Alabama fights back 1 to defeat Clemson

Alabama fights back to defeat Clemson

©Winslow Townson, USA TODAY Sports

 

Clock winding down rapidly, with just 3:51 separating us from halftime, Alabama discovered themselves mired in a concerning 13-point hole. Yet, refusing to yield without resistance, the plucky Crimson Tide embarked upon a pulsating 11-0 spurt, successfully reducing Clemson’s lead to a precarious pair of points, now facing a nail-biting 28-26 deficit.

Clemson’s emerging star, junior Ian Schieffelin, stamped his authority on proceedings, accounting for eight points and pulling down four rebounds thus far. Alas, despite his best efforts, the struggling Tigers languished woefully from beyond the arc, registering a feeble solitary conversion in seven attempts.

Simultaneously, exuberant freshman phenom Jarin Stevenson emerged as Alabama’s top performer off the pine, contributing a highly respectable ten points. Despite some inconsistent shooting (connecting on four of sixteen attempts) and a pedestrian 31.3% clip from the floor, the determined Crimson Tide held sway in the rebound column, capitalizing on ten offensive boards en route to establishing a dominant 23-14 differential against their opposition.

Early on, Clemson leads Alabama

Possessing a slight 14-11 advantage, Clemson appeared poised for a potentially substantial lead, thanks partly to PJ Hall’s four-point contribution and Ian Schieffelin’s robust eight-point output. Just prior to RJ Godfrey stepping up to attempt his free throws, television viewers were abruptly whisked away for a scheduled advertisement break. Upon returning, audiences learned that Godfrey succeeded in landing the subsequent foul shot, solidifying his perfect record from the charity stripe.

While maintaining composure throughout the turbulent opening stages, Alabama struggled initially from deep range, succeeding in just one of eight attempts and managing a subpar 25% shooting percentage from the field.

As anticipated, integral cog Grant Nelson finally rejoined the fray after sitting briefly due to accruing two early fouls. The eagerly awaited return of this influential figure occurred at the 11:48 marker, bolstering Alabama’s chances moving forward.

Grant Nelson, the Sweet 16 hero, is already in foul trouble as Alabama and Clemson play.

Kicking things off as the lower-ranked sixth seed, Clemson instantly seized momentum with a blistering 6-0 start. Nevertheless, hope wasn’t lost for higher-ranked No. 4 seed Alabama, as they wrestled back control courtesy of timely baskets from Grant Nelson and Rylan Griffen, resulting in a tied score at six all.

Tragically, the fortune soon deserted Nelson, who picked up two costly fouls in rapid succession within the opening minutes, forcing him to the sideline prematurely owing to persistent foul troubles. Up until then, he had already tallied three valuable points.

Maintaining pressure on their opponents, Clemson’s Ian Schieffelin calmly sank both free throws awarded to him at the 15:53 mark, stealing back the initiative for his team as they nosed ahead once more with an 8-6 lead.

UConn wins its tenth consecutive NCAA Tournament.

Brace yourselves, Boston! Only two games separate us from crowning the ultimate victor. Top-seeded juggernauts Connecticut emphatically dethroned third-seeded Illinois in the second half, prevailing 77-52. Denying themselves a chance to etch their names in history books as the first team since Cincinnati’s triumph over Memphis in 1992 to clinch an Elite Eight fixture by thirty points or more, the Huskies nonetheless reinforced their status as favorites.

Spearheaded by head coach Dan Hurley and powered by the might of last year’s titleholders, Connecticut extended their phenomenal winning streak to ten consecutive matches decided by double-digits. Each landslide victory strengthens the case for acknowledging this astonishing two-year dynasty as one of the finest epochs in collegiate hoop annals.

RELATED NEWS:-https://todayusnews.in/terrence-shannon/

Final: No. 3 Illinois 52, No. 1 UConn 77. The defending champion Huskies make a Final Four appearance.

Unstoppable UConn, the esteemed defending champions and current number one seed continue their relentless march towards repeating their glorious feats of yesteryear. Having cemented their position in the Final Four for an unprecedented second consecutive year, the powerful Huskies showed absolutely no mercy in dispatching fellow Elite Eight contenders, Illinois, with a crushing 77-52 victory.

