By Blessing Nweke
Second-seeded UConn Huskies survived a late surge from the third-seeded Michigan State Spartans to claim a tense 67-63 victory in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 on Friday night.
Tarris Reed Jr. led the Huskies with 20 points, while Alex Karaban added 17, including two crucial free throws with 22.5 seconds remaining that pushed UConn ahead by three. The closing moments were filled with drama, as Michigan State struggled to find a clean look before Kur Teng missed a potential tying three-pointer.
A late foul gave Carson Cooper a chance to keep the Spartans alive, but after making the first free throw, he missed the second. Reed secured the rebound and calmly sank two more free throws to seal the win for UConn.
The Huskies, now 32-5, advance to a highly anticipated East Region final against top-seeded Duke Blue Devils, setting up a clash between two powerhouse programs.
Michigan State (27-8) showed resilience after falling behind by 19 points early. The Spartans clawed back into contention despite shooting just 4-of-16 from beyond the arc.
UConn dominated the opening stretch, using a 15-1 run fueled by Malachi Smith, Solo Ball, and Jaylin Stewart to build a commanding 25-6 lead. However, Michigan State responded with defensive intensity and a second-half push, briefly taking a 45-44 lead after a three-point play by Jaxon Kohler.
The game remained tight down the stretch, with both teams trading baskets. But UConn’s composure at the free-throw line ultimately proved decisive, sending the Huskies one step closer to another deep tournament run.
Original article
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