Continuing their display of dominance throughout the 2023 March Madness tournament, the UConn Huskies overwhelmed the San Diego State Aztecs by a score of 76-59, ESPN reports. Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, the Huskies became just the fifth team to win each of their games by double digits.
Adama Sanogo had another strong showing with 17 points and 10 rebounds earning the Most Outstanding Player award.
Expressing his excitement after the game, Sanogo took the game ball home for his growing trophy case. “I need that ball. That’s a ball I want to save for my kids, my grandkids,” he said. “I need that ball.”
Tristen Newton added a double-double of his own with 19 points and 10 rebounds for UConn.
For San Diego, Keshad Johnson had 14 points in the school’s first championship appearance.
During the first half of the game, the Huskies (31-8) were leading by 16 points and looked like they were on their way to a blowout victory. But the Aztecs (32-7) showed the grit and determination that catapulted them into the championship game as they cut the lead to five with less than six minutes on the clock
Answering the Aztecs’ rally, Jordan Hawkins nailed a 3-pointer, and the Huskies went on a 9-0 run sealing another title in the storied program.
After the game, Huskies head coach Dan Hurley had nothing but praise for Sanogo’s clutch performance.
"He's obviously cemented himself into the pantheon of greatest big guys with all the production and back-to-back first-team all-league, and now this, to have the national championship just puts him in a position in one of the most storied programs in college basketball," Hurley said. "He's an all-time great."
