Photo Courtesy of UConn Athletics
The Number One Overall Seed in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the University of Connecticut (UConn), is dancing in the Final Four on Saturday, April 6th, at 8:49 PM ET and will play number-four seed, the University of Alabama. UConn looks to be the first team to repeat as national champions since the University of Florida Gators won back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007.
Photo Courtesy of the New York Post
The Huskies are coached by Head Coach Dan Hurley, who led the Huskies to the NCAA Division I National Championship in 2023 as a four-seed. Star players on the 2022-23 team have since been drafted into the NBA which includes 14th overall pick Jordon Hawkins to the New Orleans Pelicans, a crucial part of their national championship team; 32nd pick Adama Sanogo, their star big man to the Chicago Bulls; and Andre Jackson, one of the most impactful leaders on that team, drafted at thirty-sixth overall to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Photo Courtesy of SportingNews.com
This year has had many key contributors to the Huskies' success as a team, starting with Zero Star recruit, now 2024 First-Team All-American Guard Tristan Newton, Big East Freshman of the Year and McDonald’s All-American Stephon Castle, and Center Donovan Clingan. Clingan came off the bench during last year’s run and made a massive impact, especially in the Final Four.
Clingan has been a part of the starting lineup for the entire season, except for a short injury in December. Clingan returned from his injury healthy and stronger, and is on a tear, recently being named the Most Outstanding Player in the East Region following their overwhelming victory over Illinois. UConn started the second half with a 28-0 run in the Elite Eight, defeating the Fighting Illini 77-52, marking their tenth straight double-digit victory in the NCAA Tournament, going back to last year.
This UConn team heads to Phoenix, Arizona, looking to be the first team in seventeen years to repeat. UConn also looks to set themselves apart as a basketball powerhouse this decade in the “Basketball Capital of the World.”
Comments