University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Ready For NCAA Second Round, Sunday
3/23/2024 12:07:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BROOKLYN – The top-seed UConn men's basketball team (32-3) continues its NCAA Tournament run on Sunday when it takes on nine-seed Northwestern (22-11) in Second Round action. Tip-off is set for approximately 7:45 p.m. ET and will air on truTV with Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill and Tracy Wolfson on the call.
The Huskies breezed through their first round matchup on Friday, showing off its balance as all five starters scored in double-figures in a 91-52 rout of 16-seed Stetson. Donovan Clingan led the way for Connecticut with 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Cam Spencer added 15 in his first NCAA Tournament contest. Stephon Castle and Alex Karaban both added 14 points, and Tristen Newton rounded out the double-figure scorers with 13 points and a game-high eight assists.
Newton, a First Team All-American, leads UConn with 15.1 points and 6.1 assists per game, checking in at second on the squad with 6.9 rebounds per game. Spencer is second on the squad with 14.5 points per game and ranks top-five nationally with a 44.4 percent mark from 3-point range. Karaban adds 13.9 points per game, while Clingan chips in 12.7 points, a team-high 7.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game on 64.6 percent shooting. Castle is the fifth Husky in double-figures and stuffs the stat sheet with 10.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
Northwestern advanced to the second round with an overtime win over Florida Atlantic on Friday. Boo Buie leads the Wildcats with 19.3 points and 5.0 assists per game, shooting a sterling 44.1 percent from 3-point range. Brooks Barnhizer adds 14.5 points per game, while Ryan Langborg chips in 12.7 per contest and shoots 41.3 percent from deep. As a team, Northestern is among the national leaders with a 39.3 percent mark from distance.
Connecticut has never faced Northwestern in the respective history of the two programs. The reigning national champs have now won seven-straight NCAA Tournament games by double-figures, only the fifth team in the history of the tournament to accomplish that feat. UConn is also the first team to ever win seven-consecutive tournament games by at least 13 points.
Should the Huskies advance, they will head to the Sweet 16 in Boston and face either No. 5 San Diego State or No. 13 Yale.
