2023 March Madness Final Four highlights: Sanogo leads UConn to spot in title game
They came, they saw, they dominated. Again.
The UConn Huskies continued one of the most dominant runs in NCAA Tournament history on Saturday night as they punched their ticket to the national title game for the first time since 2014 with a 72-59 victory over a Miami side that threatened to make things interesting but never could.
Big man Adama Sanogo was pivotal once again as an infectious ball of energy, pouring in a game-high 21 points to go with his 10 rebounds in just 26 minutes. His ability to spark some runs when his team needed them most was key on a night where guard Jordan Hawkins was limited while dealing with a stomach bug (but still managed 13 points on 3-of-7 shooting from 3-point range).
The disappointing result shouldn’t take away from what an incredible effort Miami put forth in getting to the Final Four under veteran head coach Jim Larrañaga. The Hurricanes cut the lead to single-digits several times down the stretch but never could sustain things beyond that on a night where they shot just 32% from the field and were overwhelmed in the paint against a much taller Big East squad. The Hurricanes ended the game without a field goal in the final 6:13, a stretch that interestingly came after guard Nijel Pack (eight points, one assist) returned to the lineup after breaking his shoe and needing a manager to get him another pair.
The story of the night was all about UConn, just as it has been throughout the month of March. The Huskies remain undefeated against non-conference competition and could put a stamp on one of the most overwhelming runs March Madness has ever seen when they meet a feisty San Diego State team for a unique East Coast vs. West Coast meeting to cut down the nets.
Catch up with the top highlights and in-game analysis from Bryan Fischer below.
No. 4 UConn 72, No. 5 Miami (Fla.) 59
>>> SECOND-HALF UPDATES
3:36 - Andre Jackson Jr. throws down a massive dunk for the Huskies, keeping Miami at bay late in the game, 68-54.
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3:57 - Buckle up, we’ve arrived at the under-four timeout and UConn is clinging to a 12 point lead. Jordan Hawkins continues to find a rhythm despite the stomach bug, racking up 10 points in the second half to balance out a quiet stretch run from Adama Sanogo. Shockingly, Miami is shooting 11-of-19 and has the edge in 3-point attempts and turnovers. We’ve seen the 'Canes keep chipping away but do they have one final push here with the national title game just a few minutes away?
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6:12 - Miami guard Bensley Joseph's 3 made it a 10-point game once again, as the second half winds down in Houston.
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07:08 - THROW IT DOWN, MR. JACKSON! Andre Jackson Jr. might have earned himself an appearance on ‘One Shining Moment’ with a dunk felt down in Galveston to extend UConn’s lead to 62-49.
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9:46 - Let us put ‘Shoe Gate’ into the lexicon of this Final Four game after Miami guard Nijel Pack broke his shoe midway through the second half and has been riding the bench ever since. When he was brought an extra pair by a manager, they apparently didn’t fit. While that could have spelled the end of the ’Canes in this game, his teammates instead picked the Kansas State transfer up by hitting 7-of-9 from the field and cutting the lead to single-digits at one point. However, UConn guard Jordan Hawkins started to heat up with a couple of jumpers to help provide a little more breathing room as we’re less than 10 minutes away from knowing the national title game matchup.
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10:27 - Jordan Hawkins showed no signs of slowing down as the sharp-shooting guard hit another 3-pointer to give the Huskies a 58-45 lead.
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11:41 - Isaiah Wong's big-time 3-pointer shrunk UConn's lead back down to single digits, 53-45, near the midway-mark of the second half.
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14:20 - Miami wasn't going down without a fight, however, cashing in for a quick seven points to keep the Huskies within arm's reach.
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15:29 - Jordan Hawkins drained another 3-pointer to stretch UConn's lead to 19 points, 49-30, early in the second half. The Huskies have settled into a nice rhythm.
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14:18 - Some life for the ’Canes? A 7-0 run highlighted by a Bensley Joseph 3-pointer and a thunderous Isaiah Wong dunk has given the Miami fans at NRG Stadium some life. The last time this happened, Dan Hurley used a timeout and UConn closed out the first half in dominant fashion. This feels like a key moment to see if we will get a close game in the final few minutes.
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15:32 - UConn has looked like the best team in the NCAA Tournament pretty much from the opening tip, and taking a 46-28 lead at the under 16 timeout in the second half sure seems to be 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 are doing it at a high level to put Miami in an even bigger hole.
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18:21 - Adama Sanogo powered through the 'Canes defense en route to the rim, giving UConn a 41-24 lead.
