And Still: UConn tops Purdue, wins second straight national title
His entire adolescence, Dan Hurley was always trying to live up to his older brother.
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His entire adolescence, Dan Hurley was always trying to live up to his older brother.
For every opponent they’ve faced in the last calendar season, the UConn Huskies (36-3) have been in their crosshairs. Nearly everyone given the rifle has all lined up for their shot at the defending champions, and one after the other has watched Dan Hurley’s so-called bulletproof vest stop it. Next up to have their best not be enough? The Alabama Crimson Tide (25-12).
No matter how badly the sea of red in State Farm Stadium wanted to see a happy ending to Cinderella’s sequel, Purdue (34-4) played Lady Tremaine. Just one season after an embarrassing first-round exit, the Boilers closed the curtains on NC State’s (26-15) feel-good show, leading wire-to-wire to take the first semifinal, 63-50.
The Christmas Eve of college basketball has come. While Phoenix is no North Pole, presents are aplenty under the tree of State Farm Stadium. A holiday haul of an all-time underdog, a top-flight offense, the sport’s most dominant force, and the reigning national champions isn’t one many on the nice list will return on Dec. 26. With NC State, Alabama, Purdue, and UConn all at the end of the road (it took the Huskies a little while longer than others), fans began to tear the wrapping paper apart ahead of the 2024 Final Four.
It’s not often that a reigning MVP hits free agency just days after accepting the hardware. What’s even more rare is that it’s Shohei Ohtani. But after six wasted years in Anaheim, the Japanese mega-star is the great white shark of the 2023 free agency class. Naturally, everyone wants to reel in the big fish. Most teams face the unfortunate reality of casting out the hook and knowing they won’t even get a nibble. Others just put the worm on and call it an honest effort, while the most fortunate get the full-on mackerel with the deep sea rod. The Dodgers, Rangers, and Cubs of the seas have made their ambitions well-known on Ohtani, and while adding the two-way phenom would likely put any of them over the top, the most desperate need for a big-time catch comes from a franchise that has missed out on one the most.
The Golden Eagles got the epitome of the Shaka Smart experience last year, winning championships in the regular season and conference tournament, only to bow out of the NCAAs in the second round. Fueled by the disappointing end to what otherwise was the greatest season in Marquette history, the reigning Big East champions bring back nearly every major contributor from last year. At the head of the revenge tour will be reigning conference player of the year, Tyler Kolek, whose 7.5 assists per game in 2022 established him as one of the nation’s premier point guards. The main beneficiaries of Kolek’s elite ball distribution will be the team’s top scorer from last year, guard Kam Jones, not to mention two-way standout Oso Ighadaro inside the arc. Another year of David Joplin down low and Stevie Mitchell on the perimeter rounds out a rock-solid starting five, and if last year was any indication, the Golden Eagles will be able to score with anyone in their pursuit of another Big East title and a later stay on the dance floor afterward.
“You have a row of dominoes set up; you knock over the first one, and what will happen to the last one is that it will go over very quickly.”