UCONN HUSKIES VS. ST JOHN'S RED STORM | HIGHLIGHTS

 

HASHEEM THABEET JOINS UCONN LEGENDS IN HUSKIES OF HONOR

 

MAYA MORE | BASKETBALL 🏀 GOAT 🐐

Maya Moore is a retired American professional basketball player who is widely regarded as one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time.

 • WNBA Career: She played her entire professional career for the Minnesota Lynx (2011–2018, 2020–2021) in the WNBA. During that time, she won four WNBA championships (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) and was named WNBA Finals MVP in 2013.

 • College Success: Before that, she was a superstar at the University of Connecticut (UConn), where she led the Huskies to two NCAA championships (2009, 2010) and finished as a two-time Naismith Player of the Year.

 • Accolades: She was a six-time WNBA All-Star, the 2014 WNBA MVP, and also won Olympic gold medals with Team USA in 2012 (London) and 2016 (Rio).

 • Beyond Basketball: In 2019, Moore stepped away from the game at the peak of her career to focus on criminal justice reform. She was instrumental in helping secure the release of Jonathan Irons, a wrongfully convicted man, whom she later married.

Her legacy goes beyond basketball — she is celebrated both as a Hall of Fame-level athlete and as a social justice advocate who used her platform for impact.

THE HUSKIES ARE THE NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPS

 

UCONN BEAT PURDUE WND CRUISES TO SIXTH NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP

UConn Athletics

 GLENDALE, Ariz. -- On paper, the plan wasn't working.

Zach Edey had 14 points, the reigning Wooden Award winner was talking trash to Dan Hurley and the UConn bench, and Purdue led the Huskies with 8 minutes left in the first half.

UConn had elected to guard Edey one-on-one with Donovan Clingan, essentially allowing him to score at will, while focusing most of their defensive attention on the Boilermakers' other players. Edey was dominating UConn's projected lottery pick center like nobody else had all season.

But UConn, as it has done consistently over the past two years, stayed the course and trusted its game plan. Edey couldn't beat the Huskies by himself, and his teammates weren't doing much to help.

The floodgates opened for UConn in the second half, and the Huskies ultimately beat Purdue 75-60, winning their second straight men's national championship and becoming the first team to go back-to-back since Florida in 2006 and 2007.

"What could you say?" UConn coach Dan Hurley said. "We won -- by a lot again."

And after one of the most dominant NCAA tournament runs in history last year, when UConn beat its six opponents by 20.0 points per game, it was even more unbeatable this year. The Huskies' average scoring margin in their six 2024 NCAA tournament wins was 23.3 points.

Once again, all six wins came by double digits -- making that 12 straight NCAA tournament wins by at least 10 points dating back to last season.

"I think it's up there in terms of the greatest two-year runs that a program maybe has ever had," Hurley said. "I just think it's the best two-year run I think in a very, very long time just because of everything we lost from last year's team. To lose that much, and again, to do what we did again, it's got to be as impressive a two-year run as a program's had since prior to whoever did it before Duke. To me, it's more impressive than what Florida and Duke did because they brought back their entire teams. We lost some major players."

Purdue was expected to be UConn's most difficult test in two years. The Boilermakers were arguably the second-best team in the country all season, boasted the best player in the college basketball and were a connected group that also happened to be the second-best 3-point shooting team in the nation.

The numbers supported the Huskies' decision to focus most of their defensive effort on Purdue's complementary players. In Purdue's wins this season, Edey averaged 24.9 points. In Purdue's losses, Edey averaged 25.0 points. The 7-foot-4 center was going to get his production regardless.

As a result, the much-anticipated matchup between Edey and Clingan was one-sided in the early minutes of the game. Edey short-armed his first shot over Clingan, hitting the front rim. For the next 11 minutes, though, he did whatever he wanted against UConn's big man. He scored over Clingan, absorbed contact to finish through Clingan, and even caught a lob and dunked against Clingan.

Purdue was getting Edey the ball in good position, and he was scoring consistently.

After he scored his 13th and 14th points with 8:07 left in the first half to give Purdue a 2-point lead, he looked over at the UConn bench and exchanged a few words with Hurley as the two teams jogged back to their respective huddles at the media timeout.

