UConn claims fifth NCAA men's basketball title, dominating tournament with convincing win.
The University of Connecticut has secured its fifth national championship in men's basketball after defeating San Diego State University by a margin of 17 points. The Huskies triumphed 76-59 at NRG Stadium in Houston, as senior guard Tristen Newton led the team with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while junior forward Adama Sanogo chipped in with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
According to UConn head coach Dan Hurley, the team's unranked status heading into the year fueled their determination. "We weren't ranked going into the year so we had the chip on our shoulder," he said, referencing the team's six losses in eight games during the regular season. "We knew the level that we could play at, even through those dark times." He added that the team's confidence grew throughout the season.
The Aztecs made a late surge in the second half, narrowing the deficit to five points with 5:19 remaining. However, the Huskies scored nine consecutive points to take a comfortable lead into the final minutes. San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher acknowledged that UConn was the better team, stating, "We had to be at our best. We weren’t at our best. A lot had to do with UConn."
UConn's victory marked its sixth tournament win of the season, with each game featuring a significant margin over their opponents. The Huskies' women's teams have also enjoyed success in basketball, claiming 11 national titles.
The team's players expressed gratitude and excitement following the championship win. Tristen Newton praised his teammates, coaches, and the support of his family, saying, "I just want to thank my teammates, my coaches who believed in me." Jordan Hawkins discussed winning the title with his cousin, Angel Reese of Louisiana State University, who won the women's title earlier that day.
With this victory, UConn has joined an elite group of teams to achieve five NCAA men's basketball championships. The program has enjoyed success since 1999, with the most recent title occurring in 2014.
The University of Connecticut has secured its fifth national championship in men's basketball after defeating San Diego State University by a margin of 17 points. The Huskies triumphed 76-59 at NRG Stadium in Houston, as senior guard Tristen Newton led the team with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while junior forward Adama Sanogo chipped in with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
According to UConn head coach Dan Hurley, the team's unranked status heading into the year fueled their determination. "We weren't ranked going into the year so we had the chip on our shoulder," he said, referencing the team's six losses in eight games during the regular season. "We knew the level that we could play at, even through those dark times." He added that the team's confidence grew throughout the season.
The Aztecs made a late surge in the second half, narrowing the deficit to five points with 5:19 remaining. However, the Huskies scored nine consecutive points to take a comfortable lead into the final minutes. San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher acknowledged that UConn was the better team, stating, "We had to be at our best. We weren’t at our best. A lot had to do with UConn."
UConn's victory marked its sixth tournament win of the season, with each game featuring a significant margin over their opponents. The Huskies' women's teams have also enjoyed success in basketball, claiming 11 national titles.
The team's players expressed gratitude and excitement following the championship win. Tristen Newton praised his teammates, coaches, and the support of his family, saying, "I just want to thank my teammates, my coaches who believed in me." Jordan Hawkins discussed winning the title with his cousin, Angel Reese of Louisiana State University, who won the women's title earlier that day.
With this victory, UConn has joined an elite group of teams to achieve five NCAA men's basketball championships. The program has enjoyed success since 1999, with the most recent title occurring in 2014.
I mean, going undefeated or close to it is one thing, but dominating like that takes skill and chemistry between players. Dan Hurley's got the magic touch, no doubt about it 
And 5 titles already? That's insane! They should be giving all these players scholarships for life 
just think about it, a team going under the radar and still managing to dominate the tournament like that... I mean, 17 point win is huge, you can't take away from their performance. They played as a unit, everyone chipped in, no one dominated the game. It's great to see a team with so much heart and determination win it all 
and i love how they didn't let their unranked status get to them 
and believing in themselves 
.
, but uconn's defense held strong 
. and can we talk about adama sanogo 
!
. each player brought their A-game 
, and that's what made them unbeatable 
.
and each other 
. winning a national championship is life-changing 
, and uconn's got it going on 
!
!