Males’s March Insanity 2024: Candy 16 event takeaways

UConn is the primary reigning champion to succeed in the Elite Eight since Florida defended its title in 2007.

The highest-seeded Huskies have superior to the regional finals within the East, and No. 6 Clemson’s completed the identical within the West — for the primary time since 1980 — after upsetting No. 2 Arizona.

Now North Carolina faces Alabama, whereas Iowa State performs Illinois. — John Gasaway

Can UConn’s NCAA event probably be extra dominant than final season?
UConn was unstoppable in final yr’s NCAA event. The Huskies gained their six video games by a median of 20.0 factors, the fourth-largest common for the reason that event expanded in 1985. Thus far, they have been even higher this yr. They’ve gained their three video games by a median of 28.7 factors. They’ve trailed for 28 seconds. They’ve led by double-digits within the second half for 58:27 of a potential 60 minutes. San Diego State performed about in addition to it may for the opening stretch of the sport and located itself down by 11 inside 9 minutes. The scariest half for future opponents is it looks like UConn has been capable of maintain one thing within the tank in these video games, not often needing to place its foot on the gasoline down the stretch of video games.

What the win means for UConn: A optimistic signal for the Huskies on Thursday night time was the play of Hassan Diarra. The reserve guard got here off the bench and offered an actual raise within the second half, scoring 10 factors and distributing 4 assists – placing the sport out of attain for San Diego State shortly after halftime. Donovan Clingan struggled in opposition to Jaedon LeDee within the first half, however grew to become extra snug as the sport went on and nonetheless posed a nuisance defensively. Alex Karaban hit a pair early photographs however then struggled to attach the remainder of the sport. And whereas which may seem to be a possible damaging, Dan Hurley should be thrilled that his staff may beat an excellent San Diego State staff by 30 with out his staff enjoying its greatest.

What the loss means for San Diego State: For the second season in a row, San Diego State’s season ends by the hands of UConn. The Aztecs really went shot-for-shot with the Huskies early, however merely did not have sufficient firepower offensively. Final season at this level within the event, when SDSU beat total 1-seed Alabama within the Candy 16, they’d probably the most dominant defenses within the nation – and have been getting constant scoring manufacturing from its perimeter gamers. The protection wasn’t fairly pretty much as good this season, the offensive wasn’t practically pretty much as good and LeDee could not do all of it himself. However nationwide runners-up adopted by a Candy 16 run? That is a formidable two-year run for Brian Dutcher and the Aztecs. — Jeff Borzello

Is Ian Schiefflin Clemson’s new secret weapon?
Together with his curly hair contained by an old-school headband, the 6-foot-8 junior from Georgia might seem barely unassuming. However on Thursday night time in opposition to an Arizona staff stocked with expertise, Schiefflin grew to become one of many Tigers’ best gamers and regarded like among the finest gamers on the ground. Schiefflin, who’s averaging 9.8 factors and 9.5 rebounds this season, scored 14 factors, added seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Whether or not the Wildcats hadn’t ready for Schiefflin enjoying as large of a job as he did or not, they could not cease him in key moments. After draining one 3-pointer, the specter of Schiefflin capturing from deep tilted the steadiness of Arizona’s half-court protection, opening up lanes for its two greatest gamers – each Chase Hunter (18 factors) and PJ Corridor (17 factors) – to make key performs down the stretch.

Schiefflin, who wore Kobe footwear to play within the enviornment that Bryant starred in for a few years, was requested postgame whether or not he felt he was channeling a Mamba mentality along with his play, which included a key 3 that banked in. Head coach Brad Brownell interjected with fun.

“You are enjoying properly,” he mentioned. “However do not evaluate your self to Kobe Bryant, okay?”

What the win means for Clemson: The Tigers proceed to defy expectations and this time, they did it in opposition to probably the most gifted groups within the nation in entrance of an Arizona-heavy crowd. Brownell’s squad not solely raced out to a 13-point lead in opposition to the 2-seed, forcing them into eight first-half turnovers and an abysmal capturing efficiency (37.3% from the sphere, 17.9% from 3), but it surely additionally sustained the inevitable Arizona run that tied the sport within the second half and nonetheless emerged victorious. When Arizona started making photographs, Clemson caught to its recreation plan and shortly sufficient, the Wildcats reverted to taking robust photographs they could not make. On offense, the Tigers weren’t scorching scorching by means, however when the sport acquired shut late, they did what Arizona couldn’t: assault the basket as a substitute of settling for jumpers. The technique paid off, and now they’re headed to their first Elite 8 since 1980.

“At this time was our day,” Brownell mentioned postgame. “We made sufficient performs to win.”

What the loss means for Arizona: Among the best offenses within the nation failed to indicate up in LA on Thursday, Since 2015, the Wildcats haven’t been ranked decrease than a 6-seed and have been a 2-seed thrice. And but 2015 is the final time they made it to the Elite 8. Since Tommy Lloyd’s rent in 2021, Arizona has now misplaced to a 5-seed within the Candy 16, a 15-seed within the opening spherical and now a 6-seed within the Candy 16. Given the expertise the Wildcats have accrued over the previous couple of years, the outcomes haven’t been there and this newest event exit will not assist their resume. — Paolo Uggetti