Men's National Championship Recap

    Written by: William Petersen •

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    UCONN

    The UConn Huskies have embalmed their names in college basketball history for the second straight year after handling Purdue 75-60 Monday night in Glendale, Arizona. The Huskies had a clear cut plan of attack when defending back-to-back player of the year in Zach Edey, forcing him into double teams and then suffocating his outlet passes around the three- point line. UConn has had one of the top ranked defenses in college basketball all season, and tonight’s fifteen point victory is the icing on the cake to UConn’s staggering run these last two tournaments. Zach Edey finished with 37 points and 10 rebounds in a game where he will be remembered as the Boilermakers only major brightspot in this game. Purdue had a difficult time finding any sort of half court rhythm besides working it down low to Edey and either hoping he could draw a foul on Clingan or Johnson or an easy look at the rim. The Huskies proved that they were the better team overall and continue to be the golden example when it comes to men’s college basketball after now winning twelve straight tournament games by 13 plus points.

    The Purdue Boilermakers should hold their heads high after the best season in their program's history since 1969. Zach Edey will be one of the most remembered faces in West Lafayette and college basketball as a whole after a career that was filled with major triumph and also adversity. Matt Painter’s group simply could not hang with a Huskies squad that dominated them in nearly every facet of the game. Purdue finished the game with 8 assists and 9 turnovers while shooting 14.3 percent from beyond the arc and going -8 in the rebound differential. The 60 points scored in tonight’s loss is a season low for Purdue and a stain on a season that could have ended a decorated player's career with the most coveted award of them all. It will be interesting to see the recruit’s Painter can bring in this offseason, especially after finally proving to the critics that Purdue can play in big time games and that Big 10 basketball might be on the verge of a resurgence.

    Dan Hurley adamantly expressed who he thinks has been the top dog of college basketball the past three decades after winning back-to-back titles after helping UConn win their sixth National Championship since 1999. Hurley’s famous press conference of him stating “ Better get us now, cause we’re coming” will now be blowing up the internet as Hurley and this Huskie squad have spoken into existence the domination that they have now curated. UConn had some troubles with Edey and Purdue in the first half, only leading by six in a game that could have potentially swung to Purdue in the first half if they could have hit some threes. Overall, the Huskies have further affirmed that they are the team to beat in college basketball and they will greatly miss Donovan Clingan and Tristen Newton who finished the game with 20 points, five rebounds, seven assists to secure Newton with the Final Four MVP. Newton will be missed in a UConn backcourt that is now highlighted by Stephon Castle due to Newton and Cam Spencer graduating. If there is one thing that the college basketball world knows about Dan Hurley, it is that he is phenomenal at recruiting under the radar talent and molding them into a perfect piece for his program. It is hard to say whether UConn has any chance of continuing this historic run, but for now just embrace this special moment in college basketball and say goodbye to another magical March Madness tournament until next year when we get to do it all again.

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