March Madness 2023 Final Four Highlights: Sanogo leads UConn in title match spot

They came, they saw, they dominated. Again.

The UConn Huskies went on one of the most dominant runs in NCAA tournament history on Saturday night as they clinched their ticket to the national title game for the first time since 2014 with a 72-59 victory over a Miami team that threatened to make things interesting but never could.

Big man Adama Sanogo once again played a pivotal role as a contagious ball of energy, scoring a game-high 21 points to go along with his 10 rebounds in just 26 minutes. His ability to spark runs when his team needed it most was key on a night when guard Jordan Hawkins was limited with a stomach bug (but still managed 13 points on 3-for-7 shooting points).

The disappointing result shouldn’t take away from Miami’s incredible efforts to advance to the Final Four under veteran head coach Jim Larrañaga. The Hurricanes cut the lead to single digits several times in the streak but could never sustain things beyond that on a night when they shot just 32% from the field and were overwhelmed in the paint against a much larger Big East team. The Hurricanes finished the game scoreless in the field in the final 6:13, an interesting streak after guard Nijel Pack (eight points, one assist) returned to the lineup after breaking his shoe and having need a manager to get him another pair.

The story of the night was all about UConn, just as it has been throughout March. The Huskies remain undefeated against non-conference competition and could score one of the most crushing runs March Madness has ever seen when they meet a feisty team from San Diego State for a unique East Coast-Law meeting. west coast to cut fillets .

Check out Bryan Fischer’s best in-game highlights and analysis below.

No. 4 UConn 72, No. 5 Miami (Florida) 59

>>> SECOND HALF UPDATES

3:36 – Andre Jackson Jr. throws a huge dunk for the Huskies, keeping Miami at bay late in the game, 68-54.

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3:57 – Buckle up, we’ve come to the under-four timeout and UConn is clinging to a 12-point lead. Jordan Hawkins continues to find rhythm despite the stomach bug, racking up 10 points in the second half to balance a quiet run from Adama Sanogo. Surprisingly, Miami is shooting 11 of 19 and has the advantage in 3-point attempts and turnovers. We’ve seen the ‘Canes continue to snack, but do they have a final push here with the national title game just minutes away?

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6:12 – Miami guard Bensley Joseph’s 3 made it a 10-point game yet again, as the second half ended in Houston.

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07:08 – THROW IT AWAY, MR. JACKSON! Andre Jackson Jr. might have earned an appearance on “One Shining Moment” with a felt dunk in Galveston to extend UConn’s lead to 62-49.

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9:46 – Let’s put “Shoe Gate” in the lexicon of this Final Four game after Miami guard Nijel Pack broke his shoe midway through the second half and has been on the bench ever since. When a manager brought him an extra pair, they apparently didn’t suit him. While that might have spelled the end for the ‘Canes in that game, his teammates instead opted for the Kansas State transfer by hitting 7 of 9 from the field and cutting the lead to single digits at one point. However, UConn guard Jordan Hawkins has started to warm up with some jumpers to help provide some breathing room as we are less than 10 minutes from knowing the national title game.

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10:27 – Jordan Hawkins showed no signs of slowing down as the hard-hitting shooting guard hit another 3-pointer to give the Huskies a 58-45 lead.

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11:41 – Isaiah Wong’s big 3-pointer cut UConn’s lead to single digits, 53-45, near halftime of the second half.

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14:20 – Miami wasn’t going to go down without a fight, however, conceding seven quick points to keep the Huskies within reach.

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15:29 – Jordan Hawkins drained another 3-pointer to extend UConn’s lead to 19 points, 49-30, early in the second period. The Huskies settled into a nice rhythm.

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14:18 – A little life for the ‘Canes? A 7-0 run highlighted by a Bensley Joseph 3-pointer and a thunderous Isaiah Wong dunk brought some life to Miami fans at NRG Stadium. The last time that happened, Dan Hurley used a timeout and UConn closed out the first half in dominant fashion. It looks like a key moment to see if we will get a close game in the final minutes.

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15:32 – UConn looked like the best team in the NCAA Tournament pretty much from the start, and taking a 46-28 lead at the Under-16 timeout in the second half certainly seems like confirmation that such a statement will ring true through the national title game. Adama Sanogo remains borderline unstoppable, shooting 7 of 8 from the field as the only player in double figures. Points in the paint, rebounds, getting to the line, you name it and the Huskies do it at a high level to put Miami in an even bigger hole.

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18:21 – Adama Sanogo blasted through the ‘Canes’ defense en route to the rim, giving UConn a 41-24 lead.

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>>> HALF-TIME ANALYSIS: UConn 37, Miami 24

UConn have won every game by 15+ points in this tournament and could be on the verge of doing it again after making their last three shots – including two 3s from Alex Karaban and Joey Calcaterra – to extend the lead to 37-24. at the halfway mark in Houston.

