Connecticut blitzes Illinois and continues March Madness domination with trip to Final Four

BOSTON — It was an emotional Saturday for Connecticut coach Dan Hurley, who said after his team's Elite Eight win against Illinois that he had been in tears thinking about the possibility that the game would be the Huskies’ last this season.

“It’s not about winning (national championship) number six or going back-to-back,” he said. “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.”

He didn’t need to worry: After a slow start, the No. 1 Huskies put together a jaw-dropping second half and routed No. 3 Illinois 77-52 to win the East Region and return to the Final Four. The Huskies narrowly missed becoming the first team to win an Elite Eight game by 30 or more points, last done by Cincinnati against Memphis in 1992.

This makes an NCAA-record 10 double-digit tournament wins in a row for the defending national champions. The Huskies’ closest win during this span is 13 points against Miami (Fla.) in last season’s Final Four. With each passing blowout, UConn builds a stronger case for placing this two-year run among the best in college basketball history.

“The level of basketball that we’ve played to this point, it’s been unparalleled,” Hurley said. “Unparalleled in terms of what we’ve been able to do here and the domination of quality teams.”

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This one made the Huskies sweat through an ugly first half. UConn led 28-23 at the break after shooting just 10 of 30 from the field and making one of nine attempts from deep. The five-point halftime lead was the Huskies’ smallest in tournament play since leading Saint Mary’s 31-30 in last year’s second round.

But the floodgates opened early in the second half. The Huskies went on a 25-0 run coming out the locker room to push the score to 52-23 with 13:16 left, putting Illinois into an insurmountable hole. Overall, UConn went on a ridiculous 30-0 run dating to the final 1:49 minutes of the first half.

“We played a level of basketball that was demoralizing to them,” said Hurley. “We know that when you have somebody down, you better beat ‘em down. You better break ‘em. Because you just don’t want a team to hang around in a game.”

With flashy dunks and a lockdown defensive effort, the Huskies’ performance in this roughly 10-minute block is the latest warning shot to the rest of the teams still in competition for the national championship. Each passing basket and defensive stop sent a message to the three teams set to join them in the Final Four: Good luck, and you’re going to need it.

“UConn is something serious to deal with,” senior guard Hassan Diarra said. “I hope they’re ready.”

Defensively, UConn was able to do what no other team has done this postseason: stop Illinois senior Terrence Shannon Jr., who had scored at least 25 points in each of the first three tournament games.

Kept under wraps by UConn freshman Stephon Castle, a potential lottery pick in this year’s NBA draft, Shannon finished with just eight points on 2 of 12 shooting. His season low prior to Saturday was 11 points against Purdue in early March. Shannon hadn’t been held to single digits since scoring six points against Wisconsin on Jan. 28, 2023.

“To really make it as hard as he made it on him today, that really speaks to Steph,” Hurley said.

The Huskies were led by sophomore center Donovan Clingan, who made an enormous impact on both ends. Clingan had a game-high 22 points with 10 rebounds, five blocks and three steals. He was named the MVP of the East Region.

“Everybody dreams of this as a young basketball player, and there's only a certain percentage of people that make it to this level,” he said. “Don't take any moment for granted, go out, give it everything you've got, and I'm extremely blessed to be in this position.”

Active and engaged on both ends from the opening tip, Clingan’s performance continues a hot streak of play beginning in the wake of a loss to Marquette in late February, the Huskies’ last defeat. Clingan is averaging 17 points, 11.2 rebounds and three blocks in his past five games.

“This whole stretch, from the Big East tournament until now, he’s showing why he should be a lottery pick and the first pick taken in the draft,” senior guard Tristen Newton said. “He’s been amazing.”

Another four players joined Clingan in double figures: Hassan Diarra (11 points), Cam Spencer (11), Alex Karaban (10) and Samson Johnson (10). Spencer added 12 rebounds and five assists.

With the win, UConn stays on track to become the eighth Division I program to win back-to-back titles. The most recent to do so was Florida under former coach Billy Donovan in 2006 and 2007. The Huskies are just the fourth defending champion in 30 years to reach the Final Four, along with 1995 Arkansas, 1997 Kentucky, 2001 Michigan State and the Gators.

“We’re getting used to cutting nets,” Diarra said. “We want to continue that.”