By Stretch Jenkinson

3 24 2024

BROOKLYN – The top-seed UConn men’s basketball team (32-3) continues its NCAA Tournament run on Sunday when it takes on nine-seed Northwestern (22-11) in Second Round action. Tip-off is set for approximately 7:45 p.m. ET and will air on truTV with Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill and Tracy Wolfson on the call.

The Huskies breezed through their first round matchup on Friday, showing off its balance as all five starters scored in double-figures in a 91-52 rout of 16-seed Stetson. Donovan Clingan led the way for Connecticut with 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Cam Spencer added 15 in his first NCAA Tournament contest. Stephon Castle and Alex Karaban both added 14 points, and Tristen Newton rounded out the double-figure scorers with 13 points and a game-high eight assists.

Newton, a First Team All-American, leads UConn with 15.1 points and 6.1 assists per game, checking in at second on the squad with 6.9 rebounds per game. Spencer is second on the squad with 14.5 points per game and ranks top-five nationally with a 44.4 percent mark from 3-point range. Karaban adds 13.9 points per game, while Clingan chips in 12.7 points, a team-high 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game on 64.6 percent shooting. Castle is the fifth Husky in double-figures and stuffs the stat sheet with 10.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.

Northwestern advanced to the second round with an overtime win over Florida Atlantic on Friday. Boo Buie leads the Wildcats with 19.3 points and 5.0 assists per game, shooting a sterling 44.1 percent from 3-point range. Brooks Barnhizer adds 14.5 points per game, while Ryan Langborg chips in 12.7 per contest and shoots 41.3 percent from deep. As a team, Northestern is among the national leaders with a 39.3 percent mark from distance.

Connecticut has never faced Northwestern in the respective history of the two programs. The reigning national champs have now won seven-straight NCAA Tournament games by double-figures, only the fifth team in the history of the tournament to accomplish that feat. UConn is also the first team to ever win seven-consecutive tournament games by at least 13 points.

Should the Huskies advance, they will head to the Sweet 16 in Boston and face either No. 5 San Diego State or No. 13 Yale.

COURTESY UCONN ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

BROOKLYN – Northwestern looks to earn its first Sweet 16 appearance in program history when it takes on No. 1 UConn at 6:45 p.m. CT inside Barclays Center on Sunday, March 24, in Brooklyn. Sunday’s Second Round matchup will be broadcast on truTV, with Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Grant Hill (analyst), and Tracy Wolfson (sideline) on the call. Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Billy McKinney (analyst) have the radio call on WGN Radio 720.

Northwestern (22-11, 12-8 B1G) matched its program record with 21 regular season wins this season, tying the record previously set in 2016-17 and 2022-23. Northwestern’s 22 total wins this season is tied for the second-most in program history, equaling the total set in 2022-23.

Northwestern came from behind to defeat FAU 77-65 in overtime in Friday’s First Round tilt at Barclays Center. The Wildcats improved to a perfect 3-0 all-time in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament, tied with Tulane for the best winning percentage (min. three games) in tournament history since 1985.

Ryan Langborg exploded for a career-high 27 points, the most ever by a Wildcat in an NCAA Tournament game. The San Diego product and Princeton grad transfer scored 25 of his 27 points in the second half and overtime, including 12 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting in overtime. He became the second player ever to have two 25-plus point games for two different teams (Jamal Faulkner, 1991- Arizona State and 1994- Alabama).

Boo Buie notched 22 points, a career-high five steals, four assists, and three rebounds. The game marked Buie’s 18th contest with 20-plus points this season.

Brooks Barnhizer sent the game into overtime with a layup with nine seconds left, tying the game at 58 heading into the extra frame. With 13 points and 10 rebounds against FAU, the Lafayette, Ind. native recorded his 10th double-double of the season, the most in a single-season by a Wildcat since Evan Eschmeyer logged 15 double-doubles in 1998-99.

With the win, the Wildcats improved to 12-2 this season when holding opponents to 65 or fewer points. During the Chris Collins era, Northwestern is 130-37 when holding opponents to 65 points or fewer.

Northwestern and UConn are meeting on the hardwood for the first time in the history of either program. The Wildcats are 58-57 against the current alignment of the BIG EAST. NU has won three straight against BIG EAST foes. Northwestern has won two straight games against the AP No. 1 ranked team, defeating No. 1 Purdue twice.

All five starters for the Huskies (32-3, 18-2 BIG EAST) average double-digit points per game, led by Tristen Newton’s 15.1 points per game.

The winner of Sunday’s Second Round matchup will advance to the Sweet Sixteen on Thursday, March 28 at TD Garden in Boston, where it will face the winner of Yale and San Diego State.

COURTESY NORTHWESTERN ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS