Defending national champion and top-seeded UConn posted another convincing win by beating ninth-seeded Northwestern 75-58 in the Second Round of the East Region. The Huskies have won their nine straight game which is the longest active streak in the country.
Donovan Clingan had 14 points, 14 rebounds and eight blocks while Tristen Newton had a double- double (20 points, 10 assists) for the Huskies. Brooks Barnhizer scored 18 points while Ryan Langborg had 13 points for Northwestern, which shot just 37.3 percent (22-for-59), including 26.7 percent (4-for-15) from 3-point land.
UConn went ahead by double digits for good at 15-4 with 13:47 left and led by as many as 23 before ending the half with a 40-18 lead. The Huskies took a 30-point lead at 57-27 with 13:27 left, when Newton fed Samson Johnson for an alley-oop, before Northwestern ended the game on a 31-18 run. Barnhizer had 16 points in the surge for the Wildcats, who got as close as 16 points four times.
UConn has now won eight straight NCAA Tournament games by double figures. They will play fifth-seed San Diego State on Thursday in the Sweet 16 and a rematch of last years NCAA Championship in which UConn won 76 to 59.
Credit – AP
