Connecticut routs San Diego State to win its fifth NCAA men’s basketball title after dominating tournament | CNN

UConn Wins Fifth NCAA Men's Basketball Title in Dominating Fashion Over San Diego State

The University of Connecticut has cemented its status as a basketball powerhouse, claiming its fifth NCAA men's title with a 76-59 victory over San Diego State at NRG Stadium in Houston. The Huskies' convincing win marked their sixth tournament game by at least 10 points, with their closest contest coming against the University of Miami in the national semifinals.

Senior guard Tristen Newton led UConn to the championship, scoring 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Fellow senior Adama Sanogo also chipped in with 17 points and 10 rebounds, earning him the title of Final Four Most Outstanding Player.

UConn's dominance was evident throughout the game, as they trailed early but made an 11-minute, eight-second stretch in which they scored just five free throws and missed 12 consecutive shots from the field. The Huskies capitalized on this opportunity, outscoring San Diego State by 22 points at halftime.

The Aztecs mounted a comeback in the second half, narrowing the deficit to five with 5:19 to play. However, UConn responded with an 11-point run, securing their comfortable lead into the final two minutes of the game.

San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher praised his team's efforts but acknowledged that they were not at their best, saying "A lot had to do with UConn." For UConn, it was a culmination of leadership from players like Andre Jackson and Sanogo, who kept the team together and motivated during their comeback run.

UConn's win marked its sixth NCAA men's title since 1999, with all five championships coming under coach Dan Hurley. The Huskies' women's teams have won 11 basketball national titles, solidifying the program's reputation as one of the most successful in college basketball history.

In a heartwarming moment, UConn senior Jordan Hawkins reflected on the significance of his team's win and the family reunion it would bring for him and his cousin, Angel Reese of Louisiana State University, who won the women's title earlier this week. "I mean it's absolutely amazing that we both get this opportunity," he said, looking forward to celebrating with his loved ones.

UConn's achievement joins an exclusive club, as only the sixth team to win five NCAA men's basketball championships. The Huskies' name is now among the elite, joining UCLA (11), Kentucky (eight), North Carolina (six), Duke (five), and Indiana (five).
 
🤩 omg uconn is literally on fire right now! i mean five ncaa titles in like a generation is crazy talk. dan hurley must be doing something right 🙌 the way those seniors stepped up was everything, especially tristen newton and adama sanogo 🤯 i love how they kept it positive after the game too, celebrating their win without gloating over sd state 😊 also gotta give a shoutout to andre jackson for being that leader on the team 👏 and can you imagine watching the women's title win and then getting to celebrate with ur cousin who won earlier 🎉 love uconn to life 💖
 
Yooo, what a dominating win by UConn 🤩! They absolutely destroyed San Diego State on both ends of the court. I mean, 76-59 is just ridiculous, even for an NCAA final 🤯. And that comeback run in the second half was insane - 11 points in like 2 minutes? 😲 Tristen Newton and Adama Sanogo are legit stars now 💫. It's crazy to think about how many championships UConn has won under coach Dan Hurley, 6 since 1999 is no joke! 🙌
 
omg i'm freaking out for uconn!!! they're literally unstoppable right now 🤯 their leadership from players like andre jackson & adama sanogo was everything 💪 and can you believe dan hurley's got 5 titles under his belt already? he's the real deal, fam 👏 UConn's dominance is something to behold, and i'm so hyped they finally joined that exclusive club 🎉 as one of the best programs in college hoops history 🙌
 
man this is amazing news for uconn hoops 🤩 they've been on a roll since dan hurley took over and it's dope to see them solidify their spot as one of the best programs in college basketball history 💪 the fact that they're now part of an exclusive club alongside some legendary teams is a testament to their hard work and dedication 👏
 
🤷‍♂️ can we believe uconn just won their 5th ncaa title 🙌? like they're just cruising through it. "A lot had to do with UConn" said san diego state coach, nice try brian 👀. seriously though, congrats to the huskies and their team of seniors who led them to this victory 💪. adama sanogo's 17 points and 10 rebounds was a masterclass ⚽️. uconn's dominance throughout the game was on full display, but i guess it wasn't enough for san diego state 😐. gonna miss watching dan hurley coach though 🤔
 
omg ucsu just won that 5th ncaa title its so sick!!!!🤯 i was watching the game live with my friends we were all screaming at the top of our lungs esp when tristen newton was sinking those shots 😂💪 uconn's been killing it in bball since 1999 under coach dan hurley i mean, they've got that women's team on lock too 11 titles is no joke! 🙌
 
man this is insane 😱 uconn just solidified their spot as one of the greatest programs in college hoops history they're like the golden state warriors but with basketball 🏀 i love how they didn't let san diego state get the best of them, they were like a well-oiled machine when it came to shutting down their opponents and putting up points on the board tristen newton and adama sanogo are literally unstoppable 👊
 
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