(Photo : . (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)) NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 14: Tristen Newton #2 reacts with Stephon Castle #5 of the Connecticut Huskies within the second half in opposition to the Xavier Musketeers through the Quarterfinals of the Big East Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 14, 2024 in New York City. The Huskies received 87-60
As you fill out your brackets for March Madness this week, chances are you’ll be tempted to look elsewhere from final yr’s nationwide champions, the UConn Huskies.
That would probably be a mistake, and it is perhaps clever to look to take dangers elsewhere in your bracket, as Connecticut has gone wire-to-wire this season because the clear prime workforce in school basketball.
This roster is loaded, as impression transfers Cam Spencer and first-team All-American Tristen Newton have seamlessly changed a number of the losses from final yr’s title-winning workforce.
Donovan Clingan dominates down low, and ahead Alex Karaban does plenty of every little thing. Combine that with a deep steady of contributors off the bench and you’ve got absolutely the pressure that this workforce is.
Head coach Dan Hurley has performed a masterful job revitalizing this program since he took over, and there is little debate that the Huskies stand on prime of the school basketball world proper now no matter what occurs on this match.
That being mentioned, whereas UConn is the prohibitive favourite within the match, the Huskies did get a reasonably brutal draw of their area.
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NCAA Tournament Favorite: Connecticut Huskies
KenPom Ranking: 1
NET Ranking: 2
Season Highlights: Neutral courtroom win vs. UNC, Big East common season and convention match champions
Assuming UConn can get by the Stetson Hatters within the spherical of 64, a showdown with the winner between Florida Atlantic and Northwestern should not be an excessive amount of bother for the Huskies.
FAU is crammed to the brim with confidence after final yr’s run, and Northwestern does have a brilliant star in Boo Buie, however neither workforce ought to pose a severe menace to Connecticut.
After that, although, issues might doubtlessly get dicey. If Auburn makes it by to the Sweet 16 because the four-seed, that is a really unlucky draw for any one-seed, not to mention a prime total seed within the match.
Iowa State can also be the two-seed in UConn’s area, and the Cyclones are arguably the strongest two in the entire area as properly.
If UConn goes to repeat, and I anticipate them to take action, there might be a few very robust video games for them simply to make it to the Final 4.
At the top of the day, it is very tough to think about UConn dropping a recreation. It’s doable, however it could require an opponent catching Spencer on an off taking pictures day and having an on-ball defender who can neutralize Newton.
Both of these issues are onerous sufficient, however it could additionally require having a pristine efficiency on the offensive finish, taking pictures at a excessive share whereas additionally beating out Clingan for essential second-chance alternatives.
So whereas it is onerous to think about Connecticut not successful a given recreation, it is even tougher to think about an opponent getting every little thing it must go proper to pressure them to lose it.
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