GLENDALE, Ariz. — The UConn Huskies men’s basketball team has announced its presence with authority during March Madness, beating opponents by an average of 27.7 points per game in the process of advancing to the program’s seventh Final Four.
UConn won the national title five of the previous six times that they’ve advanced to this stage of the postseason, and this year’s squad is the heavy favorite to cut down the nets at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. next Monday.
Thus far, in tournament play, UConn has been carried by 7’2 sophomore center Donovan Clingan of Bristol. In addition to rebounding the ball well and playing elite defense, Clingan has averaged 15.8 points per game in the tournament, more than his season average of 12.9 points. However, Clingan has a tendency to get into foul trouble, which he’s avoided in the tournament, but his teammates must be ready to step up nonetheless.
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If UConn is to become the first back-to-back national champion since Al Horford, Joakim Noah and Corey Brewer led Florida to consecutive titles in 2006 and 2007, the team must get more consistent offensive play from its stars not named Clingan. If UConn wins its sixth title next week, Cam Spencer, Tristen Newton and Alex Karaban will each have rediscovered their long-distance game.
Cam Spencer
Cam Spencer hasn’t just been one of the Huskies’ most reliable shooters this season, he will be remembered with the likes of Ray Allen and Rashad Anderson as one of the most dangerous and reliable three-point threats in school history.
Spencer, a fifth-year guard from Davidsonville, Md., earned First-Team All-Big East honors after shooting 44% from three-point land this season. He scored 14.4 points per game, pulled down 4.7 rebounds and averaged 3.7 assists during his one year in Storrs.
As he showcased with 12 rebounds against Illinois in the Elite Eight, Spencer’s effort can never be questioned, but his three-point shooting has been inconsistent in the NCAA Tournament. In the first round against Stetson, Spencer nailed three three-pointers, but in the Round of 32 against Northwestern he hit only one three on four attempts.
In the Sweet 16 against San Diego State, Spencer hit two of his four three-point attempts, but against Illinois, he hit only one shot from long distance. In the game against Northwestern, the team shot 3/22 from long range, and against Illinois the team shot 3/17 from distance.
Those poor shooting nights haven’t affected the Huskies yet, but against an Alabama team that hit 16 three-pointers in the Elite Eight vs. Clemson, UConn must be able to match the Crimson Tide shot for shot. That all begins with Spencer, who must look to shoot early and often on Saturday night.
Tristen Newton
While his defense and leadership have been magnificent, UConn’s AP First-Team All-American has been quiet of late on the offensive end. In the Elite Eight against Illinois, the fifth-year guard from El Paso, Texas, failed to hit a single field goal. Again, Newton’s lack of offensive potency did not slow down the UConn attack, but a similar performance could be costly against Alabama’s high-powered offense.
In the Sweet 16 against San Diego State, Newton hit three of his eight three-point attempts, but against Northwestern in the Round of 32, he shot zero for six from downtown. In the first game against Stetson, Newton was solid, nailing three three-pointers.
This season, Newton averaged 15 points per game to go along with 6.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists while shooting 31.9% from three-point land. His assist numbers have been great throughout the tournament, as he’s averaged 6.8 per game, and he’s still managed to score 13.8 points per game during the four games, but UConn needs more.
The Huskies are at their best when Newton is connecting from long range, and if UConn is to raise another championship banner in the fall, Newton must reconnect with his deep shot. While the scoreboard has suggested otherwise, common sense says that UConn cannot survive another night hitting three or less three-pointers. Newton, who has the ball more than any other player, must hit from deep at least three times per game for the Huskies to feel comfortable against Final Four-caliber competition.
Alex Karaban
Although postseason accolades eluded him, UConn’s redshirt sophomore from Southborough, Mass. has been a consistent three-point threat all year. He averaged 13.5 points per game on the season while shooting 38.2% from distance.
During the tournament, however, he’s yet to reach his season average for scoring in a single game, as he’s scored just 9.8 points per contest. Against Illinois, Karaban shot one for four from long range. He provided a spark early against San Diego State, hitting two quick threes, but cooled down and shot two for six on the night.
Against Northwestern, Karaban hit one three on four attempts, and against Stetson he connected one out of five tries from deep. When the Final Four begins on Saturday, Karaban must bring his jump shot. Without it, the Huskies could be in trouble against Alabama’s high-octane offense.
When Karaban is hitting threes, UConn is nearly impossible to guard. Husky fans can only hope that Karaban gets hot on the sport’s biggest stage. His ability to hit one big shot after another over the past two seasons should give UConn fans optimism that he will break out of his semi-shooting slump in time for the Alabama game.
Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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