UConn holds off late San Diego State push to win national championship

HOUSTON — This wasn’t a national championship game. It was a coronation.

It was another one-sided NCAA Tournament game in which Connecticut and its opponent didn’t look like they belonged on the same court for extended stretches.

Another contest in which the Huskies always had an answer.

Another 40 minutes that made you wonder how UConn was a No. 4 seed and not a No. 1, and how it looked so mediocre during a January swoon in which it lost six times in eight games.

Really, Monday night was apropos of this tournament: It was Dan Hurley’s Huskies and everyone else.

Connecticut was dominant for 30 minutes, then made plays in the clutch to hold off dogged No. 5 San Diego State to win its fifth national championship and first since 2014, 76-59, at NRG Stadium.

It won each game of the tournament by double figures, the first to do it since Villanova in 2018, joining a select company of elite teams.

After losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in the previous two years, UConn returned to college basketball’s mountaintop with relative ease.

The road was easy.

Well-rounded Connecticut didn’t face a No. 1, No. 2 or No. 3 seed.

It didn’t trail in the second half of its last four games and led by at least 18 in all six tournament games. It wound up 16-0 in non-conference contests this season, with each victory by double figures.

It was a performance typical of this run for the Huskies: Efficient and balanced on offense, stingy on defense and overpowering inside. Tristen Newton enjoyed a breakout performance, notching 19 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, Final Four Most Outstanding Player Adama Sanogo had his way inside against the physical Aztecs to the tune of 17 points and 10 rebounds and Jordan Hawkins followed with 16. UConn limited offensively challenged San Diego State to 32.6 percent shooting and only 16 points in the paint.

The celebration started to kick into gear with just over a minute left.

Hawkins implored the crowd to get louder. Sanogo clapped his hands in jubilation.

Chants of “Hus-Kies, Hus-Kies,” began to echo throughout the building.

Hurley emptied his bench with 30.2 seconds left, inserting his son, Andrew, among others.

Andrew Hurley dribbled the clock out, then spiked the ball at the buzzer before jumping into his father’s arms.

San Diego State actually started well.

It hit five of its first six shots and led 10-6 early.

Then, the Aztecs went ice-cold. Frigid.

They missed 14 straight shots.

They had a scoring drought of 6:08.

They went 11:26 without a made field goal, and saw that four-point lead shrink and then balloon into a 16-point deficit.

Connecticut’s length and size were major detriments for San Diego State, a physical team used to having its way inside.

It was held to six points in the paint, it had three shots blocked and several more altered.

It began to get hesitant, leading to turnovers.

The best example came after a Darrion Trammell steal.

Instead of going straight to the rim, he took an awkward angle, missed the shot and it resulted in a Joey Calcaterra 3-pointer in transition for the Huskies.

It was a 12-point game at the break, and San Diego State had to feel fortunate after committing nine turnovers and shooting 28 percent from the field in the opening half.

Connecticut’s eight turnovers were the only reason it was even somewhat close at the break.

All eight Huskies who played scored in the first 20 minutes, led by nine from Newton and seven apiece from Sanogo and Hawkins.

San Diego State did make a run at UConn deep into the second half, ripping off a 12-3 spurt to get within six with 7:40 left.

But Sanogo tipped in a Newton miss and Hawkins sank a 3-pointer, restoring order.

This weekend was billed as the Connecticut Invitational: The Huskies and three unexpected participants.

It lived up to its underwhelming billing.

UConn played the part as the heavy favorite, trouncing its two opponents.

Miami couldn’t stand up to the Huskies in the paint and San Diego State didn’t have nearly enough offense to push Hurley’s loaded team.