GLENDALE, Ariz. — Eventually, the 3-pointers stopped falling.
When that happened, Connecticut could smell blood.
Alabama was attempting to hang on, to do what no person thus far on this NCAA Tournament has been in a position to do: Give the defending national champions a game.
But because the shots now not fell, and the Huskies kept on hammering them within the paint, the Crimson Tide looked like a beaten team by the under-four media timeout.
Coach Dan Hurley’s team was too powerful, too deep, too unrelenting within the force with which it played.
It wasn’t a blowout, however the game was now not unsure, either.
No. 1 UConn was well on its way back to the national championship game after this thorough, 86-72 victory over Alabama, establishing a showdown against back-to-back National Player of the 12 months Zach Edey and fellow No. 1 seed Purdue Monday night.
The Huskies moved to inside one victory of back-to-back titles with their eleventh straight tournament win by double figures.
This wasn’t Illinois, San Diego State or Northwestern, teams that hardly stood a likelihood.
Alabama actually led for portion of the primary half.
The Crimson Tide were hitting their 3’s, and weren’t intimidated as so many other opponents have been within the tournament the last two years. It didn’t matter.
Connecticut methodically broke down the SEC opponent with its array of two-way weapons, and didn’t need to sweat the ultimate couple of minutes. It was firmly on top of things.
As expected, Alabama had no answer for center Donovan Clingan, who controlled the paint at each ends with 18 points, five rebounds and floor blocks.
Freshman Stephon Castle picked the right time for his best offensive game of the 12 months, equaling a career-high with 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting, Cam Spencer and Alex Karaban each added 14 and Tristen Newton notched 12 points and nine assists.
Mark Sears paced Alabama with 24 points and Grant Nelson chipped in 19 points and 15 rebounds.
Alabama did a lot right over the primary 20 minutes.
It made 8-of-11 3-point attempts. It hung with Connecticut on the glass and shot a good 50 percent from the sphere.
Yet, the Crimson Tide was still behind by 4 on the break.
It led by five midway through the primary half, but UConn responded with a 10-2 run and held the lead on the break. Castle was a surprising offensive weapon, scoring a team-high 13 points. Sears made all five of his shots for 11 points for Alabama.
Out of halftime, the Huskies got here out red hot, quickly extending to an eight-point lead.
Alabama countered with seven consecutive points, just for the defending national champions to push the advantage back to eight.
The Crimson Tide again stormed back, sending a message: UConn had a game on its hands.
When Nelson scored within the lane, it was 56-all with 12:41 left to find out Purdue’s opponent within the title game.
Hurley then went to Samson Johnson, his quicker center to combat Alabama’s speed.
Johnson helped kickstart an 8-0 run that included a dunk of his own and 4 points from Castle.
A couple of possessions later, Newton added a 3-pointer, pushing the result in a game-high nine with 8:09 left.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Eventually, the 3-pointers stopped falling.
When that happened, Connecticut could smell blood.
Alabama was attempting to hang on, to do what no person thus far on this NCAA Tournament has been in a position to do: Give the defending national champions a game.
But because the shots now not fell, and the Huskies kept on hammering them within the paint, the Crimson Tide looked like a beaten team by the under-four media timeout.
Coach Dan Hurley’s team was too powerful, too deep, too unrelenting within the force with which it played.
It wasn’t a blowout, however the game was now not unsure, either.
No. 1 UConn was well on its way back to the national championship game after this thorough, 86-72 victory over Alabama, establishing a showdown against back-to-back National Player of the 12 months Zach Edey and fellow No. 1 seed Purdue Monday night.
The Huskies moved to inside one victory of back-to-back titles with their eleventh straight tournament win by double figures.
This wasn’t Illinois, San Diego State or Northwestern, teams that hardly stood a likelihood.
Alabama actually led for portion of the primary half.
The Crimson Tide were hitting their 3’s, and weren’t intimidated as so many other opponents have been within the tournament the last two years. It didn’t matter.
Connecticut methodically broke down the SEC opponent with its array of two-way weapons, and didn’t need to sweat the ultimate couple of minutes. It was firmly on top of things.
As expected, Alabama had no answer for center Donovan Clingan, who controlled the paint at each ends with 18 points, five rebounds and floor blocks.
Freshman Stephon Castle picked the right time for his best offensive game of the 12 months, equaling a career-high with 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting, Cam Spencer and Alex Karaban each added 14 and Tristen Newton notched 12 points and nine assists.
Mark Sears paced Alabama with 24 points and Grant Nelson chipped in 19 points and 15 rebounds.
Alabama did a lot right over the primary 20 minutes.
It made 8-of-11 3-point attempts. It hung with Connecticut on the glass and shot a good 50 percent from the sphere.
Yet, the Crimson Tide was still behind by 4 on the break.
It led by five midway through the primary half, but UConn responded with a 10-2 run and held the lead on the break. Castle was a surprising offensive weapon, scoring a team-high 13 points. Sears made all five of his shots for 11 points for Alabama.
Out of halftime, the Huskies got here out red hot, quickly extending to an eight-point lead.
Alabama countered with seven consecutive points, just for the defending national champions to push the advantage back to eight.
The Crimson Tide again stormed back, sending a message: UConn had a game on its hands.
When Nelson scored within the lane, it was 56-all with 12:41 left to find out Purdue’s opponent within the title game.
Hurley then went to Samson Johnson, his quicker center to combat Alabama’s speed.
Johnson helped kickstart an 8-0 run that included a dunk of his own and 4 points from Castle.
A couple of possessions later, Newton added a 3-pointer, pushing the result in a game-high nine with 8:09 left.
