March Madness Sweet 16 analysis: UConn cruises past San Diego State, into Elite Eight-ZoomTech News

The 2024 NCAA Males’s Basketball Event continues Thursday because the Candy 16 will get underway from Los Angeles and Boston.

No. 6-seeded Clemson kicked off the motion with a powerful 77-72 victory over No. 2-seeded Arizona. Chase Hunter led the way in which with 18 factors, whereas PJ Corridor added 17 factors and eight rebounds within the victory.

In the meantime, top-seeded UConn adopted with a dominant 82-52 win over No. 5-seeded San Diego State in Boston.

RJ Davis and the No. 1-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels are at present battling Mark Sears and No. 4-seeded Alabama, whereas No. 2-seeded Iowa State follows with a matchup in opposition to Marcus Domask and No. 3-seeded Illinois.

FOX Sports activities’ school basketball specialists, John Fanta and Michael Cohen, are right here to offer immediate evaluation of Sunday’s video games.

Compensate for all of the motion from the Candy 16 right here:

(1) UConn 82, (5) San Diego State 52

After beating Yale to advance to the Candy 16, San Diego State head coach Brian Dutcher referred to as the NCAA Event the “UConn Invitational.” 

“Let’s see if we are able to disrupt the social gathering a bit of bit,” mentioned Dutcher, who has led the Aztecs to back-to-back Candy 16 appearances and final 12 months’s title sport in opposition to the Huskies.

Effectively, San Diego State may need disrupted Connecticut a bit of bit greater than others for at the least a half, being inside 9 factors of the reigning champs on the break, however they had been no match for Dan Hurley’s crew because the evening went on in Boston.

UConn outscored San Diego State 42-21 within the second half to blow out the Aztecs within the nationwide championship sport rematch, 82-52.

Merely put, this program retains rewriting its personal historical past. For a 3rd straight sport, the Huskies broke an NCAA Event report, incomes their ninth consecutive win within the Large Dance by at the least 13 factors. How did they do it on Thursday? By dominating an Aztecs crew that ranked within the top-40 in rebounding margin on the glass. Connecticut held a 50-29 benefit in that class, whereas additionally holding a 38-18 benefit in factors within the paint.

Cam Spencer began 6-for-9 within the sport, ending up with a game-high 18 factors, 5 rebounds and three assists, whereas Tristen Newton tallied 17 factors, seven rebounds and 4 dishes.

The revelation that continues to unveil itself on this match: Stephon Fortress retains constructing his NBA Draft inventory. On Thursday, the Huskies’ star freshman confirmed his offensive arsenal along with his regular protection, going for 16 factors and 11 rebounds.

With the victory, UConn moved to 40-3 in its final 43 video games, and whereas Clemson equipped loads of drama by knocking out Arizona on Thursday, there was no drama for Hurley’s crew. The Huskies have continued to stay as much as being the favourite on this match.

– John Fanta

(6) Clemson 77, (2) Arizona 72

Given the character of Clemson’s remaining two video games earlier than the NCAA Event, it appeared unlikely that protection could be what fueled the Tigers’ run to the Candy 16. That they had allowed 81 factors in a loss to Wake Forest within the regular-season finale. Then they surrendered 76 to Boston School and flamed out of the ACC Event with a 76-55 defeat.

However someplace between these two losses and the beginning of March Insanity, head coach Brad Brownell discovered a technique to flip the change. His crew smothered No. 11 New Mexico — a well-liked upset choose — throughout a 77-56 win within the opening spherical. The Tigers adopted up by blanketing No. 3 Baylor, which owned the sixth-best offense within the nation, for a 72-64 win. Thursday’s matchup with Arizona started in comparable trend: Clemson pressured the Wildcats to commit eight first-half turnovers and turned them into 11 factors. On the break, Clemson had allowed simply 31 factors to a crew that averages 87.6 per sport, third-most within the nation, whereas constructing an eight-point lead.

An inevitable Arizona surge additional examined the Tigers within the opening minutes of the second half, with every successive Clemson turnover producing basket after basket for the Wildcats in transition. Brownell’s crew was referred to as for therefore many fouls attempting to defend the paint that Arizona entered the bonus with 11:55 remaining. There was even a fleeting second when the Wildcats claimed a one-point lead when level guard Caleb Love pierced the left aspect of the lane.

The place the Tigers by no means wavered, nevertheless, was of their staunch protection of the 3-point line, demanding that Arizona chase them with gradual trickles of ones and twos. They held Love, who was named the Pac-12 Participant of the Yr, to 0-for-9 taking pictures from past the arc. They restricted Love’s backcourt companions, Pelle Larson and Kylan Boswell, to a pair of makes on 11 3-point makes an attempt. As a crew, the Wildcats completed 5-for 28 from deep.

Such a sturdy defensive effort gave Clemson an opportunity to seal it within the remaining minute, and senior guard Chase Hunter (team-high 18 factors) answered the decision. Hunter’s slicing drive produced a standard three-point play with 25 seconds remaining to clinch a 77-72 win that propelled the Tigers into the Elite Eight for the primary time since 1980 and simply the second time total. They’ll face the winner of No. 1 North Carolina and No. 4 Alabama for an opportunity to succeed in the Remaining 4.

– Michael Cohen

(1) North Carolina vs. (4) Alabama – stay now!

(2) Iowa State vs. (3) Illinois – stay now!

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John Fanta is a nationwide school basketball broadcaster and author for FOX Sports activities. He covers the game in a wide range of capacities, from calling video games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Community to offering commentary on The Discipline of 68 Media Community. Observe him on Twitter @John_Fanta.

Michael Cohen covers school soccer and basketball for FOX Sports activities with an emphasis on the Large Ten. Observe him on Twitter @Michael_Cohen13.

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