The Huskies were dominant for long stretches at both ends of the field in the first half. Adama Sanogo has a game-high 13 points and five boards to pace the Huskies and at least make up for guard Jordan Hawkins coming in and out of lineup while dealing with the stomach bug. UConn are 27-3 when leading at halftime and are just 20 minutes away from adding one more in the win column after shooting 50% from the field and taking the lead. advantage in the paint and on the boards.

Meanwhile, Miami has struggled on the court and is coming off its lowest score in the first half of the season. Isaiah Wong’s final 3-pointer helped ensure things weren’t even worse, as the Hurricanes connected on just two of their last 14 shots from the field, much of which came with the UConn trio of Sanogo/Hawkins and Andre Jackson Jr. on the bench. Still, the Hurricanes were there before, coming back from 14 to beat Texas in the Midwest Regional Finals and fully capable of hitting shots to take the lead.

STAT HALF-TIME TO KNOW

UConn is 27-3 this season when leading at halftime. Miami is 8-4 this season when trailing at halftime.

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>>> FIRST HALF UPDATES

0:03 – UConn finished the first half in style with that perfect buzzer-beater to extend their lead to 13 points, 37-24, at halftime.

4:17 – This perfectly timed under-eight timeout may have been a masterclass in Dan Hurley’s adjustments as UConn regained control of it and secured its biggest lead of the night. The Huskies are on an 8-0 run in nearly four minutes and have held Miami 0 of 8 from the field throughout this drought. Adama Sanogo remains a burst of energy every time he’s down and his game-high 13 points and five rebounds might even understate his impact. Big man Donovan Clingan also contributed some excellent minutes.

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4:19 – Denied! Nijel Pack drove to the hoop, but UConn center Donovan Clingan had other plans that didn’t involve Miami closing the gap.

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7:40 a.m. – Miami is so tough, never shaken no matter what the score reads. They’re shooting just 30 percent for the game, but they cut UConn’s lead to two by forcing turnovers and taking the break. Mix it up keeping things even on the boards and Dan Hurley will have to make his own adjustments amid this little Huskies wobble.

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7:58 – In the blink of an eye, things came together at 19, but UConn remained laser-focused and quickly regained the lead late in the frame.

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10:21 – Miami continued to settle into a rhythm during the first half, closing the gap and cutting UConn’s lead to three points with this monster dunk.

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11:20 – Although they fell behind early, the Canes had absolutely not given up on them. Exhibit A:

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11:41 – At the Under-12 timeout, it’s pretty easy to find the difference in this one as UConn went from 4 of 7 to 3-pointers while forcing a tough shot every turn at the other end. Miami made just three baskets (shooting 3 of 15) and Jim Larrañaga has already replaced big man Norchad Omier to create better spacing – playing Jordan Miller at five much like he did on the return to Texas at Kansas City.

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13:47 – UConn extended its lead to double digits, 14-4, after a big 3-point splash from Huskies guard Tristen Newton.

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15:46 — There’s still a long way to go, but it looks like we’ll have to get a reference or two to Michael Jordan’s flu game from 26 years ago with UConn guard Jordan Hawkins struggling with a health issue. stomach before that Final Four game against Miami.

Hawkins kicked off the Huskies’ score with a 3-pointer on the first trip to the floor and still looked like he had plenty of sparkle to grab a rebound. However, it was Adama Sanogo’s play that was the story early on, entering tonight without a single 3 in the tournament (and only one in the last 11 games), and knocking both of his attempts behind the bow. If he feels his shot like that, this one could be a long night for the Hurricanes.

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16:56 – With the momentum on their side, the Huskies quickly took a 9-0 lead, capped off by that 3-pointer from star forward Adama Sanogo. The 6-foot-9 tall man is the best FOX Sports player to watch in this Final Four.

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19:46 – Stomach problem? No problem! UConn’s Jordan Hawkins kicked the scoring in this one, easily sinking a 3-pointer to put the Huskies up 3-0 from the start.

PRE-MATCH SCENE

UConn standout Jordan Hawkins missed team practice on Friday and was isolated from teammates after being ill.

The sharp shooting guard is expected to start for the Huskies tonight.

The UConn men’s basketball team travels with a billboard displaying the NCAA Tournament Championship Trophy, which reminds the team of what the ultimate goal is.

As the NCAA Tournament progressed and the Hurricanes continued to win, fans across the country began to take notice.

Miami senior Jordan Miller scored 27 points while shooting 100 percent from the field and connecting 100 percent of his free throws in the Hurricanes Elite Eight win over Texas. He became the first player to accomplish such a feat since Christian Laettner did it for Duke in their 1992 Elite Eight game against the Kentucky Wildcats.

Laettner FaceTimed Miller to congratulate him on his achievement.

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