Despite a men's NCAA tournament for the ages, a familiar face wound up on top.
Connecticut dispatched San Diego State 76–59 on Monday night to win the national title in Houston, securing the Huskies’ fifth championship—all won in the past 24 years.
Guard Tristen Newton led Connecticut with 19 points, and center Adama Sanogo added 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Huskies to be named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player. Forward Keshad Johnson led the Aztecs with 14 points.
Connecticut came out firing, going up 36–24 at the half and smothering San Diego State defensively during an 11-minute scoring drought. The Aztecs shot just 32.8% from the field, and their first-half point total was the third lowest for any team in the national championship since the tournament's 1985 expansion.
After the Huskies looked poised to slam the door early in the second half, San Diego State rallied to within 60–55 with 5:12 to go. Huskies guard Jordan Hawkins drained a three-pointer to put Connecticut back up eight, and UConn dominated thereafter.