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>>> HALFTIME ANALYSIS: UConn 37, Miami 24
UConn has won every game by 15-plus points in this tournament and may be on its way to doing it again after making its last three shots — including two 3s from Alex Karaban and Joey Calcaterra — to stretch the lead to 37-24 at the midway mark in Houston.
The Huskies were dominant for long stretches on both ends of the court in the first half. Adama Sanogo has a game-high 13 points and five boards to pace the Huskies and make up at least a little bit for guard Jordan Hawkins going in and out of the lineup while dealing with the stomach bug. UConn is 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 getting the edge in the paint and on the boards.
Meanwhile, Miami has struggled from the field and just had their lowest scoring first half of the season. Isaiah Wong’s late 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 UConn’s trio of Sanogo/Hawkins and Andre Jackson Jr. on the bench. Still, the Hurricanes been here before, coming back from 14 down to beat Texas in the Midwest Regional final and perfectly capable of hitting shots to cut into the lead.
HALFTIME STAT TO KNOW
UConn is 27-3 this season when leading at half. Miami is 8-4 this season when trailing at half.
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>>> FIRST-HALF UPDATES
0:03 - UConn finished the first half in style with this picture-perfect buzzer-beater to extend its lead to 13 points, 37-24, at halftime.
4:17 - That perfectly-timed under-eight timeout may have been a masterclass in adjustments by Dan Hurley as UConn has regained control of this one and hit their largest lead of the night. The Huskies are on an 8-0 run over nearly four minutes and have held Miami to 0-of-8 from the field across this scoring drought. Adama Sanogo remains a burst of energy every time he’s on the floor and his game-high 13 points and five rebounds might even be underselling his impact. Big man Donovan Clingan has contributed some excellent minutes as well.
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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 - Miami is just so tough, never rattled regardless what the score reads. They’re shooting just 30% for the game, but they’ve cut UConn’s lead to two by forcing turnovers and getting out on the break. Toss in keeping things even on the boards and Dan Hurley will need to make some adjustments of his own amid this little wobble by the Huskies.
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7:58 - In the blink of an eye, things were knotted up at 19-all, 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 as the first half went on, closing the gap and shrinking UConn's lead to three points with this monster dunk.
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11:20 - Despite falling behind early, the Canes had absolutely no quit in 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 has gone 4-of-7 from 3-point range while forcing a tough shot at every turn on the other end. Miami has made just three baskets (3-of-15 shooting) and Jim Larrañaga has already subbed off big man Norchad Omier to create some better spacing — playing Jordan Miller at the five much like he did in the comeback over Texas back in 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 is still a long ways to go, but it seems like we’re bound to get a reference or two to Michael Jordan’s flu game from 26 years ago with UConn guard Jordan Hawkins battling a stomach bug before this Final Four game against Miami.
Hawkins kicked off the Huskies’ scoring with a 3-pointer on the first trip down the floor and seemed to still have plenty of burst in snagging a rebound. However, it's the play of Adama Sanogo that has been the story early, coming into tonight without a single 3 in the tournament (and just one in the last 11 games), and knocking down both of his attempts from behind the arc. If he’s feeling his shot like that, this one could be a long night for the Hurricanes.
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16:56 - With momentum on their side, the Huskies quickly jumped out to a 9-0 lead, capped off by this 3-pointer from star forward Adama Sanogo. The 6-foot-9 big man is FOX Sports' top player to watch in this Final Four.
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19:46 - Stomach bug? No problem! UConn's Jordan Hawkins kicked off the scoring in this one, sinking a 3-pointer with ease to put the Huskies up 3-0 right out of the gate.
PREGAME SCENE
UConn standout Jordan Hawkins missed the team's practice on Friday and was isolated from his teammates after dealing with an illness.
The sharp-shooting guard is expected to start for the Huskies tonight.
The UConn men's basketball team travel with a poster board displaying the NCAA Tournament championship trophy, which serves as a reminder to the team what the ultimate goal is.
As the NCAA Tournament progressed and the Hurricanes kept winning, fans across the country began to take notice.
Miami senior Jordan Miller scored 27 points while shooting 100% from the field and connecting on 100% 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 its 1992 Elite Eight game against the Kentucky Wildcats.
Laettner FaceTimed Miller to congratulate him on his accomplishment.
Read more:
- From Ray Allen to Jordan Hawkins, the making of a UConn scoring machine
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- FAU learns that holding onto talent is no easy task
- San Diego State's winning formula: Defense, physicality, toughness
- 2023 Final Four, by the numbers
- Final Four 2023: A team-by-team guide to the four contenders left standing
- 2023 March Madness odds: Final Four odds, spreads for NCAA Tournament
- Final Four 2023: It's a different kind of field this time, and that's good for the sport
- March Madness 2023: Everything to know about the Final Four