"I got a couple looks," joked Huskies assistant coach Luke Murray, who was assigned to scout and plan for Purdue in preparation for Monday's game.

"Their offensive efficiency numbers really don't fluctuate that much depending on whether he's really good or great or excellent. Where it really starts to change is when [Fletcher] Loyer, [Braden] Smith and [Lance] Jones and [Mason] Gillis and those guys make 3s. ... We felt if Zach had a great game and we did a great job of holding those other guys in check, that we'd have a really good shot to win."

After Edey's opening salvo, though, he struggled for a long stretch, and Purdue couldn't keep up with the Huskies. He made just one field goal in the next 14:28 as UConn turned a 2-point deficit into a 9-point lead.

UConn tasked freshman Stephon Castle, who had previously helped shut down Northwestern's Boo Buie and Illinois' Terrence Shannon Jr. earlier in the tournament, with pressuring Purdue point guard Smith, while veteran guards Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer looked to keep Purdue's perimeter players from getting clean looks.

The Boilermakers attempted just two 3-pointers in the first half and seven in the game, with the lone made 3 coming when Smith had to put up a desperation jumper with the shot clock winding down in the first half.

"We watched the film," Newton said. "They get their 3-pointers off, people going down there and helping on Edey. They did a great job game planning and made sure it was a focus that we didn't leave the 3-point line and let Edey do his damage. He only shoots 2s. He doesn't shoot 3s. If he makes 15 2s like he did today, that's 30. Where are the rest of the points going to come from?"

"I just think it's the best two-year run I think in a very, very long time just because of everything we lost from last year's team. To lose that much, and again, to do what we did again, it's got to be as impressive a two-year run as a program's had since prior to whoever did it before Duke. To me, it's more impressive than what Florida and Duke did because they brought back their entire teams. We lost some major players."

UConn coach Dan Hurley

"The coaches made a point that we'd be really locked in if we could control their 3-point attempts," Spencer added. "I think holding them to seven, we were just really locked in on not letting those other guys get involved in the game."

Purdue briefly threatened UConn early in the second half, when Camden Heide had an aggressive put-back dunk to cut the lead to seven and when Edey scored four straight points to cut the lead to nine. But the Huskies constantly countered with key shots when it mattered and led by double-digits for nearly 15 minutes in the second half.

They became the third team to win multiple title games by 15-plus points and just the second team to do it in consecutive years, joining UCLA's three-year run from 1967 to 1969, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

"To win [by] double digits these past two years, it's just a tribute to our culture here," forward Alex Karaban said. "We're never satisfied. We're always hungry. We're always going to go on runs and we're always going to continue to play hard to where we're going to break the other team. No team practices like us, no team goes as hard as us. It showed in the second half."

Newton won the NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player award after finishing with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 7 assists -- the second time he has been UConn's best player in the championship game. In the 2023 title game win over San Diego State, Newton went for 19 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists.

Castle continued his stellar postseason, finishing with 15 points and 5 rebounds after tallying 21 points and 5 rebounds against Alabama in the semifinals.

Edey had 37 points for the most points scored in a losing effort in the national championship game.

While last year's fifth championship seemingly settled the debate around UConn's blue-blood status, going back-to-back for the Huskies' sixth title in 26 years puts the program in truly rarified air. Only six other schools have produced back-to-back men's basketball champions, and UConn is now tied for third all time with six championships.

"We're going to try to replicate it again. We're going to maintain a championship culture," Hurley said.

"I don't think that we're going anywhere."

- Jeff Borzello, ESPN Staff Writer

NO. 2 UCONN BEATS NO. 10 MARQUETTE 73-57 TO WIN FIRST BIG EAST TOURNAMENT SINCE 2011

AP Photo

 NEW YORK (AP) — UConn coach Dan Hurley climbed the ladder with “New York, New York” playing in Madison Square Garden — or as he calls it, “Storrs South.”

The New Jersey native clipped the last piece of net off the rim, let out a “Wooooo!” as he whirled it over his head and then tapped the Big East sign on the backboard before making his way back down.

Hurley and his defending national champions have eyes on even bigger prizes this March, but make no mistake, winning the Big East Tournament was a big deal for the Huskies.

