Reigning champs appear to be on cruise Conntrol
OF COURSE it is a homecourt advantage when there are times when it sounds as if the whole state of Connecticut is roaring for you, willing you to survive and advance back to the top of the college basketball mountain.
Of course it is a home-court advantage whenever Barclays Center in Brooklyn starts to sound like Gampel Pavilion interrupted only every once in a while by the infrequent and desperate cheers from the outnumbered Northwestern faithful.
Of course it will be a homecourt advantage when TD Garden in Boston in the East Region Sweet 16 will sound more like the XL Center in Hartford when UConn takes on No. 5 San Diego State.
Of course none of it makes a difference if the team that plays in these arenas isn’t as good as its fans believe it is.
BREAKING: UConn, the easy 75-58 winner over Northwestern, is every bit as good as Husky Nation believes it is.
UConn is the best college basketball team in the country.
It is still debatable whether it is better than last year’s championship UConn team.
Beasts of a Big East Conference that boasts all three of its teams — we see you Marquette, we see you Creighton — in the Sweet 16: take that, Selection Committee! Right, Seton Hall? Right, Rick Pitino?
“There should have been five or six Big East teams in this tournament,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said.
UConn never allowed Northwestern an ounce of hope and stepped on its jugular early and often until late, when the Wildcats displayed enough heart and fight to hold their heads high.
It is clear that UConn is hungry and driven to become the first repeat champion since Billy Donovan and Florida in 2006-07.
UConn is a merciless offensive killing machine. A good shot is good. A better shot is better (20 assists, seven turnovers).
UConn is deeper than the deepest ocean.
UConn plays elite defense with a tenacity unknown to mankind.
UConn attacks the boards with Dennis Rodmanian ferocity.
And in Hurley, UConn has The Next Great Coach who just might be building a dynasty with a great coaching staff alongside him.
They can beat you every which way but loose.
Especially when their gentle giant shows up as indomitable as the Jolly Mean Giant.
Donovan Clingan, all 7-foot-2 of him, was going to be a problem with Northwestern big man Matthew Nicholson (foot) out of the tournament. Clingan sent Husky fans into a frenzy when he swatted away back-to-back shots on the same possession in the first half.
Clingan (14 points, 14 rebounds, eight blocks in 27 minutes) is peaking at the right time.
“I feel healthier and lighter than I’ve ever felt, and I just really got my confidence back and just trying to fly around the court and do whatever my team needs me to do to win,” Clingan said.
Cam Spencer, portal transfer from Rutgers who missed all of the fun last year, plays with an intensity exceeded only by Hurley on the UConn sideline.
Multifaceted play-making point guard and leader Tristen Newton (20 points, 10 assists) never met a clutch moment he didn’t like.
Alex Karaban never met a 3 he didn’t like. Anti-entitled freshman Stephon Castle oozes NBA talent.
Hassan Diarra never let Northwestern’s career scoring leader Boo Buie breathe. And neither did Castle. Buie (2 of 15 shooting) didn’t score a point until 1:22 before intermission. He missed his first 10 shots until a bunny midway through the second half.
Samson Johnson comes in from the bench for Cllingan and is an instant presence.
UConn was 3-for-22 from downtown Storrs, for all it mattered.
“We are bulletproof,” Hurley said. “Again, elite offense, elite defense.”
UConn, as well as Husky Nation travels, won’t have homecourt advantage at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., should it reach the Final Four.
UConn didn’t have homecourt advantage at NRG Stadium in Houston when it won last year’s national championship over San Diego State.
“I guess you could add Brooklyn to Storrs South — I didn’t know Brooklyn was part of Storrs South, but I guess it extends from Manhattan to Brooklyn,” Hurley said.
And to Boston. “I think it’s going to double in Boston for us,” Hurley said.
If the Huskies play like this no one will beat them. Wherever the Beasts of the scorned Big East play.