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UConn MBB Meets Villanova In BIG EAST Tourney Semifinal
3/11/2022 3:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UConn Athletic Communications / March 11, 2022
NEW YORK – One obstacle stands in front of the UConn men's basketball team and an appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament championship game – the eighth-ranked team in the country.
The No. 20/20 Huskies (23-8), fresh off their 62-52 victory over Seton Hall in Thursday's quarterfinals, challenge No. 8/8 Villanova (24-7) tonight in the tournament semifinals, a position with which Villanova is quite familiar.
Since the reconfiguration of the BIG EAST in 2013-14, the Wildcats have been to the tourney semifinals six times and Villanova has won 15 of its last 17 BIG EAST Tournament games overall.
It wasn't easy for the Wildcats to reach this year's semifinals, however, as they barely survived a 66-65 thriller against St. John's in Thursday's quarterfinals.
Villanova, seeded second, and UConn, seeded third, are meeting for the sixth time overall in the BIG EAST tourney, with Villanova holding a 3-2 edge. Their last meeting was in 2004, when UConn notched an 84-67 win on its way to the 2004 BIG EAST championship and eventually the program's second NCAA title.
Tonight's winner will meet the winner of the other semifinal – Providence vs. Creighton – for the league title on Saturday night.
UConn used a smothering defense to defeat Seton Hall on Thursday, holding the Pirates to their lowest point total of the season (52) and their lowest scoring half (18). As usual, the Huskies were paced by their Big Three, as guards R.J. Cole and Tyrese Martin each had 17 points to lead the team in scoring and forward Adama Sanogo topped the rebounding effort with 11.
The Huskies broke out of a 4-4 tie in the opening minutes and never trailed again, taking a 29-18 lead into halftime and widening the gap to as much as 16 in the second half. After that, Seton Hall made a mini-run to cut the lead to 10, but never got any closer.
Cole (15.8), Sanogo (14.9) and Martin (13.5) are the Huskies' double figure scorers, while Sanogo (8.7) and Martin (7.6) lead the rebounding.
Villanova, which has won eight of its last nine, got a big effort from guard Caleb Daniels on Thursday night with 19 points, while Justin Moore had 15 and BIG EAST Player of the Year Collin Gillespie added 14. Gillespie is the Wildcats' top scorer (16.2), with Moore a close second (15.3). Sophomore Eric Dixon leads Villanova in rebounding (6.6).
No matter what the outcome tonight, both teams are virtually assured of their season continuing in next week's NCAA Tournament.
