Wegs Pool: One More Shining Moment and Final Standings

Wegs Pool Faithful,

Our journey has ended once again for the 20^th time.  It has been an unpredictable and wild ride.  Thank you all for keeping this thing going.

NCAA Championship Game

Huskies Could Not Be Stopped

#4 UConn got to its fifth title game and hoped to make it 5-0 in this game.  Coach Danny Hurley’s team entered into Monday night with a dominant tournament winning every game by more than 13 points.  So, they had not been pushed late in any of their games. 

#5 San Diego State finally broke the seal for their first title game.  In fact, a non-Power 6 conference had not won the NCAA title since the 1990 UNLV Running Rebels.  So, Coach Brian Dutcher had his team ready to make the most of this opportunity, one that teams he recruited in the early 1990s for Michigan – the Fab 5 – could not accomplish in two trips to the Finals.

In the first half, the teams looked tight to start.  The game was a bit sloppy as both teams tried to get their bearings on this big stage.  The Aztecs came out firing though making their first 3 shots from the field, including 2 threes.  That quick start ended though, as UConn’s defense started limiting them to one shot which after those makes led to a real cold spell (10 straight shots), 2 points in 6:10 – those were 2 free throws.   UConn bounced back to a 20-12 lead with 8:50 to play, as Adama Sanogo (17 points, 10 rebounds) did what he does inside, a SDSU timeout.  The cold streak for 11 minutes without a FG, but they were only down by 9, 26-17, when Darrion Trammell broke the streak.  Still, UConn put in 3 quick hoops to get the lead to 16 with 4:11 in the half.  The Huskies looked tough taking a 36-24 lead into the break.  The Aztecs could have been down more, though.

In the second half, the Aztecs did a better job of mucking up the game.  Tough D, pounding the glass and finally getting some looks to go down.  The goal was to get the game within 6 points in the last 5 minutes.  UConn did struggle initially, but they were able to get into the bonus with 12:45 left in the game.  At one point, the Aztecs had more fouls than FGs made with 12 minutes to go.  The length of the Huskies really didn’t allow layups in the game, but SDSU was able to hit some jumpers.  Could the Aztecs pull it off again as they trailed by as many 15?  They fought hard and didn’t give in by hitting back to back buckets by Jaedon Ledee (7 points) to cut the lead to 56-45 with 8:33 left to play.  Then, out of the timeout, Johnson hit a big triple to cut the lead to 8, and Trammell had a steal and layup to get it to their closest since early in the first to 56-50, completing a 9-0 run.  A Sanogo tip in broke the streak, but another Aztec trip to the line by Keshad Johnson (14 points, 4 rebounds) got the lead back to 7 with 6:58 left.  Game on!  Johnson cut the lead to 5 with 5:19 in the game, 60-55.  The Huskies went to the young gun, Jordan Hawkins (16 points) for a 3 to get the lead back to 8.  The Aztecs got into the bonus at 3:52, which gave them another chance to score in this grind of a game.  However, the Huskies were getting to the line, too.  Tristen Newton (19 points, 8-8 from the line, plus 10 rebounds) hit 2 to get the lead back to 10 with 3:20 to go, and then a tough layup on the next possession to get up to 67-55.  Time was running out on the Aztecs.  More free throws by Sanogo (Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four) who was a force all day, got them up to 14 with just over 2 to play.  Trammell (13 points) hit a jumper to give the San Diego State faithful hope.  UConn was able to break the full court pressure and hit their free throws down the stretch to make close out those tough Aztecs and win their fifth title.  UConn was a freight train that could not be stopped winning every game by huge margins.  Coach Hurley gets his first title, and this team has potential with this deep roster next year.

#4 UConn 76 #5 San Diego State 59

We did it again! It was an incredible tournament and exciting pool. A new shirt winner is always a good thing.

Da Commish Wegs