The clock had simply struck midnight in Manhattan. Huge East Event Quarterfinal Thursday turned to Friday, and the No. 3-seeded UConn Huskies discovered themselves locked in a decent battle with sixth-seeded Villanova with a spot within the semifinal spherical on the road.
That is when UConn’s chief, Alex Karaban, took over.
The massive stage is nothing new for Karaban, a man whose profitable proportion would rival nearly anyone in Storrs. The junior ahead drained a straightaway triple with 6:18 remaining within the sport to provide Connecticut separation in what had been a nip-and-tuck battle.
Minutes later, simply when it appeared the Wildcats may maybe put yet one more surge collectively, Karaban buried a dagger 3 with lower than 4 minutes to go to say goodnight to Villanova, and good morning to the three groups remaining within the event: St. John’s, Marquette and Creighton.
Are the Huskies what they have been final yr? No. However they nonetheless possess championship DNA and elite-level capturing, and this time of yr, that is going to provide you a shot in opposition to just about anyone.
The Huskies shot 5-of-8 from 3-point vary within the second half and closed the sport on a 22-5 run en path to a 73-56 victory over the Wildcats. The win sends the Huskies to a semifinal showdown and rubber match with Creighton at 9 p.m. ET Friday on FOX.
The Huskies did not simply do it with elite-level capturing on Thursday night time. They locked down the nation’s main scorer, Eric Dixon, holding him to simply eight factors in what was doubtless the ultimate sport of his faculty profession. UConn ended Dixon’s streak of 47 consecutive video games in double figures, a streak that now belongs to Marquette star Kam Jones. In doing so, the Huskies additionally denied Dixon of Kerry Kittles’ program scoring report of two,243 factors, with the fifth-year senior sitting at 2,235.
However most necessary for Karaban and the Huskies is that the group seems to be peaking on the good time, profitable their fifth straight sport.
“It is March, and round right here, we’re determined for championships,” Karaban stated. “Now we have to be taking part in our greatest basketball this time of yr. There is not any different means. Carrying that UConn jersey, you must play with a sure swagger, particularly in March the place championships are gained.”
Karaban completed the sport with 18 factors, 9 rebounds and 6 assists, whereas Liam McNeeley adopted him with 12 factors, and Solo Ball and Samson Johnson had 11 apiece.
Samson Johnson finishes robust and-1 layup, extending UConn’s lead over Villanova
Past the balanced offense, the Huskies gained the rebounding battle, 31-22, and used their physicality to shut out the sport.
“I discovered it encouraging that we have been inside 5 at halftime,” UConn coach Dan Hurley stated. “I feel for us to shut a sport like that to start out the postseason, it exhibits a blueprint of what is doable for this group.”
In a means, the Huskies reminded all people of what was doable after it felt like their season was heading within the fallacious route following a 68-62 loss to St. John’s again on Feb. 7. However after that, UConn avenged an early-season defeat to Creighton with an unimaginable win over the Bluejays behind 38 factors from McNeeley.
Friday night time’s rematch is fascinating for a wide range of causes. For starters, Creighton coach Greg McDermott is 8-4 in opposition to Hurley in his profession. UConn is making an attempt to advance to the Huge East title sport for the second straight yr, one thing they’d not achieved since 2011, earlier than doing it final season. In the meantime, Creighton has reached the semifinal spherical of the Huge East Event 4 instances since 2014, however has but to win it.
In what has developed right into a rivalry because the Huskies returned to the league, Friday night time’s semifinal matchup may ship the products in what’s going to doubtless be Ryan Kalkbrenner’s last sport in opposition to Connecticut.
However late Thursday night, into the early hours of Friday morning, Hurley was all smiles after watching his group put collectively a dominant second half. The Huskies have the look of a group that’s peaking at simply the fitting time.
“It is Lent, so I am a training Catholic,” Hurley stated with a chuckle following the sport. “It is again to the lodge room and on to a slice of cheese pizza for me. Then, we’ll transfer to the nice group that’s Creighton.”
John Fanta is a nationwide faculty basketball broadcaster and author for FOX Sports activities. He covers the game in a wide range of capacities, from calling video games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Community to offering commentary on The Subject of 68 Media Community. Observe him at @John_Fanta.
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