The NCAA tournament has been full of surprises and upsets, but none more shocking than the matchup for the national championship: No. 4 seed UConn vs. No. 5 seed San Diego State.
The Huskies and the Aztecs will meet on Monday night at NRG Stadium in Houston, in a game that will crown a new champion and make history for both programs.
For San Diego State, this is uncharted territory. The Aztecs have never played in the title game before, and they had to overcome a 14-point deficit and hit a buzzer-beater to beat No. 9 seed Florida Atlantic in the Final Four. Led by senior guards Matt Bradley and Darrion Trammell, who average 12.5 and 9.9 points per game respectively, San Diego State has a veteran team that plays with grit and confidence.
For UConn, this is familiar ground. The Huskies have won four national titles in the past 22 years, and they have been dominant in this tournament, winning by an average of 16.8 points per game. Led by junior forward Adama Sanogo, who is averaging 17.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, UConn has a perfectly balanced team that excels on both defense and offense.
San Diego State and UConn faced each other in the 2011 Sweet 16
This is not the first time that UConn and San Diego State have crossed paths in the NCAA tournament. Ten years ago, they faced each other in the Sweet 16, in a game that featured two future NBA stars: Kawhi Leonard for the Aztecs and Kemba Walker for the Huskies.
Leonard had 12 points and nine rebounds, but Walker had 36 points and six assists, leading UConn to a 74-67 win. The Huskies went on to win their third national title that year, while the Aztecs suffered their first loss in 21 games.
The last time UConn & SDSU played in the NCAA Tournament…
Kawhi Leonard (SDSU) vs Kemba Walker (UConn) in the 2011 Sweet 16.
UConn & SDSU have a National Championship date on Monday. pic.twitter.com/b8JyoZiuCw
— College Basketball Report (@CBKReport) April 2, 2023
A decade later, both teams have new faces and new coaches, but the stakes are even higher. The winner will take home the trophy, while the loser will have to settle for second place.
The game will be a defensive battle, as both teams rank among the top 15 in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com. The game will likely be a low-scoring affair that will come down to execution, poise, and toughness. Uconn has the edge in talent, size, and pedigree, but San Diego State has the edge in experience, resilience, and momentum.
The Huskies have the edge in sheer size and raw talent, but on the other side, the Aztecs have the edge in experience and momentum. It will be a historic matchup that no one saw coming, but one that could deliver a memorable finish to a wild March Madness.