The Huskies’ 88-65 win over Arkansas in the West Region semifinals on Thursday night was their third in a row by double digits. Jordan Hawkins led the way with 24 points to lead the overwhelming performance. On Saturday, fourth-seeded UConn (28-8) will face third-seeded Gonzaga for a position in the Final Four.
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UConn looks like a squad capable of capturing its fifth national championship and first since 2014. The Huskies have outscored their three March Madness opponents by a combined total of 62 points. The Huskies never trailed and had a 29-point lead at one point. UConn was aggressive on the boards early. It took Arkansas nearly six minutes to grab a defensive rebound, and by then, the Huskies had a lead and a trio of offensive boards, including two from Karaban that led to points.
Photo Cred: CBS Sports
UConn, which has won nine of its last ten games, shot 57.4% against Arkansas’ 31.7%. The Huskies outrebounded the Razorbacks 43-31 and outscored them 42-24 in the paint. UConn’s Adama Sanogo scored 18 points, Alex Karaban 11, and Nahiem Alleyene 10. Sanogo has 71 points and eight rebounds in 75 minutes in this tournament.
Photo Cred: The Boston Globe
Arkansas (22-14) was led by Anthony Black’s 20 points, Council’s 17, and Nick Smith Jr.’s 11. Arkansas, the eighth seed, was aiming for a third straight appearance in the Elite Eight, which would have been a first for the program. For the second time, the Razorbacks reached three straight Sweet 16s.
