Donovan Clingan, UConn power back into Final Four behind 30-0 run in 77-52 rout of Illinois
BOSTON (AP) Thirty points in a row - that's quite a run.
The NCAA Tournament streak UConn is putting together is pretty, pretty impressive, too.
The defending national champions scored 30 straight points to power their way back to the Final Four on Saturday night, steamrolling Illinois 77-52 - a March Madness record 10th straight double-digit victory for the top-seeded Huskies.
Donovan Clingan had 22 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots, and UConn scored the first 25 points of the second half to turn a five-point lead into a blowout. The Huskies, who cruised to their fifth national title last year, seem inexorably headed for a sixth: Their NCAA Tournament wins this year have come by 39, 17, 30 and 25 points.
“We’re going to be tough to beat,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “It was a special level of basketball that we were playing.”
Actor Bill Murray, whose son, Luke, is a Huskies assistant coach, watched the game from a courtside seat and took video of the postgame celebration, where his grandchildren were showered with confetti. “Curb Your Enthusiasm” star Larry David was also part of a heavily partisan crowd the Huskies (35-3) called “Storrs North” for the East Region games that were played about 90 miles from campus.
UConn, which won the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden and advanced to the Sweet 16 in Brooklyn, will now get on an airplane for the first time in almost a month and head to the Final Four outside of Phoenix. It will face West Region champion Alabama, which advanced with an 89-82 victory over Clemson later Saturday night.
The Huskies, who set a school record for victories in a season, are the first defending champs to make it back to the national semifinals since Florida won back-to-back titles in 2006 and ’07.
That’s still a possibility for UConn, too.
“It’s not about really trying to win No. 6 or go back-to back,” Hurley said. “It’s this time of year, you 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. It’s what you learn when you win the way we’ve won: It really is about the work, the journey, the process.”
Marcus Domask scored 17 points - 15 in the first half - for Illinois (29-9), and star Terrence Shannon Jr. was held to eight points on 2-of-12 shooting. Shannon, who scored 29 points in Thursday night's Sweet 16 victory over Iowa State and played much of the season while facing a rape charge in Kansas, snapped a string of 41 straight games scoring in double digits.
Illinois, which had the most efficient offense in the country this season, shot 25% (17 of 67) and scored a season-low 52 points.
Cam Spencer had his first career double-double, scoring 11 points with 12 rebounds for UConn, which reached the Elite Eight with a 30-point win over San Diego State on Thursday night. Hassan Diarra scored 11 and Alex Karaban had 10 points for the Huskies.
But the big problem for third-seeded Illinois was the 7-foot-2 Clingan.
The Fighting Illini (29-9) managed just four points in the first half when Clingan was in the game, with the Connecticut native recording nine points, six rebounds and three blocks before the break. Overall, they were 0 for 19 on shots challenged by Clingan.
“We were getting the same shots we’ve always gotten, and Clingan erased a few of them,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “He’s good. I mean, doesn’t everybody have him projected in the (NBA) lottery or close to it? He does a great job of protecting the rim.”
The Illini had several lengthy scoring droughts, falling behind 9-0 and failing to score before the first media timeout; they was shut out again between the under-12 minute break and the one that came under 8 minutes, missing 11 shots in a row. Still, they trailed only 28-23 at the half.
That's when things really fell apart.
Illinois missed its first 14 shots of the second - 17 misses in a row, in all. The 30-0 UConn run lasted for the last 1:49 of the first half and the first 7:19 of the second.
“I didn’t expect that. But tons of credit to UConn,” Underwood said. “I thought we were in a good spot at half, especially after the slow start. ... We obviously came out in the second half and got blitzed.”
By the time Clingan took a break with 14:35 to play, the Huskies led by 23. On the next Illinois possession, Samson Johnson - who subbed in for Clingan - blocked Shannon under the basket and finished the fast break at the other end with a layup that gave UConn a 48-23 lead.
“It felt like no shots were going in. And it felt like they were getting out in transition and scoring every single time,” Illinois forward Coleman Hawkins said. “You look up, and you’re still at 23.”
