UConn basketball advanced to their second-consecutive Final Four after completely dismantling Illinois 77-52 to win the East Region.
This makes 10 March Madness wins in a row for the defending national champions and coach Dan Hurley, all by double digits. With each passing blowout, UConn basketball builds a stronger case for placing this two-year run among the best in college basketball history.
After the game, Hurley explained why he was ‘crying all day' before the game, per CBS Sports:
Said Hurley on crying before UConn basketball's big win, “It's not about trying to win number six or go back-to-back. It's like, this time of year, you just love your team, and you can't imagine what it would be like to not get up the next day and still coach your team. That's what you learn, when you win the way we've won, is that it really is about the work, the journey, you know, the process of the group.”
But it wasn't just about that for the UConn basketball coach.
“Obviously, too, my son Andrew, the thought of not being his coach, that made me a little bit sad too. But I had sunglasses on.”
Later, during the postgame press conference, Hurley elaborated, per The Winning Difference:
“You invest every second that you can in them. You just pour everything you have into them. Your family is intertwined with them. Players sense that, they feel that. My players will accept the hard coaching from me and my staff because they know how much we love them,”
UConn basketball rolls on
UConn basketball throttled Illinois, 77-52, in an Elite Eight game – a contest in which the Huskies blew the game open with a 30-0 run bridging the first and second halves: 5-0 run to end the first half and a 25-0 run to open the second half.
It was 23-23 with 1:50 left in the first half, and when UConn’s Hassan Diarra scored with 13:15 left in the second half, the Huskies led 53-23.
UConn 7-footer Donovan Clingan had 22 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and three steals, and guard Cam Spencer had 11 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and one steal.
Illinois’ demise was marred by an uncharacteristic offensive performance. One of the most efficient offensive teams in the nation averaging 84.2 points, the Illini shot 25.4% from the field and had two stretches of at least five minutes without a point.
Will UConn basketball repeat?
If the Huskies were to go back to back and win the national championship, they would be the first team since the University of Florida Gators who won in 2006 and 2007. Legendary coach Rick Pitino says that the UConn basketball team are versatile in that “they can play in so many different ways” and even mentioned players like Cam Spencer, Tristen Newton, Stephon Castle, Donovan Clingan, and others as future NBA first round picks.
“I don’t see a weakness,” said Pitino “They have to have an off shooting night and you have to have a great shooting night to beat them.”
UConn basketball will take on the winner of Alabama vs. Clemson with a trip to the National Championship Game on the line.
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