Donovan Clingan had 22 points and a career-best 16 rebounds, Jaylin Stewart gave No. 2 UConn an unexpected boost with three second-half 3-pointers during a decisive surge and the Huskies beat No. 10 Marquette 73-57 on Saturday night to win the tournament for the first time since rejoining the conference four years ago.

“MSG, Big East Tournament, there's nothing like it,” Hurley said. “There's just no comparison anywhere to what this place is like.”

Tournament MVP Tristen Newton added 13 points and 10 assists as the top-seeded Huskies won their eighth title, matching Georgetown for the most in conference history. It was their first since 2011, when Kemba Walker led UConn to five wins in five days at The Garden — and then a national title.

Stewart, a freshman who was averaging 2.4 points off the bench, scored nine in about four minutes as UConn (31-3) pulled away from a gritty Marquette team playing without injured star Tyler Kolek (oblique) for a sixth straight game.

Kam Jones led the third-seeded Golden Eagles (25-9), the defending tournament champions, with 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

On a night when the Huskies struggled from the perimeter, they relied on the 7-foot-2 Clingan inside. The Connecticut native was 7 for 12 from the field and, as the final seconds ticked off the clock, the sophomore big man waved on hyped-up Huskies fans who packed the Midtown Manhattan arena.

“It means everything," Clingan said. "This was one of our goals at the beginning of the season, so to complete it means a lot.”

Two years after UConn's last Big East Tournament title the league broke up and the Huskies went with the football schools to form the American Athletic Conference, where they won another national championship in 2014 — and then fell off.

UConn returned to the Big East in 2020-21 and to national prominence. The Huskies won their fifth NCAA title last year, but the conference tournament championship had eluded Hurley's team. UConn hadn't even reached the final in its first three seasons back in the Big East.

Hurley rattled off all his team has accomplished in the last year as he accepted the trophy Saturday night and told the crowd: “But we ain't done yet.”

UConn improved to 8-3 in Big East finals, and 7-0 at MSG this season.

As usual, UConn fans packed The Garden and for the second straight night Marquette faced a road-game environment. The Golden Eagles overcame a raucous Providence crowd in a rugged semifinal Friday night.

AP Photo 

“Today was rough for sure," said David Joplin, who had 12 points and six rebounds in the Golden Eagles' lowest-scoring game of the season by 12 points. “We’ve got a great team, and we’ve got a great chance to play well in the (NCAA) Tournament, and that’s all you need is a chance.”

Two of the country's best teams played one of the ugliest nine minutes of basketball imaginable to start the game.

At the second media timeout, the score was tied at 4 and the Golden Eagles and Huskies were a combined 3 for 22 from the floor. The defense was aggressive and physical, but it was also hard to keep track of just how many point-blank shots rolled off the rim.

Things picked up from there, and Newton swished a 3-pointer with three seconds left in the first half to give UConn a 26-24 lead at the break.

The shots started falling in the second half for both teams and UConn began asserting itself with about 10 minutes left, led by Stewart.

The Huskies went on a 19-5 run and led 60-44 with 5:54 remaining when Hassan Diarra made a corner 3.

“I thought we ran out of steam there probably in the last 10 minutes,” Marquette coach Shaka Smart said. “Donovan Clingan was the biggest difference.”

Stewart keyed UConn's surge with his long-range shooting. He came into the game just 6 for 30 from 3-point range on the season.

“Biggest shots of my life,” Stewart said. “It was electric in there.”

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HALFTIME HIGHLIGHTS | MICHIGAN VS. WASHINGTON

NCAA - MICHIGAN BEAT WASHINGTON TO WIN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, FINISH SEASON 15-0

USA TODAY Sports 

Michigan's rushing attack overpowered Washington as the Wolverines emerged with 34-13 victory on Monday to snap a 26-year national championship drought and cap an undefeated season.

Donovan Edwards ran for two long first-quarter touchdowns and Blake Corum punched it in twice in the fourth quarter for the favored Wolverines, who limited the Huskies' vaunted offense to a single touchdown.

"15-0," Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said as blue and yellow confetti rained down on the field in Houston.

"Took on all comers and we're the last ones standing. Champions."