UP NEXT
The national semifinals are April 6 in Glendale, Arizona. Alabama will be making its first Final Four appearance.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Quincy Guerrier vs. Donovan Clingan (Huskies gains possession) | |||
19:46 | Donovan Clingan misses two point layup | |||
19:44 | Jump ball. (Fighting Illini gains possession) | |||
19:22 | Terrence Shannon Jr. misses two point driving layup | |||
19:20 | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | |||
19:14 | Jump ball. (Huskies gains possession) | |||
18:58 | +2 | Donovan Clingan makes two point dunk (Stephon Castle assists) | 0-2 | |
18:37 | Coleman Hawkins misses three point jump shot | |||
18:35 | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | |||
18:30 | Stephon Castle misses two point driving layup | |||
18:28 | Donovan Clingan offensive rebound | |||
18:28 | +2 | Donovan Clingan makes two point putback layup | 0-4 | |
18:28 | Coleman Hawkins shooting foul (Donovan Clingan draws the foul) | |||
18:28 | +1 | Donovan Clingan makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 0-5 | |
18:03 | Marcus Domask turnover (lost ball) (Donovan Clingan steals) | |||
17:49 | Tristen Newton misses two point driving layup | |||
17:47 | Quincy Guerrier defensive rebound | |||
17:39 | Alex Karaban blocks Marcus Domask's two point layup | |||
17:37 | Fighting Illini offensive rebound | |||
17:34 | Ty Rodgers misses two point floating jump shot | |||
17:32 | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | |||
17:13 | Stephon Castle misses two point layup | |||
17:11 | Donovan Clingan offensive rebound | |||
17:10 | +2 | Donovan Clingan makes two point putback layup | 0-7 | |
16:57 | Donovan Clingan shooting foul (Ty Rodgers draws the foul) | |||
16:57 | Ty Rodgers misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
16:57 | Ty Rodgers misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
16:57 | Donovan Clingan defensive rebound | |||
16:42 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
16:40 | Marcus Domask defensive rebound | |||
16:34 | Dain Dainja turnover (out of bounds) | |||
16:19 | +2 | Samson Johnson makes two point alley-oop dunk (Tristen Newton assists) | 0-9 | |
16:00 | Tristen Newton shooting foul (Marcus Domask draws the foul) | |||
16:00 | TV timeout | |||
16:00 | Marcus Domask misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
16:00 | +1 | Marcus Domask makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 1-9 | |
15:35 | Tristen Newton misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
15:33 | Marcus Domask defensive rebound | |||
15:18 | +2 | Quincy Guerrier makes two point cutting dunk (Marcus Domask assists) | 3-9 | |
14:55 | +2 | Cam Spencer makes two point driving floating jump shot (Stephon Castle assists) | 3-11 | |
14:30 | +2 | Marcus Domask makes two point driving layup | 5-11 | |
14:19 | Stephon Castle misses three point jump shot | |||
14:17 | Quincy Guerrier defensive rebound | |||
13:54 | Coleman Hawkins misses two point turnaround hook shot | |||
13:52 | Samson Johnson defensive rebound | |||
13:26 | Luke Goode shooting foul (Tristen Newton draws the foul) | |||
13:26 | +1 | Tristen Newton makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 5-12 | |
13:26 | +1 | Tristen Newton makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 5-13 | |
13:06 | Quincy Guerrier misses two point driving layup | |||
13:04 | Luke Goode offensive rebound | |||
13:01 | +3 | Marcus Domask makes three point jump shot (Luke Goode assists) | 8-13 | |
12:39 | Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot | |||
12:37 | Luke Goode defensive rebound | |||
12:33 | +2 | Terrence Shannon Jr. makes two point driving layup | 10-13 | |
12:10 | Tristen Newton misses two point layup | |||
12:08 | Coleman Hawkins defensive rebound | |||
12:02 | Quincy Guerrier misses three point jump shot | |||
