No. 1 overall seed UConn secured its spot in the national championship game with a 86-72 win over No. 4 seed Alabama on Saturday night in the Final Four. The Huskies withstood a series of runs from the Crimson Tide, countering every one of them with a barrage of their own.
Stephon Castle led the way by matching a career-high 21 points as the freshman wing put his five-star talent on full display. Down the stretch, 7-foot-2 center Donovan Clingan helped put it away with a pair of dunks that served as knockout blows. Alabama guard Mark Sears scored 24 to lead the Crimson Tide, but they couldn't overcome a sluggish shooting performance in the second half.
UConn's win sets up the 10th-ever national title game between No. 1 seeds as the Huskies will take on fellow No. 1 seed Purdue on Monday night. If UConn wins, it will become the repeat national champion in Division I men's basketball since Florida did it in 2006 and 2007.
Alabama presented UConn with its most significant challenge of any opponent yet in the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide took a 31-30 lead with 4:58 remaining in the first half on a Latrell Wrightsell Jr. 3-pointer. It was part of an 8 of 11 shooting performance from beyond the arc in the opening stanza for Bama. But it proved to be Alabama's last lead.
""They're like the hardest team to guard," UConn coach Dan Hurley said. "Illinois had a great offense, but these guys were harder to guard because of their one-on-one abilities."
Crimson Tide guard Aaron Estrada lined up an open 3-pointer with 11:49 remaining in the game. If it had fallen, it would have given Alabama a 59-56 lead. But it rimmed out, and an 8-0 UConn run ensued. The miss was part of a 3 of 12 shooting performance from 3-point range in the second half for the Crimson Tide.
"They're good," Alabama coach Nate Oats said. "Like Danny says, they're close to being bulletproof. When you're that good on both sides of the ball, when you outrebound teams. The box score had us down for zero fast break points, that's the first time all season that's happened to us."
Blockbuster title matchup
A must-see national title game is set for Monday night as the No. 1 overall seed Huskies will take on No. 1 seed Purdue in a battle of two teams that dominated college basketball all season long. The NCAA Tournament produced plenty of upsets and unexpected outcomes, but even March Madness couldn't interfere with the inevitable showdown between the Huskies and the Boilermakers.
The game will put Clingan against 7-4 Zach Edey of Purdue. UConn has a deeper supporting cast, but the Boilermakers surround Edey with a ton of shooters and are a team on a mission after last year's first-round loss to a No. 16 seed. UConn received a favorable draw in last year's national title game, facing No. 5 seed San Diego State and winning 76-59. It likely won't be so easy this time as the Huskies seek to repeat.
Clingan's big March continues
Clingan continued his monster postseason with another sterling performance on both ends, finishing 8 of 14 from the floor with four blocks. Alabama is a team that prefers 3-point shots and looks at the rim, but Clingan was there all night to disrupt Alabama's forays to the basket. Once the Crimson Tide went cold from 3-point range, points became difficult to find with Clingan playing the role of defensive enforcer. He also came up huge offensively and is averaging 16.2 points in the 2024 NCAA Tournament as he heads toward a monster showdown with Purdue and Zach Edey.
Castle rises for UConn
Castle showed why he is considered the No. 10 player on CBS Sports' 2024 NBA Draft Big Board. The Crimson Tide dared the versatile 6-6 weapon to shoot 3-pointers, and he delivered with a pair of early makes that helped open up the floor. From there, he showcased his chops as a playmaker while turning in one of the best games of the year on a massive stage.
Castle provided four of the eight points during a critical 8-0 run in the middle of the second half that helped UConn gain separation. He also handled difficult defensive assignments, using his combination of size and athleticism to disrupt Alabama's attack. This time of year, relying on freshmen is a risky proposition. But Castle was up to the challenge and then some against Alabama.
"You knew right away in the recruiting process because of how quickly and decisively he made a decision based on the things that really mattered." Hurley said "He's seen some guards have great success with us over the years. You just knew when you recruited him. And when you got to the first practice, whether you ripped him or praised him, he was always, 'yes, coach.' ... A lot of NBA teams come through and watch us practice and see him where he's got the ball in his hands more and doing things."