UConn dominates San Diego State for fifth men's basketball title

April 3 (UPI) -- The UConn Huskies used their length and depth to bully San Diego State in the 2023 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament finale Monday in Houston.

Senior guard Tristen Newton scored a game-high 19 points in the 76-59 victory at NRG Stadium. He also totaled 10 rebounds and four assists.

Junior center Adama Sanogo totaled 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Huskies, who claimed their fifth championship. Sanogo was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

"This group just had a lot of confidence from how we played for the majority of the season," Huskies coach Dan Hurley told CBS at the postgame trophy presentation.

"We knew we were the best team in the tournament going in and we just had to play to our level."

The Aztecs, who made just 32.2% of their shots, struggled to find open lanes and see the basket because of the Huskies' physical defense and overwhelming height.

The Huskies (31-8) made 43.4% of their shots and out-rebounded the Aztecs 40-34.

The Aztecs (32-7) started the game with a 6-2 run, but the Huskies responded with 10 unanswered points and never trailed again.

The Aztecs failed to make a field goal for more than 11 minutes in the first half. The Huskies carried a 36-24 edge into the second. The Aztecs did not get any points from their bench during the first 20 minutes.

The Huskies pushed their lead to 15 midway through the second half. The Aztecs responded with a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to six with 7:37 to go. The Aztecs later scored on consecutive possessions to trim the Huskies' lead to five with 5:19 remaining, but never got closer.

The Huskies scored nine unanswered and didn't allow an Aztecs field goal for more than four minutes during that run. They held a 16-4 scoring advantage over the final five minutes.

Sanogo and Newton scored 10 points apiece in the second half.

Huskies guard Jordan Hawkins scored nine of his 16 points over the final 20 minutes. Aztecs forward Keshad Johnson totaled 14 points in the loss. Aztecs guard Darrion Trammell and Lamont Butler scored 13 points apiece.

"We battled," Aztecs coach Brian Dutcher told reporters. "We battled back to five in the second half, but we gave them too much separation. We weren't at our best tonight and we had to be at our best to win the game. A lot of that has to do with UConn.

"But I'm proud of our guys. These guys gave me everything they had."

The Huskies won their four previous national titles in 1999, 2004, 2011 and 2014.