LAS VEGAS — After wins over Illinois and top-seeded Kansas in the course of the opening weekend of the 2023 NCAA Match, the Arkansas Razorbacks have been a “sizzling” group in faculty basketball circles. Eric Musselman’s membership struggled to stay as much as lofty preseason expectations in 2022-23, however the Razorbacks seemingly put issues collectively in two spectacular wins. Past that, the Arkansas roster many prognosticators cherished within the preseason contains a number of future NBA gamers and, with latest historical past on its facet after Elite 8 runs in each 2021 and 2022, it was straightforward to see the Razorbacks as harmful regardless of the No. 8 seed within the West Area. Nevertheless, Arkansas ran right into a buzzsaw on Thursday night in a Candy 16 matchup in opposition to the UConn Huskies and, in a rush, the Huskies despatched a reminder to the rest of the sector that they’re contender-worthy with an 88-65 destruction.
If something, UConn was equally spectacular in the course of the first weekend, pulling away from a plucky Iona group within the opening spherical and cruising previous a St. Mary’s group that was beloved by pc fashions all through the season. Within the opener of the first-ever NCAA Match Regional in Las Vegas, although, the Huskies wasted completely no time in placing the pedal to the ground and showcasing sky-high upside.
The tempo of the sport was torrid for a day tip-off in Las Vegas, although UConn compelled Arkansas to blink first. The Huskies started to determine tempo and physicality from the opening tip, producing spectacular shot high quality and execution within the course of.
Then got here the primary of a number of haymakers from UConn within the type of a 14-0 run. Earlier than Arkansas lastly dented the scoreboard once more, the Huskies took a 34-17 lead that was full with off-the-charts offensive numbers.
UConn scored 34 factors on its first 20 possessions of the sport, a tempo that might be spectacular no matter opponent and circumstance. The Huskies shot 13-of-21 from the sector and 4-of-8 from three-point vary within the first 12 minutes, securing six of the group’s eight missed pictures on the offensive glass besides.
“We acquired off to a quick begin offensively,” mentioned UConn head coach Dan Hurley. “We have been actually sharp, our passing was sharp. And I believed we simply had an ideal combine of making openings for our shooters, feeding Adama and Donovan within the ball-screen recreation, in after which the low publish. We have been coming at them from so many alternative locations offensively. I feel we simply had them on their heels and once we did get defensive rebound alternatives we have been capable of create some issues in transition. I simply assume we have been capable of get them on their heels like straightaway within the recreation.”
From there, the Huskies shot 61 % within the opening half and scored nearly as many factors within the paint (24) as Arkansas scored in complete factors (29) earlier than the break. UConn didn’t journey a efficiency of particular person brilliance to that lofty baseline both, because the Huskies relied on trademark steadiness and drive to successfully generate any shot they wished within the first 20 minutes. Throw in the truth that Arkansas entered the sport with a top-15 mark within the nation in adjusted defensive effectivity, and the spectacular nature of the exhibiting comes into focus.
With a snug halftime lead, the temptation might have been there for UConn to pedal off to begin the second half, however the Huskies did the alternative. The truth is, UConn produced a 14-2 run to take a 62-33 lead with 15:44 to go, opening the half by making 5 of its first six pictures and producing 4 assists in brief order.
Admittedly, no group might fairly preserve the torrid tempo established by UConn within the first 24 minutes, and the Huskies did emerge from a timeout with their worst stretch of the sport. Arkansas scored the subsequent ten factors, ratcheting up the defensive stress, and UConn’s ball safety points emerged for a brief interval. The Huskies commit a turnover on practically 19 % of possessions this season and, if there’s an Achilles heal for what’s a top-five offense within the sport, that’s it. Nonetheless, the storm handed and, when UConn broke two straight presses for open three-pointers, the group’s development to the Elite 8 was all however safe with greater than ten minutes remaining.
UConn’s 29-point lead early within the second half become a 23-point margin on the last horn however, even with a number of minutes of cruise management to the end, the Huskies scored practically 1.3 factors per possession and restricted the Razorbacks to lower than some extent per offensive journey. Whereas the offense deservedly drew the headlines, UConn held Arkansas to only 32 % taking pictures with extra turnovers than assists.
Jordan Hawkins, a wing with an NBA future, led UConn with 24 factors, whereas massive man Adama Sanogo anchored the Huskies inside with 18 factors and eight rebounds in solely 24 minutes of motion. Even with these appreciable contributions from standouts, it was additionally an evening of steadiness for UConn, with the group taking pictures 57 % from the sector with an egalitarian offensive method and practically a 50 % offensive rebound fee.
“I believed clearly we simply performed just about precisely to our group identification,” Hurley mentioned. “We performed elite protection. Offensively the 22 assists, the within, the skin, and the rebounding dominance, and actually the place we’re proper now’s precisely the place we talked about the place we might be, once we acquired collectively. After we misplaced the first-round recreation final yr we met within the boardroom, we sat collectively and mentioned that is the place we’re going to be. We’re precisely the place we thought we might be. And clearly we’re thrilled to play yet another to go to the Closing 4.”
On one hand, this stage of carnage in opposition to a top quality opponent can be noteworthy in any context. Arkansas was a No. 8 seed within the subject, however the Hogs entered the night at No. 18 within the nation in KenPom’s superior rankings. This was additionally a well-coached opponent that, whereas the Razorbacks did battle, was not violently overmatched from a expertise standpoint. As an alternative, it was an effort that ought to increase eyebrows throughout the nation, a minimum of for these not already plugged into UConn as a nationwide title contender.
These aware of superior metrics have been already clued into the Huskies. In spite of everything, UConn was No. 4 within the nation at KenPom earlier than the event started, even because the Huskies earned solely a No. 4 seed. The Huskies really dominate on the offensive glass, grabbing 39 % of missed pictures for the season, and the group’s elite offense is a minimum of approached by its protection with a top-15 nationwide mark in effectivity. UConn wasn’t essentially the most constant group in the course of the common season, as evidenced by eight losses, however the Huskies appear to be peaking on the proper time and that was already the case earlier than Thursday.
“We had a extremely robust January, however we play in a extremely robust convention,” Hawkins mentioned. “We knew we needed to flip the swap. When it hit February, I feel that’s when issues modified for us. We began to play higher. We knew that point was coming the place guys needed to step up. And we have now a group full of men that would step up.”
Since Feb. 1, UConn is No. 1 within the nation in adjusted effectivity, per barttorvik.com. These numbers didn’t embrace the picture-perfect exhibiting in opposition to Arkansas, and the Huskies have been successfully co-favorites (a minimum of within the betting market) to win the West Area as of Thursday morning. That isn’t to say that UConn isn’t susceptible to a hiccup alongside the way in which, as any group would, however in a season marked by whispers of parity on the prime and the absence of true dominance, the Huskies do possess the sort of ceiling end result that almost all groups within the event can solely aspire to over a single 40-minute window.
The Huskies will advance to tackle the winner of the nightcap between No. 2 seed UCLA and No. 3 Gonzaga, with UConn seemingly misplaced in opposition to a west coast opponent in Las Vegas. Nonetheless, the UConn trustworthy will probably be out in drive in Sin Metropolis, and followers of the Huskies precisely put on the boldness that their group can match the ceiling of any squad within the event.
