Jeff Eisenberg
UConn wins back-to-back NCAA championships with dominant win over Purdue
It was billed as a big-man battle between Purdue's Zach Edey against UConn's Donovan Clingan. That didn't give the Huskies guards enough credit.
UConn won a second straight title on Monday night through a relentless attack from its backcourt in a 75-60 win over Purdue.
Tristen Newton, Stephon Castle and Cam Spencer were just too much for the Boilermakers, pulling up from range and weaving through the Purdue defense at will as the Huskies pulled away from their second title in as many years. Newton led the team with 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Castle had 15 points and five rebounds. Spencer finished with 11 points and eight rebounds.
Edey was his usual dominant self on the low block and definitely got the better of Clingan in their matchup, but he didn't have much help from his teammates. The two-time Naismith Player of the Year finished with 37 points and 10 rebounds in the loss as Purdue fell just short in its redemption tour a year after falling to a 16-seed in the first round of the tournament.
It's the first time a team has won back-to-back titles since Florida did it in the 2006-07 seasons.
Read the full game story from Nick Bromberg right here.
LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER53 updates
- Featured
- Jeff Eisenberg
Here it is, the moment/video we've all been waiting for:
ONE SHINING MOMENT 🙌#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/7x2R9DfyNM
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 9, 2024
- Jeff Eisenberg
Jim Calhoun and Dan Hurley have brought five national championships to UConn 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Y73K0I61nl
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 9, 2024
- Jeff Eisenberg
Clingan with the Edey! pic.twitter.com/KFrluImCfZ
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
Tristen Newton is the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player.
Tristen Newton is the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player 🔥 pic.twitter.com/tKNPUKcQCM
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
He's not wrong.
"We've been running college basketball for the past 30 years" 👀
Dan Hurley is HYPED 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2hm6YAH82I— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
Trophy No. 6 is in the air
The Huskies raise the trophy! @UConnMBB pic.twitter.com/jME4OaZAF1
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
Zach Edey still put up a great statline in his last game before heading to the NBA.
Zach Edey left it all out there in potentially his final college game 👏 pic.twitter.com/nzpLxjlKHq
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
The Big Ten drought continues.
That's 23 straight Big Ten men's basketball tourneys without a champion from the Big Ten.
— Mike Hlas (@Hlas) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
"What an amazing run. It is a UConn coronation!"
THE HUSKIES MAKE HISTORY! BACK TO BACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONS @UConnMBB pic.twitter.com/2trbHQ8yv4
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
UConn's dominance the last two years is ridiculous.
UConn states a case for one of the best two-year runs in NCAA history, beating Purdue 75-60
*Average margin of victory in the 2024 NCAA tournament is 23.3 points over six games.
*UConn's average margin of victory in the 2023 NCAA tournament was 20 points over the six games.— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
The first back-to-back winners since 2006-07.
BACK TO BACK 🏆 pic.twitter.com/9DUcLx4N8V
— Krysten Peek (@krystenpeek) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
Final: UConn 75, Purdue 60
That'll do it. UConn goes back-to-back and picks up its sixth national championship.
UCONN REPEATS AS NATIONAL CHAMPS 🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/wqHm7JcQ0w
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
Dan Hurley just barely avoided what easily would have been the funniest ejection in basketball history. UConn is less than 3 minutes from a championship, and he just pushed his own player on the court.
Dan Hurley thought he was at practice 😂 pic.twitter.com/lrnWhmAxVT
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
UConn is just minutes away from winning back-to-back titles, something we haven't seen since 2006 and 2007.
- Ryan Young
And there we have it.
UConn. Sharpie.
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
Samson Johnson just fouled out for UConn. Donovan Clingan has 4 now, too. Purdue, though, is likely out of time to take advantage of the foul trouble.
UConn leads 63-46 with 5:38 to go.
- Ryan Young
This is the battle we came to see.
Bill Murray vs. Drew Brees on the Jumbotron. 😂 #FinalFour pic.twitter.com/5agEZDhn9H
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
I think we may be done here. Alex Karaban just hit a corner 3, and then Hassan Diarra just drilled a fast break layup.
The Huskies are up 56-40 now with 9:27 to go.
UCONN OPENS UP A 16-POINT LEAD 😱 #MarchMadness
📺: https://t.co/4u9KLsHZrK pic.twitter.com/G6QcoiNmBq— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
I have no idea how Tristen Newton got this to go, but he pulled it off. UConn is rolling now.
TOUGH finish at the rim from Tristen Newton 🥶#MarchMadness @UConnMBB pic.twitter.com/ORKHl4MM0p
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
Zach Edey hasn't scored in more than 10 minutes now, and UConn is up by double digits with 15 minutes to go
- Ryan Young
OH MY.
CAMDEN HEIDE!!! pic.twitter.com/sb1cSKumDq
— Kendall Baker (@kendallbaker) April 9, 2024
What a dunk from Camden Heide to get us going in the second half.
- Ryan Young
The second half is underway in Arizona
Dan Hurley came running out for the second half with the collar of his suit coat up, someone had to yell at him to turn it down. He was cutting it close to tipoff.
— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
🌑 https://t.co/pbUZfdQgc6 pic.twitter.com/9tuZkmSB1i
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) April 9, 2024
- Jeff Eisenberg
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The story of the first half is UConn's defensive strategy.
Hell bent on not losing to Zach Edey's supporting cast, the Huskies are defending the Purdue giant 1-on-1 and erasing Purdue’s 3-point shooters.
The approach so far has been effective. Edey has 16 first-half points, but Purdue didn't attempt its third 3-pointer until a full-court heave at the halftime buzzer.
36-30 UConn at the half ...
- Ryan Young
Zach Edey leads all scorers halfway through
Zach Edey has over half of Purdue's points 😳 pic.twitter.com/0DfD9dVc4T
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
Halftime: UConn 36, Purdue 30
Purdue took just two 3-pointers in that first half, and Zach Edey and Braden Smith combined for all but five of their points, but the Boilermakers are still in this at the midway point.
- Ryan Young
Coach Keady went all out tonight in Arizona
Gene Keady is a real fan pic.twitter.com/H5aQu16Jm5
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
Braden Smith just hit Purdue's first 3-pointer of the night with 2:22 left in the first half. We've got a one-possession game again
- Ryan Young
UConn just went on a 9-2 run to grab a five point lead at the under-4 timeout. Purdue's only bucket during that stretch? A put-back from Zach Edey
- Ryan Young
Zach Edey and Dan Hurley are going at it a bit already tonight.
Game getting a little spicy. Edey stared down the UConn bench after his last basket, a couple words exchanged between Hurley and Edey on way to huddles at the timeout. Hurley yelling "what the f--- is that" twice to the officials after Edey wasn't called for an illegal screen.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
Zach Edey has more than just four by now. He's dominating Donovan Clingan inside so far.
Donovan Clingan allowed five buckets on post-ups all year long, per Synergy. Zach Edey had four post-up buckets in the first eight minutes.
He’s just different.— Isaac Trotter (@Isaac__Trotter) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
It sure looked like it after that last hook shot. Zach Edey is unstoppable so far.
Did Edey just stare down Dan Hurley?
— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) April 9, 2024
EDEY CAN'T MISS 😳#MarchMadness @BoilerBall pic.twitter.com/CjfcLe5dhS
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
UConn takes an 18-16 lead into the under-12 timeout. Zach Edey's scored Purdue's last 11 points, and is single-handedly keeping the Boilermakers in this early.
- Ryan Young
Zach Edey with a huge dunk over Donovan Clingan, and then he followed it a pair of ridiculous blocks on the other end. What a start for the Boilermakers
EDEY SLAM 😤 @BoilerBall pic.twitter.com/NCjcOHmRSm
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) April 9, 2024
Two blocks on one possession by Edey 😤
(via @MarchMadnessMBB) pic.twitter.com/QDVu8m1mNY— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
Cam Spencer is 3-of-3 from the field so far tonight, so this strategy may not be the best.
Something to watch: UConn is punishing Zach Edey's drop coverage by having Clingan set ball screens for its best shooter, Cam Spencer. No idea how Purdue can combat that besides ... hope he misses?!
— Jeff Eisenberg (@JeffEisenberg) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
Zach Edey's backed Donovan Clingan down successfully twice now, but the Huskies hold an 11-9 lead at the first media timeout. We've got a battle so far
- Ryan Young
Purdue controls the tip, and we're underway in Arizona.
Let’s have a Monday pic.twitter.com/89yV3GNgSc
— Rob Dauster (@RobDauster) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
For what it's worth, it was a clean sweep for the defending national champions tonight.
The whole TNT Sports crew sticks with the favorite, taking UConn to beat Purdue in tonight's National Championship Game. 🏀🏆 pic.twitter.com/11HR1MpVaD
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
National Anthem ✅
Starting lineups ✅
It's time for the national championship.
The National Anthem 🙌🇺🇸#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/ICvOeKBCcC
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 9, 2024
- Ryan Young
In non-national championship game news, Nate Oats has just removed himself from consideration for the Kentucky job. Incredible timing there
— Nate Oats (@nate_oats) April 9, 2024
- Jeff Eisenberg
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The rare title game pitting college basketball's two best teams is minutes from tipoff. For UConn, this is about repeating. For Purdue, it's about redemption.
I hope we get a game worthy of the buildup, but I'm worried whether Purdue's guards can hold up to UConn's defensive pressure. Pregame prediction sure to be wrong: 77-64 Huskies.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Purdue’s Zach Edey on UConn’s Donovan Clingan: 'We’ve got a game plan for him'
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Danny Green and the Yahoo Sports crew break down the key matchups in the title game
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Who do you like to score the first bucket of the game?
Odds to score 1st field goal at #BetMGM
Zach Edey +290
Donovan Clingan +380
Stephon Castle +690
Cam Spencer +730
Alex Karaban +790
Trey Kaufman-Renn +960
Tristen Newton +1030
Fletcher Loyer +1080
Edey is the most bet to score 1st basket. pic.twitter.com/0C8SjynkYs— John Ewing (@johnewing) April 9, 2024
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Zach Edey has been dominant the last two seasons.
Will he get a national championship tonight? pic.twitter.com/AFCzig09Oj— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 9, 2024
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Zach Edey looks like he is on a mission tonight 😠 @BoilerUpload pic.twitter.com/E44R9nm688
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 9, 2024
- Yahoo Sports Staff
UConn getting loose 👀#MarchMadness @UConnMBB pic.twitter.com/iaXPtsZ9py
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 9, 2024
- Yahoo Sports Staff
With all eyes on the big men, UConn vs. Purdue NCAA title game could come down to perimeter play
- Yahoo Sports Staff
One year after historic win over No. 1 Purdue, is Fairleigh Dickenson rooting for the Boilermakers?