NO. 5 UCONN NEVER TRAILS, ROUTES NO. 10 GONZAGA

USA TODAY Sports 

Donovan Clingan led all players with 21 points and eight rebounds as No. 5 UConn never trailed in defeating No. 10 Gonzaga 76-63 Friday night in the p Tip-Off.

Cam Spencer scored 15 points for the Huskies (10-1) in a rematch of last season's NCAA Tournament West Regional final, which UConn won 82-54 in Las Vegas. Alex Karaban added 11 points and Tristen Newton and Hassan Diarra scored nine apiece in a balanced attack. Newton dished out a game-high five assists, the same total as the entire Gonzaga team.

It was the second loss to a team nicknamed the Huskies in Seattle in less than a week for the Bulldogs (8-3), who dropped a 78-73 decision on Dec. 9 at Washington.

NO. 3 WASHINGTON RALLIES TO BEAT NO. 5 OREGON 34-31

AP Photo 

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Washington went into what likely was the last Pac-12 Championship living on the edge, and of course the Huskies were going to do it again Friday night.

They blew a 17-point lead, watched Oregon go ahead by four and immediately responded with the drive of the game.

And now the third-ranked Huskies not only are the Pac-12 champions, they secured a spot in the College Football Playoff with a 34-31 victory over No. 5 Oregon.

Washington didn't panic when pressed in the second half, having closed the regular season by winning three consecutive one-possession games by a combined 12 points. Oregon entered with a six-game winning streak, five of them decided by double digits.

“The love and trust we have on our team is unmatched,” said Washington's Michael Penix Jr., the game MVP after passing for 319 yards and a touchdown. “We've been doing it each and every week. We're not going to say we want those games to be close.”

The game was likely the final Pac-12 Championship given 10 of the 12 teams will be playing in different conferences next season. Only Oregon State and Washington State will remain as they try to find a way to keep the tradition-rich conference together in some form.

Washington (13-0) was the last Pac-12 team to make the CFP — in the 2016 season.

The Huskies, who were 9 1/2-point underdogs, scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to take a 34-24 lead. Oregon (11-2) scored a late touchdown for the final score, but failed to recover the onside kick that all but ended its chances.

“That one hurts,” Ducks coach Dan Lanning said. “In a four-quarter fight, you can't start out slow against a really good team.”

Dillon Johnson ran for 152 yards and two TDs for the Huskies. Two Washington receivers had more than 100 yards — Jalen McMillan (nine receptions for 131 yards) and Biletnikoff finalist Rome Odunze (eight for 102) who was returning to his hometown.

Oregon's Bo Nix, the favorite entering the game to win the Heisman Trophy according to FanDuel Sportsbook, passed for 239 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 69 yards.

“It's a lot of emotions, a lot going on that maybe you wish you could change,” Nix said. “That's what is the good and bad about any kind of competition is there has to be a loser. As bad as it feels, that's why you play the game.”

If it was indeed the final title game for the conference, it was quite a way to go out as Oregon and Washington again played a high-scoring game with big plays throughout. The Huskies won the regular-season meeting, 36-33 in Seattle in October.

Washington took a 20-3 lead before the Ducks scored a touchdown with nine seconds left to get to within 10 points.

That score got Oregon going, converting two fourth downs on the opening drive of the second, including a 2-yard touchdown from Nix to tight end Terrance Ferguson to get within three points. The Ducks took the lead at 24-20 with 1:51 left in the third quarter on Jordan James' 6-yard TD run.

The lead didn't last long as Washington scored on its next drive to take the lead for good.

Penix completed a 31-yard pass to McMillan to Oregon's 20, helping set up Johnson's 1-yard run up the middle for the touchdown and 27-24 lead.

“When you've got (Penix) right here, you give him a chance to touch the football and make plays,” Washington coach Kalen DeBoer said. “He's been through it all. He's got all these experiences to draw upon and knows when to take the risk and when not to, how to put the team on his back and keep moving.”

This is the second time both teams have been ranked in the top 10 when they have played each other. The other time was the first meeting this season.

Washington improved to 3-0 in the Pac-12 Championship. Oregon fell to 4-2.

- Mark Anderson 

PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIP | OREGON DUCKS VS. WASHINGTON HUSKIES | COLLEGE FOOTBALL