Bryce Miller: UConn can — and did — in Sweet 16 rout of Aztecs
The defending national champion Huskies shows why, ending San Diego State's run in back-to-back seasons UConn defeated San Diego State in a Sweet 16 match at the TD Garden, winning 82-52. The Aztecs, who had an out-of-jersey experience, struggled to cope with the heavyweight Huskies. UConn owned the boards, the perimeter, and nearly everything else on the 94 feet from baseline to baseline. The defending national champions dominated the game, winning by 20 points in paint points and scoring more second-chance points, more points off turnovers, and more bench points. Despite being out-classed by the Aztec, San Diego state's performance was seen as a significant step forward for the team. Despite a strong performance from the Aztes, UConn's defense and other key players, including Bryce Miller and Jonon LeDee, managed to keep the game alive.
Publicado : hace 4 semanas por Bryce Miller en Sports
In the end, UConn was too UConn and San Diego State was too San Diego State.
The Aztecs needed an out-of-jersey experience to size up to the heavyweight Huskies in a Sweet 16 matchup Thursday at the TD Garden.
UConn, a mere 73 miles from home as crows fly, owned the crowd, the seeding, the history. Soon, they owned the boards, the perimeter and nearly everything else on the 94 feet stretching from baseline to baseline.
The margin for error against the defending national champions was tissue-paper thin.
It got skinnier in a hurry.
“Either better or we’re worse,” San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher said, when asked if this UConn was better than a season ago after an 82-52 finish that somehow felt worse. “I don’t know. Yeah, they’re good. They’re connected. They’re dangerous.”
Stopping this UConn bunch felt a bit like trying to position a wobbly shopping cart in front of a bullet train. The Huskies aren’t this tournament’s No. 1 overall seed for nothing.
In the waning moments, UConn had doubled up the normally rugged Aztecs on the boards, 50-25. Then San Diego State grabbed four more long after those things mattered.
The Huskies threatened to finish with more offensive rebounds than the Aztecs had in total. It almost seemed like coach Dan Hurley grabbed a couple before it was over.
UConn planted a flag in the lane from the tip and refused to budge. It ended up with a massive 20-point beat-down in paint points. It finished with more second-chance points, more points off turnovers, more bench points.
More and more and more until the Aztecs wilted.
“We had our best night and they have one of their best nights,” Hurley said. “Obviously didn’t expect a game like this versus those guys.”
The Aztecs were out-gunned and out-classed, as most expected. That trademark defense that muddies the waters for many, mucking up rhythm and leaving teams feeling hot breath on necks barely slowed the high-flying Huskies.
UConn came into Thursday’s game averaging nearly 82 points per game. It scored 82.
UConn has held opponents to less than 64 points. The Aztecs barely managed to climb into the 50s.
UConn was very UConn-y, unfortunately for those draped in red and black.
“I think the group, we have killer instincts,” Hurley said.
The cracks San Diego State had shown this season, like a telling road map, widened at the flick of every wrist.
The Aztecs shot a miserable 22.7 percent from 3, missing 17 of 22 attempts. To have a chance in the game, against a team like the Huskies, the marksmanship needed to be Annie Oakley-good.
In its 10 previous losses, San Diego State hit an average of 26.9 percent from long range, which would rank 350th out of 351 Division I programs across the season. In ranked wins against Gonzaga and Utah State twice, the Aztecs popped at a 36.8-percent clip — more like 27th-in-the-country pace.
Clanking and clunking against a group as deep and polished as UConn was a recipe befitting a school lunchroom.
“We knew we had to make some shots and we didn’t make enough,” Dutcher said.
There’s no doubt that racking up back-to-back trips to at least the Sweet 16 signaled real and potentially meaningful progress for the Aztecs, who not so long ago were known as a winning program that could not escape the NCAA Tournament’s opening weekend.
As the clock stopped at 3:02 to play, Dutcher hugged some of the essential architects of what could be a bridge to somewhere.
First, Lamont Butler who hit the biggest shot in program history in last season’s national semifinal. Then Jaedon LeDee, who blossomed into one the toughest matchups in the college game. Then Darrion Trammell, who slayed No. 1 Alabama a season ago and put a dagger into Creighton.
This mountain, though? Too tall.
This night? Too much.
It’s hard to imagine any team surviving the pace and bursts UConn uncorked Thurday.
Four players finished with multiple 3s for the Huskies. Three from Tristen Newton. Two each from Came Spencer, Alex Karaban and Hassan Diarra.
Less than 10 minutes into the game, UConn was shooting nearly 70 percent from field to build an 11-point cushion. The Aztecs clawed back to within five. The Huskies surged again ... and again ... and again, until San Diego’s gas tank became bone dry.
This UConn collective gashes you on the way to the rim, surgically dismantles you in the mid-range game and snipers your will at the arc.
San Diego State anchor Jaedon LeDee, who capped a marvelous run on Montezuma Mesa with 18 points and eight rebounds, was asked whether this UConn team was better than its trophy-hoisting predecessor.
“I couldn’t really tell you off the top of my head,” LeDee said. “The team is really good. They played a really good game.”
Dutcher dodged the opportunity to blame the early-morning flight from Spokane the previous round or the cross-country trek to Boston.
It was Air Huskies, not air miles.
“Just a lot more UConn,” he said.
Way, way, way too much UConn.