The indomitable Huskies stormed into the second half with an extraordinary 25-0 tear, punctuating the first half with a telling 5-0 sprint. Annihilation ensued as Connecticut proceeded to obliterate any semblance of resistance offered by their bewildered opponents, embarking on a devastating 30-0 rampage, turning the screw ever tighter on Illinois.

Fast-forward to the dying embers of the first half, with a mere 1:50 on the clock, scores lay delicately balanced at 23-23. Little did anyone know that the floodgates would soon burst wide open, culminating in a staggering 53-23 rout masterminded by Connecticut’s very own Hassan Diarra, sending shockwaves reverberating throughout the entire arena.

Guards Cam Spencer and Donovan Clingan exhibited exceptional performances in UConn’s overwhelming victory over Illinois. Spencer amassed an impressive stat line featuring 11 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, two rejections, and one pilfered ball, proving himself a potent threat on multiple fronts. Standing tall at seven feet, Clingan towered above the rest with an intimidating presence, compiling an astounding 22 points, 10 boards, four blocks, and three steals.

Despite entering the fray renowned for their explosive offense (averaging a staggering 84.2 points per game nationwide), Illinois succumbed to an unusual dip in form. Plagued by poor shooting percentages (just 25.4% from the field) and prolonged scoring droughts lasting several minutes, the usually high-octane Illini simply couldn’t keep pace with the red-hot Huskies. Scoring leader Marcus Domask shouldered the responsibility admirably, netting 17 hard-earned points for his beleaguered teammates.

UConn defeats Illinois 30-0 in a remarkable run.

Breaking the silence at the 12:39 mark of the second period, Illinois’ seasoned campaigner Justin Harmon mercifully halted UConn’s mind-bending 30-0 onslaught with a deftly crafted basket, offering a fleeting reprieve to the shellshocked Fighting Illini.

Indeed, the mammoth 30-point blitzkrieg served as a sobering reminder of the gulf in class between the two combatants. Downcast and demoralized, Illinois stared helplessly at a yawning 25-56 chasm carved out mercilessly by the rampant Huskies.

Overwhelming their opponents with a ferocity seldom seen, UConn suffocated Illinois at the beginning of the second half, restricting them to an excruciating nearly minute spell devoid of scoring as sophomore marvel Donovan Clingan ran riot.

Towering imperiously over the diminished Illini, Clingan racked up an astonishing four blocks, ten rebounds, and 18 points, underscoring his immense value to the invulnerable Huskies cause.

Struggling desperately to assert themselves, Illinois crumbled alarmingly under the weight of expectation, limping to a measly one solitary field goal for the entirety of the second half. Groaning under the strain of abysmal shooting statistics (a pitiful 20.8% from the floor and a dreadful 2-of-15 from beyond the arc), the hapless Midwestern outfit faced further punishment as UConn transformed their five costly errors into a handsome seven-point windfall.

Illinois’ fortunes hung precariously on the shoulders of their gallant senior Marcus Domask, who accounted for a sizeable 15 of their painfully low 25-point tally. Tragically, not a single member of the crestfallen fighting Illini contingent managed to penetrate double figures, cruelly exposing the frailties inherent within their once-feared arsenal.

UConn beginning to regress

Embarking on an electrifying 11-0 tear to kickstart the second half, UConn stretched their advantage to a commanding 39-23, forming part of a colossal 16-0 sequence straddling both periods. Following an adrenaline-charged dunk and emphatic block by Husky colossus Donovan Clingan, Illinois’ offensive struggles carried over distressingly into the early phases of the second half.

Gathering a monumental ten rebounds, swatting away four shots, snatching two steals, and pouring in 14 points, Clingan laid waste to any hopes of a cohesive response from the bedeviled Illini.

With barely 15:59 remaining on the clock in the second half, Illinois attempted to regroup and strategize a means of combating the seemingly unstoppable UConn machine by calling a much-needed timeout.

Faced with an increasingly insurmountable task, the desperate Fighting Illini sought refuge in seeking counsel from their coaching staff, hoping to unearth answers to neutralize the dominant force that loomed large before them.

ALSO READ:-https://dharmikvartalapkendra.online/aaj-ka-rashifal-11/


Discover more from TODAY US NEWS

Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.

Discover more from TODAY US NEWS

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading