.
In his fifth season as head coach, Hurley has Connecticut back among the nation's elite programs. This is its first appearance in the Elite Eight since winning the national championship in 2014.
The Huskies will play Gonzaga on Saturday with a trip to the Final Four on the line. This will be the sixth all-time meeting between the two schools. Connecticut holds a 3-2 edge in the previous five matchups, but Gonzaga won 73-70 in their last game on Nov. 27, 2015.
UConn Hailed by Twitter for 'Best Basketball of the Season' in Win vs. Arkansas
Mar 24, 2023
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 23: Alex Karaban #11 of the Connecticut Huskies reacts after a score during the first half against the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 23, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The No. 4 UConn Huskies are going back to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2013-14 following an 88-65 win over the No. 8 Arkansas Razorbacks on Thursday night in the Sweet 16.
It was a dominant outing for the Huskies, who entered halftime with a 46-29 lead over the Razorbacks before tacking on another 42 points in the second half to seal out the victory.
UConn was paced by sophomore guard Jordan Hawkins, who finished with 24 points, two rebounds, three assists and one steal.
Junior forward Adama Sanogo also notched 18 points, eight rebounds, one assist and two blocks, and two other players finished with double digits in scoring.
After going 13-7 in Big East action and being eliminated by Marquette in the semifinals of the Big East tournament, there were questions about how UConn would perform in the NCAA tournament.
It's safe to say the Huskies have silenced any doubters, and college basketball fans on Twitter believe UConn played its best basketball of the season on Thursday night:
UConn is playing its best basketball of the season tonight.
This reminds me of the run Kemba and UConn went on. Nuts!
UConn started off the season with quality wins & undefeated. Then stumbled a bit in conference. However, they’ve turned it back up in this tournament. The Huskies were once the #1 team in the country, too.
UConn's run to a national title with Kemba Walker occurred during the 2010-11 season. While the Huskies went 9-9 in conference action that year, they turned up the heat in the NCAA tournament en route to a championship.
UConn will face either No. 2 UCLA or No. 3 Gonzaga in the Elite Eight. The last time the Huskies made it this far in the NCAA tournament they won a national championship, which came in 2014.
UConn is looking to make the Final Four for just the sixth time in program history and win its fifth-ever title, which would be tied with Duke and Indiana for the fourth-most all-time. UCLA has won the most NCAA titles with 11, last winning it all in 1995.
Watch March Madness Live to stream every tournament game through the Final Four.
UConn Men's Basketball Team Switches Hotels in Las Vegas Due to Poor Conditions
Mar 23, 2023
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 11: The Connecticut Huskies logo on pair of short during the Big East Basketball Tournament - Semifinals against the Marquette Golden Eagles at Madison Square Garden on March 11, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
The UConn men's basketball team was greeted with a rude welcome when they arrived at their Las Vegas hotel for Thursday's Sweet 16 matchup against Arkansas in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
CT Insider's David Borges reports that when the players arrived to their rooms, they were subjected to "dirt, vomit ... and worse." Borges noted that this occurred at the Luxor Hotel.
The fourth-seeded Huskies were moved to "a nearby, high-level hotel" after the situation was disclosed to the NCAA, which handles booking hotels for each team in the tournament.
For their part, the UConn players and did not let the incident faze them ahead of their matchup against the eighth-seeded Razorbacks. The team went out for dinner together on Tuesday night after practice, and there weren't many other plans beyond that during their stay in Las Vegas.
"It's not something we want to make a big deal out of," athletic director David Benedict said. "Everything worked out fine."
UConn reached this point thanks to back-to-back double-digit wins over No. 13 Iona and No. 5 St. Mary's in the first two rounds of the tournament. It's the first time the Huskies have advanced to the Sweet 16 since winning the national championship in 2014. The team is primed to make the most out of its opportunity this weekend.
"Playing at UConn, it's just you deal with a lot more pressure and criticism and like immediate meltdowns on social when you lose," head coach Dan Hurley said after Sunday's win over St. Mary's. "I think in the first and even second round of tournaments, it's more of a burden to play at UConn than it is an advantage. ... Obviously, now you get to the Sweet 16, you can really just kind of go out and just let it rip."
Watch March Madness Live to stream every tournament game through the Final Four.
Adama Sanogo, UConn Tabbed as 'Final Four' Good by Twitter in Win vs. St. Mary's
Mar 20, 2023
ALBANY, NEW YORK - MARCH 19: Joey Calcaterra #3 and Jordan Hawkins #24 of the Connecticut Huskies celebrate in the second half against the St. Mary's Gaels during the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at MVP Arena on March 19, 2023 in Albany, New York. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Connecticut advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA men's basketball tournament for the first time since 2014 with a 70-55 win over No. 5 Saint Mary's on Sunday in Albany, New York.
The fourth-seeded Huskies pulled away after leading by just one point, 31-30, at halftime. They caught fire in the second half and turned the game into a rout.
As a team, UConn shot 54 percent from the field and went 10-of-22 from beyond the arc. Many on Twitter thought Dan Hurley's squad has the makeup of a national champion.
Adama Sanogo and Jordan Hawkins were singled out for praise. The former had a game-high 24 points along with eight rebounds. The latter scored 12 points and connected on four of his five three-point attempts.
People forget that Michael Jordan is named after Jordan Hawkins
I think back to last season, when Jordan Hawkins had those moments where he second-guessed his shot. Heading into this year, Dan Hurley told Hawkins that he had a neon green light and to just keeping shooting regardless of anything happening in a game.
Sanogo helped carry UConn's offense in the first 20 minutes. Hawkins took over from there with his contributions from the perimeter.
The Gaels had to forge ahead in the second half without the services of third-leading scorer Alex Ducas, who started strong with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting. The senior guard was ruled questionable at halftime because of a back injury and didn't return.
Compounding matters, Mitchell Saxen was forced to go to the bench because of foul trouble, removing another proven scorer from the equation for a critical stretch. Not surprisingly, Saint Mary's steadily lost steam as the half unfolded.
Connecticut has taken control of Saint Mary's. Huskies on a 14-2 run over the last 3 minutes after a Jordan Hawkins triple.
Dan Hurley's team has it clicking, leading 51-40 with just over 11 minutes left.
UConn will meet Arkansas in the regional semifinals after the eighth-seeded Razorbacks toppled defending-champion Kansas.
Watch March Madness Live to stream every tournament game through the Final Four.
Rick Pitino Praised for 'Masterclass' with Iona Despite NCAA Tournament Loss to UConn
Mar 17, 2023
ALBANY, NY - MARCH 17: head coach Rick Pitino of the Iona Gaels walks the sidelines during the first half against the Connecticut Huskies during the first round of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at MVP Arena on March 17, 2023 in Albany, New York. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
Connecticut lived up to its No. 4 seed with a 87-63 win over No. 13 Iona, but the 2023 NCAA tournament first-round game was closer than the favorite likely expected.
Iona, led by veteran coach Rick Pitino, came out Friday with plenty of confidence and stayed step-for-step with the Huskies throughout the first half.
After the Gaels went into halftime with a shocking 39-37 lead, many fans praised the job Pitino had done:
The second half was a different story with UConn's talent, athleticism and depth all helping the team take control and eventually pull away. Adama Sanogo was a true force inside, finishing with 28 points and 13 rebounds, while the Gaels had no answer.
Fans were still impressed that Iona could keep it close. Before the game even ended, Twitter was already speculating about Pitino's next job:
Rick Pitino about to be on a flight to Rochelle, NY then gonna take a ride to Queens to become St. John’s new head coach if they lose.
UConn earned the win, but Pitino and Iona stole the show in the first-round battle.
Pitino already has a legendary resume across more than four decades in basketball. He led both Kentucky and Louisville to national championships, also getting to the Final Four with Providence.
The 70-year-old has now been linked to several high-profile job openings over the past few weeks, creating uncertainty over his future in Iona.
Most still agree he has done an outstanding coaching job across three seasons with the Gaels, featuring two trips to the NCAA tournament. Helping his team stay competitive with a superior opponent in UConn is among his most impressive performances.
Watch March Madness Live to stream every tournament game through the Final Four.
UConn vs. DePaul Women's Basketball Game Postponed Due to Huskies' Injury Issues
Jan 7, 2023
UConn coach Geno Auriemma gestures during the team's NCAA college basketball game against Creighton on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/John Peterson)
The Big East Conference announced that the UConn women's basketball team's home game against DePaul on Sunday has been postponed because the Huskies will not have the league-minimum seven scholarship student-athletes active because of injuries.
According to a UConn release, junior forward Aaliyah Edwards and first-year forward Ayanna Patterson suffered injuries during the Huskies' 73-37 win over Xavier on Thursday.
Sophomore guards Caroline Ducharme and Azzi Fudd, junior guard Paige Bueckers and first-year forward Ice Brady are also inactive. That leaves the Huskies with six players available from their 12-woman roster.
The conference said it will look to reschedule the game.
"At UConn, the health and well-being of our student-athletes will always be our top priority," director of athletics David Benedict said in a statement.
"Our women's basketball program has unfortunately been affected by an unprecedented number of injuries this season. While it's unfortunate that we need to postpone Sunday's game, it's the right call to protect the safety of our student-athletes. We will work with the Big East and DePaul on options to reschedule the game."
Bueckers is out for the 2022-23 season with a torn ACL suffered in August, and Brady is sidelined for the year with a dislocated patella in her right knee suffered in October.
Per Maggie Vanoni of CT Insider, Ducharme suffered a concussion in practice last Monday. Fudd has been out with a knee injury since Dec. 4. She remains sidelined but has resumed basketball activities in her ramp-up to return to the court.
Vanoni reported that UConn has not yet released details on the injuries to Edwards and Patterson.
Despite playing all season short-handed, UConn finds itself fifth in the Associated Press poll. The Huskies sport a 13-2 record (6-0 in Big East), with their only losses occurring against No. 4 Notre Dame and No. 13 Maryland.
The next game on UConn's schedule is a road matchup against No. 24 St. John's on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
No. 2 UConn Upset by No. 22 Xavier 83-73
Dec 31, 2022
CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 31: Jordan Hawkins #24 of the Connecticut Huskies dribbles the ball while being guarded by Jack Nunge #24 of the Xavier Musketeers in the first half at the Cintas Center on December 31, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Connecticut is unbeaten no more.
The second-ranked Huskies suffered their first defeat of the 2022-23 men's college basketball season Saturday, losing 83-73 to No. 22 Xavier at Cintas Center in Cincinnati.
Zach Freemantle led the way for the Musketeers with a double-double (16 points and 11 rebounds), while Jack Nunge and Colby Jones dropped 15 and 16 points, respectively. Jerome Hunter came off the bench to score 15 as well, including a 9-of-9 effort from the charity stripe.
UConn led 42-41 at halftime but found itself having to play from behind for much of the second half. Andre Jackson Jr. tied the game at 71-71 with 4:10 remaining, and a steal by Jordan Hawkins gave the Huskies a chance to go ahead.
However, an offensive foul on Hawkins immediately ceded possession back to Xavier, and the Musketeers capitalized with a layup by Jones. They didn't look back from there as their defense suffocated UConn.
The Huskies went 11-of-31 from the field and 5-of-18 from beyond the arc in the second half.
Xavier had five different players finish in double-digits and scored 40 points in the paint, 18 off turnovers. UConn took and missed six straight threes in the final 90 seconds.
Jackson had a season-high 14 points and flirted with a triple-double, totaling 10 rebounds and eight assists. The junior guard struggled to find his shot, though, missing eight of his 12 three-point attempts.
Xavier also outscored UConn 40-28 in the paint despite Huskies star Adama Sanogo pouring in a game-high 18 points.
It's too early to call this a season-defining victory for the Musketeers, but it's a sign of the progress the program has already made in head coach Sean Miller's first season back. A statement win was inevitable.
Love/hate Sean Miller all you want given his sketchy past, but dude can seriously coach. Xavier isn't the staunchest defensive team, but if flows beautifully on the offensive end. Experience, too, is invaluable.
Sean Miller spent his year in between Arizona and Xavier studying different offensive schemes (Gonzaga, Arizona under Tommy Lloyd, Purdue) to become a better offensive coach --- it's working.
Xavier is on pace to average more PPG than any other team that Miller has ever coached. https://t.co/0vnQjUw0B2
At PK85, Xavier showed lots of flashes. Musketeers competed with Duke and had a late lead on Gonzaga. You could feel things coming together. They’ve steadily gotten better, and today, Sean Miller got a big-time contribution from Jerome Hunter off the bench. What a win for X.
Xavier and Connecticut will meet again on Jan. 25 in Storrs. That was already looking like a juicy matchup with the Musketeers positioning themselves as perhaps the stiffest competition to the Huskies for the Big East regular-season title.
Following Saturday, the stakes for that contest have only increased.
Purdue or Connecticut: Who Is Actually Best Men's College Basketball Team in 2022-23?
Kerry Miller
Dec 28, 2022
Purdue's Zach Edey
For the second consecutive week, it's Purdue at No. 1 and Connecticut at No. 2 in the men's college basketball AP Top 25.
Though it's not quite a unanimous top two—three voters have Houston at No. 2 with either the Boilermakers or the Huskies at No. 3—it's a two-horse race right now for the title of "best in the nation."
Before we dive into handicapping that race, we should probably acknowledge it's entirely possible the debate will be moot by the time we get to March.
Back in 2013-14, Arizona and Syracuse occupied the top two spots in the AP poll for 10 consecutive weeks (early December through late February) until Syracuse crashed and burned. The Orange started out 25-0 before losing six of their final nine games, earning a No. 3 seed in the dance and getting bounced in the second round. (Arizona earned a No. 1 seed but also fell short of the Final Four.)
But that year was an exception to the rule.
In the eight seasons since then, the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the final AP poll of December finished the year with an average rank of 3.9.
So, it's more likely we've got a 2020-21 Baylor/Gonzaga situation on our hands here—one in which we actually get a national championship between teams who seemed to be on a collision course for months.
Connecticut's Jordan Hawkins
It certainly didn't start the same way for Connecticut and Purdue as it did for those teams two seasons ago. Gonzaga spent that entire season at No. 1. Baylor started at No. 2 and never dropped below No. 3. Conversely, both Connecticut and Purdue opened this season in the "Others receiving votes" portion of the AP poll.
But the Huskies and Boilermakers rocketed up the rankings after their Thanksgiving-week trips to Portland.
In the Phil Knight Invitational, Connecticut blitzed Oregon, Alabama and Iowa State by a combined margin of 57 points. And Purdue's dominance in the Phil Knight Legacy was even more impressive, beating each of West Virginia, Gonzaga and Duke by double digits.
Had there been a Legacy/Invitational super title game, though, who would have won?
And which of these still-undefeated squads is best suited to win a national championship?
While the AP voters prefer the Boilermakers by a slim margin, the predictive metrics favor Connecticut rather convincingly. The Huskies are No. 1 in the NET, No. 2 on KenPom (marginally behind Houston) and No. 1 in Sagarin. Purdue is No. 4, No. 7 and No. 10, respectively.
There are three clear reasons for that divide, with the first and foremost being that Connecticut doesn't believe in playing close games.
Purdue eked out a five-point victory over Marquette in mid-November, needed overtime to win at Nebraska and didn't exactly flex its muscles in a 69-61 win over a Davidson team that is 7-5 and not even remotely in the at-large mix.
Connecticut's Adama Sanogo
Connecticut, on the other hand, has won every game this season by double digits. Even last week against lowly Georgetown when the Huskies trailed by six midway through the second half, they went on a 20-3 run in a little over five minutes to turn a near upset into a relatively convincing victory.
Trailing that late in the game was new for Connecticut, but that spurtability was not. The Huskies seem to just run away with at least one "quarter" of every game, most memorably turning a 52-52 game against Alabama into a 73-54 blowout in the blink of an eye.
UConn is able to routinely go on those phenomenal runs because of the other two advantages it has over Purdue: superior defense and better three-point shooting.
The latter part of that feels like a misprint, right?
Purdue ranked top 10 in the nation in three-point percentage in three of the past six seasons, while Connecticut has ranked better than 80th in that department just once since 2003-04, finishing 24th en route to the 2014 national championship.
However, Purdue is shooting worse from distance (31.1 percent) than in any of its previous 17 seasons under Matt Painter.
Fortunately, those shots were falling at a 41.0 percent clip in the Phil Knight Legacy, but the Boilermakers have shot just 15-of-73 (20.5 percent) over their last three games—hence the low-scoring close calls against Nebraska and Davidson. Frankly, it's incredible that they're undefeated while occasionally laying bricks like that.
Meanwhile, Connecticut is both taking and making threes like never before.
In the KenPom era (since 1997-98), UConn's previous high for three-point attempt rate was 37.4 percent in 2018-19. The Huskies are currently taking 42.9 percent of their shots from beyond the arc, and making 37.3 percent of them. That combination has resulted in a Villanova-like 9.7 made triples per game. (UConn averaged 7.4 makes last season and 6.7 the year before that.)
San Diego transfer Joey Calcaterra is most unexpectedly leading that charge. He shot below 38 percent in each of the past four seasons, but he's sitting at 52.3 percent through 13 games. Jordan Hawkins is the primary source of volume, though, averaging 7.5 attempts per game at a 41.5 percent success rate.
On the defensive front, it's the active hands, depth and versatility that give UConn the edge.
Eight different Huskies have at least eight steals already this season, as they are often applying pressure before the ball even gets across half court.
However, the nearly nine non-steal turnovers per game might be even more indicative of this defense's impact, as they'll make you shoot yourself in the foot even more often than they'll pick your pocket.
And bless your heart if you're hoping to step into an open three against Connecticut. Opponents are attempting a nation-low 13.4 threes per game and making just 27.0 percent of those limited tries. Even Alabama—which has lived and died by the deep ball under Nate Oats—was only able to get up 16 three-point attempts against UConn. (It was the only time this season the Crimson Tide attempted fewer than 22 threes.)
Just so we're clear, though: Purdue isn't bad on defense. The Boilermakers have yet to allow an opponent to score more than 70 points, doing an excellent job of contesting shots without fouling. They just take more of a pack-line approach, forcing nowhere near as many turnovers and allowing way more three-point attempts per game (24.2).
Of course, that's because Purdue has the 7'4" frontrunner for National Player of the Year Zach Edey, which is pretty much the only rationale you need if you're picking Purdue over Connecticut right now.
Purdue's Zach Edey
He's not an elite shot-blocker, but Edey does average 2.2 rejections per game simply by being huge and hanging out near the rim.
He is elite on the glass and in the offensive paint, though, averaging 22.6 points and 13.9 rebounds per game.
Even if he slips a bit in both categories and finishes the season at 21.5 and 12.5, respectively, he would join Blake Griffin as the only such player in the past 25 seasons to hit both those marks.
Simply put, even in "The Year of the Big Man," this big Boilermaker has no equal in college basketball.
When Purdue trounced Gonzaga, Mark Few kept his star center Drew Timme as far away from Edey as possible, knowing full well that letting them go mano e mano would just result in Timme fouling out in a hurry. And in the Purdue-Duke game, even the combined force of the Blue Devils' 7'1" Dereck Lively II, 7'0" Kyle Filipowski and 6'10" Ryan Young wasn't enough to keep Edey from getting to 21 points and 12 rebounds (while getting all of those big men into foul trouble).
UConn's 7'2" freshman Donovan Clingan might be able to put up a fight against Edey, but he has yet to play 20 minutes in a game this season and would be unlikely to last 20 minutes against Purdue.
That's coming from a huge fan of Clingan's work, but he is still figuring out the artform of dominating down low. He has been arguably more impactful as a freshman than Edey was in his first season at Purdue, but in their respective current states, the junior would likely school the freshman.
Would that be enough for Purdue to beat Connecticut in the hypothetical national championship, though?
As things currently stand, I say no.
Connecticut is my pick to win the national championship (paging @OldTakesExposed), and I would take the Huskies on a neutral floor against the Boilermakers. Edey might own the paint, but Connecticut's three-point assault would be a problem. Moreover, UConn's constant ball pressure could wreak havoc on Purdue's freshman point guard Braden Smith.
And though we've yet to mention him simply because UConn's whole is greater than the sum of its parts, the Huskies have a darn good NPOY candidate of their own in Adama Sanogo. Per 40 minutes, the stretch 5 is averaging 29.8 points and 11.6 rebounds, and he could be a major matchup nightmare for Purdue.
Neutralizing Edey is just about impossible, but you can effectively negate him by winning the turnover and perimeter battles, which the Huskies are well-equipped to do.
