GLENDALE, Ariz. — Eventually, the 3-pointers stopped falling.
When that happened, Connecticut could smell blood.
Alabama was trying to hang on, to do what nobody so far in this NCAA Tournament has been able to do: Give the defending national champions a game.
But as the shots no longer fell, and the Huskies kept on hammering them in the paint, the Crimson Tide looked like a beaten team by the under-four media timeout.
Coach Dan Hurley’s team was too powerful, too deep, too unrelenting in the force with which it played.
It wasn’t a blowout, but the game was no longer in doubt, either.
No. 1 UConn was well on its way back to the national championship game after this thorough, 86-72 victory over Alabama, setting up a showdown against back-to-back National Player of the Year Zach Edey and fellow No. 1 seed Purdue Monday night.
The Huskies moved to within one victory of back-to-back titles with their 11th straight tournament win by double figures.
This wasn’t Illinois, San Diego State or Northwestern, teams that barely stood a chance.
Alabama actually led for a good portion of the first half.
The Crimson Tide were hitting their 3’s, and were not intimidated as so many other opponents have been in the tournament the last two years. It didn’t matter.
Connecticut methodically broke down the SEC opponent with its array of two-way weapons, and didn’t have to sweat the final few minutes. It was firmly in control.
As expected, Alabama had no answer for center Donovan Clingan, who controlled the paint at both ends with 18 points, five rebounds and floor blocks.
Freshman Stephon Castle picked the perfect time for his best offensive game of the year, equaling a career-high with 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting, Cam Spencer and Alex Karaban each added 14 and Tristen Newton notched 12 points and nine assists.
Mark Sears paced Alabama with 24 points and Grant Nelson chipped in 19 points and 15 rebounds.
Alabama did so much right over the first 20 minutes.
It made 8-of-11 3-point attempts. It hung with Connecticut on the glass and shot an even 50 percent from the field.
Yet, the Crimson Tide was still behind by four at the break.
It led by five midway through the first half, but UConn responded with a 10-2 run and held the lead at the break. Castle was a surprising offensive weapon, scoring a team-high 13 points. Sears made all five of his shots for 11 points for Alabama.
Out of halftime, the Huskies came out red hot, quickly extending to an eight-point lead.
Alabama countered with seven consecutive points, only for the defending national champions to push the advantage back to eight.
The Crimson Tide again stormed back, sending a message: UConn had a game on its hands.
When Nelson scored in the lane, it was 56-all with 12:41 left to determine Purdue’s opponent in the title game.
Hurley then went to Samson Johnson, his quicker center to combat Alabama’s speed.
Johnson helped kickstart an 8-0 run that included a dunk of his own and four points from Castle.
A few possessions later, Newton added a 3-pointer, pushing the lead to a game-high nine with 8:09 left.
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