The UConn men’s basketball team kept the momentum rolling on Sunday, routing the Seton Hall Pirates 91-61. Their latest win locks up the Big East for Connecticut and puts them in an excellent position to finish out the regular season, especially considering the program will have to play Marquette and Providence on the road. This win was all the sweeter for the Huskies, considering it was Senior Day for Tristen Newton, Cam Spencer, Hassan Diarra and Andrew Hurley.
Early on, it was evident that this would be a battle down low, as UConn’s first four buckets came in the paint. Not to mention, Seton Hall implemented plenty of off-ball movement to set up looks in the paint, and they were largely successful early on. For the first 10 minutes, this game was neck and neck, with both sides trading blows and each program never gaining an edge. However, as the first half progressed, Connecticut kept pulling away, thanks to the play of Stephon Castle and Donovan Clingan.
The Connecticut freshman was doing everything right for the Huskies on both sides of the ball. The Georgia guard put up 11 points on 4-5 shooting, including an unreal steal and slam that showed off his ability to quickly change directions and impact the game in a big way. It was Castle’s fastbreak jam that signified the unofficial turning point in the first half for the Huskies. After that, Connecticut went on their run, and it was a true team effort. Whether it was Newton taking a charge or Clingan cleaning up down low, everyone played their part, a huge reason as to why the Huskies led by 15 at the half.
Clingan put together yet another solid first-half outing, accumulating 10 points on an efficient 4-9 from the field. Not to mention, the 7-foot-2 Bristol native got it going defensively, picking up three blocks and six first-half rebounds.
Despite all of the good things they did, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Connecticut. Seton Hall guard Dylan Addae-Wusu locked up Spencer in the first half, holding him to just one shot and no points. Samson Johnson also had a first half to forget, accumulating three first-half fouls.
Dre Davis had the best first half of any Pirate, putting up 16 points on 5-7 shooting. However, his Seton Hall teammates failed to make the same effect he did, as no other player scored over eight first-half points.
The second half was more or less the same story, with the Huskies keeping the pedal to the metal and Castle leading the charge. The 6-foot-6 guard put up another 10 points on 5-7 shooting, including a couple of electric dunks. Many Husky fans quickly pointed out that this was one of the freshman’s most complete performances all season long, and the Georgia native noted that his teammates setting him up helped spark his highlight-reel performance.
Another Husky who put together a solid showing was Alex Karaban, who accumulated 13 points on 5-12 shootings. His performance is all the more encouraging when you consider the offensive funk he has been in of late. Head coach Dan Hurley noted postgame that Alex’s offensive blues are normal to go through and that his impact goes beyond the boxscore.
“I think [Karaban] did other things. He problem solved, he played really good defense, he moved the ball, he cut, he drove,” Hurley said. “Alex gets hot in March. There’s a difference between shooting well and playing well. He played well.”
Newton kept rolling for the Huskies, finishing with another double-double: 17 points and 10 assists in 32 minutes of work. Hurley told the media postgame about how Newton impacts the game every time he is out on the court and how Newton’s accomplishments up to this point will be tough for any guard to match in two years. The East Carolina transfer has a chance to make his resume even longer as the postseason tournaments are nearing.
Despite the lopsided scoreline, there were some bright spots for the Pirates. Davis finished with 20 points. Not to mention, Kadary Richmond had a solid 15-point, five-rebound outing.
However, UConn’s defensive performance limited nearly everyone else on the Pirates. The program forced 11 Seton Hall turnovers and outrebounded the Pirates 38-26. Not to mention, Clingan singlehandedly had five blocks and 11 rebounds on top of his 19 points.
Sunday’s win was all the more satisfying for Husky fans, considering one of their three losses all season long came at Seton Hall on Dec. 20. Since the neutral site in-conference tournament is not that far away, there is a chance that these sides will get to play out the grudge match with larger stakes on the line.
This position sets the Huskies up nicely for not only the Big East tournament but March Madness in general, as the Huskies have sewn up a top seed in the East over North Carolina. As Newton, Clingan and the rest of the team mentioned, “the job is not yet finished.”
Sunday was a solid win for the program. However, the real test is just around the corner.