12:00 | Alex Karaban defensive rebound | |||
11:40 | +2 | Hassan Diarra makes two point bank jump shot | 10-15 | |
11:27 | +3 | Marcus Domask makes three point jump shot | 13-15 | |
10:57 | TV timeout | |||
10:55 | Donovan Clingan misses two point jump shot | |||
10:53 | Luke Goode defensive rebound | |||
10:44 | Stephon Castle blocks Terrence Shannon Jr.'s two point driving layup | |||
10:40 | Cam Spencer defensive rebound | |||
10:40 | Dain Dainja blocks Stephon Castle's two point layup | |||
10:36 | Fighting Illini defensive rebound | |||
10:36 | Jump ball. (Fighting Illini gains possession) | |||
10:16 | Marcus Domask misses two point jump shot | |||
10:14 | Huskies defensive rebound | |||
9:59 | Cam Spencer misses three point jump shot | |||
9:57 | Justin Harmon defensive rebound | |||
9:50 | Justin Harmon misses two point layup | |||
9:48 | Cam Spencer defensive rebound | |||
9:38 | +2 | Hassan Diarra makes two point layup (Cam Spencer assists) | 13-17 | |
9:15 | Marcus Domask misses two point fadeaway jump shot | |||
9:10 | Huskies defensive rebound | |||
8:59 | +2 | Donovan Clingan makes two point layup (Stephon Castle assists) | 13-19 | |
8:42 | Ty Rodgers misses two point layup | |||
8:40 | Ty Rodgers offensive rebound | |||
8:32 | Donovan Clingan blocks Terrence Shannon Jr.'s two point driving layup | |||
8:30 | Coleman Hawkins offensive rebound | |||
8:28 | Coleman Hawkins misses three point jump shot | |||
8:26 | Fighting Illini offensive rebound | |||
8:26 | Stephon Castle personal foul | |||
8:25 | Donovan Clingan blocks Terrence Shannon Jr.'s two point cutting layup | |||
8:23 | Fighting Illini offensive rebound | |||
8:21 | Ty Rodgers misses two point reverse layup | |||
8:19 | Stephon Castle defensive rebound | |||
8:10 | Hassan Diarra misses three point jump shot | |||
8:08 | Luke Goode defensive rebound | |||
7:56 | Donovan Clingan blocks Ty Rodgers's two point driving layup | |||
7:54 | Hassan Diarra defensive rebound | |||
7:24 | Tristen Newton misses three point jump shot | |||
7:20 | Fighting Illini defensive rebound | |||
7:20 | TV timeout | |||
6:50 | Cam Spencer blocks Quincy Guerrier's two point driving dunk | |||
6:48 | Tristen Newton defensive rebound | |||
6:32 | Tristen Newton misses two point layup | |||
6:30 | Quincy Guerrier defensive rebound | |||
6:19 | +2 | Marcus Domask makes two point driving layup | 15-19 | |
5:55 | Stephon Castle misses three point jump shot | |||
5:53 | Cam Spencer offensive rebound | |||
5:49 | Terrence Shannon Jr. blocks Cam Spencer's two point layup | |||
5:47 | Terrence Shannon Jr. defensive rebound | |||
5:45 | Stephon Castle personal foul | |||
5:27 | +2 | Quincy Guerrier makes two point driving layup | 17-19 | |
5:02 | Quincy Guerrier shooting foul (Cam Spencer draws the foul) | |||
5:02 | +1 | Cam Spencer makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 17-20 | |
5:02 | +1 | Cam Spencer makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 17-21 | |
4:49 | +2 | Coleman Hawkins makes two point layup | 19-21 | |
4:30 | Alex Karaban offensive foul | |||
4:30 | Alex Karaban turnover (offensive foul) | |||
4:13 | Luke Goode misses three point jump shot | |||
4:11 | Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn offensive rebound | |||
4:09 | Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn misses two point putback layup | |||
4:04 | Cam Spencer defensive rebound | |||
4:00 | +2 | Samson Johnson makes two point dunk (Hassan Diarra assists) | 19-23 | |
3:39 | +2 | Marcus Domask makes two point layup | 21-23 | |
3:15 | Marcus Domask personal foul (Tristen Newton draws the foul) | |||
3:15 | TV timeout | |||
3:09 | Tristen Newton turnover (bad pass) (Marcus Domask steals) | |||
2:48 | Terrence Shannon Jr. misses two point driving layup | |||
2:46 | Hassan Diarra defensive rebound | |||
2:36 | Donovan Clingan misses two point layup | |||
2:34 | Quincy Guerrier defensive rebound | |||