BOSTON — They performed two Candy 16 video games at TD Backyard on Thursday evening. The primary one was anticipated to be a blowout; it was. No. 1 general seed Connecticut destroyed No. 4 San Diego State to the blaring tune of 82-52. The nightcap within the East Regional was presupposed to be an in depth recreation; it was. No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 3 Illinois gave us a 72-69 ending in favor of the Illini.
Illinois managed to worm out a win in wet Beantown regardless of brutal foul taking pictures (15 of 29) and overcame foul hassle from its finest participant (Terrence Shannon Jr.), who sat for five minutes and 39 seconds within the second half, giving the Cyclones hope.
And now it is Illinois that might want to replenish on hope and much more. As a result of the beast of this bracket awaits on Saturday — and greater than 10,000 Huskies followers will pile into TD Backyard to attempt to flip this place into “Storrs North” for yet another evening.
UConn is within the Elite Eight for a second straight season.
Illinois will play for the Last 4 for the primary time in 19 years.
Can the Illini push again not simply on the highest crew within the sport, however their very own historical past? Illinois is 1-8 all time vs. top-two seeds within the NCAAs, the lone win coming in 1989 within the Midwest Regional closing vs. Syracuse.
Within the wake of Connecticut vaporizing one other crew and persevering with a record-setting NCAA Match strut, the query I am right here to ask is not whether or not or not Illinois can upset the Huskies. It is whether or not we are able to get a aggressive recreation. Give us a single-digit unfold when the clock hits triple zeroes someday round 8:15 p.m. on Saturday evening. I feel Illinois is sweet sufficient to merely give UConn a sweat. I am going to have to see to imagine it, although. The Illini have the scoring, the dimensions, the taking pictures, the model — possibly simply possibly — to originate a little bit of drama.
“Nicely, they have been beat earlier than,” a soaked Brad Underwood informed me on the stroll again to the locker room.
The Illinois coach was basking in this system’s first Candy 16 win since 2005.
“We have to restrict them to 1 shot. We obtained to have the ability to get out in transition. Get simple baskets. We’ve to make free throws,” he stated.
They should play almost excellent.
“We’ll see how they guard Booty Ball,” Underwood added of his crew’s pound-it-inside, swing-swing-swing-it-around offensive model. “We’ll area them. I feel that is a bit of bit completely different than what possibly they usually see. However it takes a Herculean effort.”
UConn has been flatly disgusted on the notion of even entertaining semi-competitive video games on this match over its final 9 matchups. This program has peeled off 9 straight March Insanity victories, all by double digits, all by 13 factors or extra. It is the one college to try this within the historical past of the game; 1981-82 Indiana and 1954-55 La Salle have been the earlier record-holders at six straight.
“We suck at successful shut video games, so it’s important to go along with the choice,” Huskies coach Dan Hurley half-joked Thursday.
UConn even attending to the Elite Eight is rarified air. What do I imply? This crew is the primary reigning champion to succeed in a regional closing since Florida in 2007. The Gators, after all, are the newest back-to-back nationwide champions.
UConn seems to be like it will match that feat as nicely. If it would not, we’ll have a strike of shock that this Dance will probably be remembered for. Both manner, UConn’s closing consequence will outline a lot of this match.
“This crew has defied what previous champions have finished and brought this program to a very completely different degree,” Hurley stated.
That is proper, Dan. Your crew’s 30-point drubbing of the Aztecs in a nationwide title recreation rematch was SDSU’s largest match loss in program historical past and the sixth-largest Candy 16 margin of victory in match historical past.
“We simply have those who simply are determined to win extra,” Hurley stated. “We’ve winners.”
And killers. UConn has trailed for a complete of 5 minutes and 50 seconds out of 280 performed because the begin of the 2023 Candy 16. It is +86 in level benefit via three video games on this match, which is the second-most ever by a reigning champ to 1955 La Salle (which I am now discovering out is evidently probably the greatest groups misplaced to the ages).
Oh, and if that wasn’t sufficient, contemplate that future lottery decide Stephon Fortress could also be morphing right into a Actual Deal. He had 16 factors and 11 rebounds towards SDSU, marking his first double-double in school. He picked a pleasant evening to do it; Huskies huge Donovan Clingan had an off evening (eight factors, eight rebounds). It is unlikely he’ll be equally ineffective on Saturday. Cam Spencer had 18 factors, Tristen Newton had 17 factors and the Huskies waltzed to 1.30 factors per possession whereas trying … informal?
It is gotten so out of hand, UConn assistant Tom Moore informed me that he is needed to remind some youthful individuals in this system simply how not regular this sort of dominance is.
In case you’re Illinois, how do you put together for a monster?
“I would not say it is essentially intimidating, however I feel we’ve — personally, I’ve extra of a respect for them,” Illinois’ Coleman Hawkins stated. “I feel it is a increased degree of respect.”
Illinois guard Marcus Domask is not giving an inch.
“I’ve performed a variety of groups which are presupposed to beat us, in case you say they’re presupposed to beat us,” stated Domask, “we’ll determine the right way to guard them and the right way to rating on us, however they should do the identical for nicely. It is simply one other recreation for us actually.”
That could be a misstep. UConn is not only one other recreation. It is the Elite Eight. It is for program historical past. It appears unimaginable to just-another-game UConn and win.
On its facet, Illinois has some record-setting stuff of its personal. Shannon Jr. has amassed 85 factors on this match, which is probably the most via three video games within the NCAAs at school historical past. He is additionally finished it taking pictures 59.2% from the sector and 37.5% from 3-point vary. Illinois has no probability with out him. He’ll should be the very best participant on the courtroom Saturday to provide his crew an opportunity.
There’s one factor I can promise you: offense. Heaps and plenty of offense. UConn charges No. 1 in adjusted offensive effectivity at KenPom,com and Illinois ranks No. 2. This recreation may nicely be a traditional if each groups play to their strengths. I deliver excellent news from the Illinois facet. Underwood plans to show it right into a observe meet.
“We wish to attempt to rating 100,” he stated. “We wish to run and get turned within the open courtroom. … We get simple baskets that manner. We’re not afraid to run with anyone.”
If Illinois may as nicely go down its manner. I might love nothing greater than to get an epic in Boston on Saturday evening. However after I watched Illinois maintain on vs. an Iowa State crew that shot 40% general and missed greater than half of its photographs inside 5 toes, I nonetheless cannot get there. I wish to get there. Connecticut is not simply completely different, it is crept in on legendary standing.
As this match has whittled from 68 to 64 to 48 to 32 to 24 to 16 and, to now, 12 groups, an inescapable thought lingers.
There could be a crew that may beat UConn. However I don’t know who is thrashing UConn on this match.