After a shaky start to the National Championship Game against the San Diego State Aztecs, the UConn Huskies eventually got their groove in the first half, thanks in large part to their defense and the hot hands of star guard Jordan Hawkins.
The UConn star scored seven points in the first half, going 3-for-4 from the field, including a 3-pointer that put him in the same statistical club as other Huskies legends, per ESPN Stats & Info.
“With his first half three, Jordan Hawkins is the 3rd UConn player to make at least 20 3-pointers in a single NCAA Tournament, joining 2004 Rashad Anderson (21) and 2014 Shabazz Napier (20).”
Hawkins started the NCAA tournament going 3-for-7 on his 3-point attempts in the first round against the Iona Gaels. He kept that form since then, as he went 4-for-5 from the 3-point region in the second round against the Saint Mary's Gaels, 3-for-9 in the Sweet Sixteen against the Arkansas Razorbacks, and 6-for-10 in the Elite Eight round versus the Gonzaga Bulldogs. In the Final Four round, Hawkins hit three of his seven shots from downtown.
Known for their elite play on both ends of the floor, the Huskies appear to have it in them to show San Diego State how deadly UConn is offensive and defensively. In the first half, the Huskies held San Diego State to just 28.6 percent shooting from the field and 27.3 percent shooting from behind the arc. Meanwhile, UConn, behind the trio of Hawkins, Adama Sanogo, and Tristen Newton, shot well in the first 20 minutes of the contest, going 50 percent from the field.
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