WASHINGTON — Tarris Reed Jr. tallied 20 points, Alex Karaban contributed 17, and both converted crucial free throws in the concluding minute, helping second-seeded UConn fend off third-seeded Michigan State 67-63 in the Sweet 16 on Friday night.
The Huskies (32-5) held a 63-62 advantage when Karaban drew a foul with 22.5 seconds left on the clock. He successfully converted both attempts of a one-and-one, extending UConn’s lead to three points. Subsequently, after Michigan State failed to get off a swift shot, Kur Teng’s 3-pointer did not connect.
A foul was whistled against the Huskies on the rebound play with 4.6 seconds remaining. Carson Cooper sank the first for Michigan State. He missed the second — though it did not seem deliberate — and Reed secured the rebound. His two subsequent free throws decisively clinched the victory.
UConn now progresses to a genuine monumental showdown in Sunday’s championship game of the NCAA tournament’s East Region against top-seeded Duke.
Michigan State (27-8) surmounted an initial 19-point shortfall but exited the competition on a night where the Spartans converted a mere 4-of-16 attempts from beyond the arc.
The four squads that convened in Washington this week collectively boast 13 national championship crowns, making the thrilling nature of both Friday’s contests entirely predictable. Duke’s 80-75 triumph over St. John’s in the initial match, for instance, was decided in the final few moments.
Initially, it appeared the second game would not be as close. Malachi Smith, Solo Ball, and Jaylin Stewart together contributed four 3-pointers during a dominant 15-1 surge, establishing a significant 25-6 lead for UConn. The Spartans were compelled to stiffen their defensive efforts over the closing three minutes simply to be behind 35-27 by halftime.
Michigan State commenced the second half by tallying seven unanswered points, yet the Huskies quickly retaliated. After Reed’s successful theft and subsequent slam dunk re-established UConn’s six-point advantage, Huskies coach Dan Hurley commenced vigorously gesticulating at the supporters behind his bench, imploring them to amplify their cheers.
The Spartans, however, remained resolute. Jaxon Kohler’s three-point play with 10:06 left on the clock propelled Michigan State into a 45-44 lead.
A brief offensive lull from the Spartans enabled UConn to establish a 56-49 lead courtesy of a forceful lay-up by Ball, yet the contest remained competitive until its conclusion. The Huskies maintained a 58-57 advantage when Karaban sank a three-pointer. Jeremy Fears Jr. promptly responded with a shot from downtown for Michigan State, narrowing the margin to a single point.
Reed successfully converted two foul shots with 44.8 seconds left, followed by Fears sinking two more with 32.3 seconds on the clock.
The Huskies’ impending confrontation with Duke evokes the feeling of a national semifinal contest. Indeed, these two teams previously competed in the 1999 championship final, where UConn emerged victorious.