WATCH: UConn cuts down the nets after defeating Gonzaga to reach Final Four
The UConn Huskies have reached the Final Four after eliminating Gonzaga in the Elite Eight and cutting down the nets in the West region. The Huskies were dominant as they’ve been all tournament long, jumping out to a massive lead in the second half that they would not relinquish. When the final whistle sounded, UConn won 82-54 to advance out of their region.
UConn cuts down the nets, reaches Final Four
The Huskies have been on a tear in the tournament, racking up wins over Iona, Saint Mary’s and Arkansas before eliminating the Bulldogs. Through their four tournament games, the closest margin of victory was 15 points against Saint Mary’s — showcasing their dominance against every opponent in their way.
Next up is the Final Four for Connecticut, where they will play the winner of Sunday’s Texas-Miami game as the rest of the Final Four picture is filled in. Joining the Huskies in securing a berth in the Final Four on Saturday was the Cinderella-story Florida Atlantic Owls. The nine-seed out of the East region, the Owls took down Kansas State and Tennessee to reach the last stage of the tournament.
The Owls now await the winner of San Diego State and Creighton as the South region finishes on Sunday as well. San Diego State and Miami both earned a spot in the Elite Eight after taking down the last two remaining one-seeds in Alabama and Houston. Texas is the highest-seeded team still currently playing in the tournament, coming into March Madness as a two-seed.
Dan Hurley jokes with referee during interview
During the first half of the game, coach Dan Hurley got a chance to lighten the mood by teasing a referee. The fun moment came during his on-court interview during a timeout, and Hurley was asked about a conversation he was having with referee Keith Kimble.
Hurley was arguing with Kimble about a call in game, but when pressed for comment he showed how great the relationship between the coach and the official was on the court.
“I mean, Keith’s one of the best and he’s right there listening. He’s right there listening so I can’t say much right now. He’s reffed a great game,” joked Hurley.
Adding to the moment, the TBS broadcast team caught Kimble’s reaction to the joke — showing the official trying to hold back laughter as he knew Hurley was giving him a hard time. It was evident that the conversation they had wasn’t all fun times before the interview, but the lighthearted way Hurley pretended to throw Kimble under the bus made for a great moment.