UConn is the first reigning champion to reach the Elite Eight since Florida defended its title in 2007.
The top-seeded Huskies have advanced to the regional finals in the East, and No. 6 Clemson’s done the same in the West — for the first time since 1980 — after upsetting No. 2 Arizona.
Now North Carolina faces Alabama, while Iowa State plays Illinois. — John Gasaway
Can UConn’s NCAA tournament potentially be more dominant than last season?
UConn was unstoppable in last year’s NCAA tournament. The Huskies won their six games by an average of 20.0 points, the fourth-largest average since the tournament expanded in 1985. So far, they’ve been even better this year. They’ve won their three games by an average of 28.7 points. They’ve trailed for 28 seconds. They’ve led by double-digits in the second half for 58:27 of a possible 60 minutes. San Diego State played about as well as it could for the opening stretch of the game and found itself down by 11 within nine minutes. The scariest part for future opponents is it feels like UConn has been able to keep something in the tank in these games, rarely needing to put its foot on the gas down the stretch of games.
What the win means for UConn: A positive sign for the Huskies on Thursday night was the play of Hassan Diarra. The reserve guard came off the bench and provided a real lift in the second half, scoring 10 points and distributing four assists – putting the game out of reach for San Diego State shortly after halftime. Donovan Clingan struggled against Jaedon LeDee in the first half, but became more comfortable as the game went on and still posed a nuisance defensively. Alex Karaban hit a couple early shots but then struggled to connect the rest of the game. And while that might seem like a potential negative, Dan Hurley must be thrilled that his team could beat a good San Diego State team by 30 without his team playing its best.
What the loss means for San Diego State: For the second season in a row, San Diego State’s season ends at the hands of UConn. The Aztecs actually went shot-for-shot with the Huskies early, but simply didn’t have enough firepower offensively. Last season at this point in the tournament, when SDSU beat overall 1-seed Alabama in the Sweet 16, they had one of the most dominant defenses in the country – and were getting consistent scoring production from its perimeter players. The defense wasn’t quite as good this season, the offensive wasn’t nearly as good and LeDee couldn’t do it all himself. But national runners-up followed by a Sweet 16 run? That’s an impressive two-year run for Brian Dutcher and the Aztecs. — Jeff Borzello
Is Ian Schiefflin Clemson’s new secret weapon?
With his curly hair contained by an old-school headband, the 6-foot-8 junior from Georgia may appear slightly unassuming. But on Thursday night against an Arizona team stocked with talent, Schiefflin became one of the Tigers’ most productive players and looked like one of the best players on the floor. Schiefflin, who is averaging 9.8 points and 9.5 rebounds this season, scored 14 points, added seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Whether the Wildcats hadn’t prepared for Schiefflin playing as big of a role as he did or not, they couldn’t stop him in key moments. After draining one 3-pointer, the threat of Schiefflin shooting from deep tilted the balance of Arizona’s half-court defense, opening up lanes for its two best players – both Chase Hunter (18 points) and PJ Hall (17 points) – to make key plays down the stretch.
Schiefflin, who wore Kobe shoes to play in the arena that Bryant starred in for many years, was asked postgame whether he felt he was channeling a Mamba mentality with his play, which included a key 3 that banked in. Head coach Brad Brownell interjected with a laugh.
“You’re playing well,” he said. “But don’t compare yourself to Kobe Bryant, ok?”
What the win means for Clemson: The Tigers continue to defy expectations and this time, they did it against one of the most talented teams in the nation in front of an Arizona-heavy crowd. Brownell’s squad not only raced out to a 13-point lead against the 2-seed, forcing them into eight first-half turnovers and an abysmal shooting performance (37.3% from the field, 17.9% from 3), but it also sustained the inevitable Arizona run that tied the game in the second half and still emerged victorious. When Arizona began making shots, Clemson stuck to its game plan and soon enough, the Wildcats reverted to taking tough shots they couldn’t make. On offense, the Tigers weren’t scorching hot by means, but when the game got close late, they did what Arizona could not: attack the basket instead of settling for jumpers. The strategy paid off, and now they’re headed to their first Elite 8 since 1980.
“Today was our day,” Brownell said postgame. “We made enough plays to win.”
What the loss means for Arizona: One of the best offenses in the nation failed to show up in LA on Thursday, Since 2015, the Wildcats have not been ranked lower than a 6-seed and have been a 2-seed three times. And yet 2015 is the last time they made it to the Elite 8. Since Tommy Lloyd’s hire in 2021, Arizona has now lost to a 5-seed in the Sweet 16, a 15-seed in the opening round and now a 6-seed in the Sweet 16. Given the talent the Wildcats have accrued over the last few years, the results have not been there and this latest tournament exit won’t help their resume. — Paolo Uggetti
