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The Breakfast Buffet: UConn didn’t play near its apex against Miami, UConn’s dominance is comparable to 2018 Villanova, Lamont Butler

Here’s today’s installment of “The Breakfast Buffet”, the morning column on everything that’s happened from the day/night before and everything that’s going to happen in the next 24 hours.

Mangia!

Things To Sample

UConn didn’t play near its apex and still beat Miami with ease
That’s the scary part for San Diego State, who will play the Huskies on Monday night for the national title. The Huskies never trailed in Saturday night’s 72-59 win over the Hurricanes and Andre Jackson — UConn’s most indispensable player — barely played in the first half due to foul trouble. Jordan Hawkins? He scored just 13 points after missing practice on Friday with an illness after scoring a combined 44 points in the two previous games last week in Las Vegas. For as good the Huskies played on Saturday, they’re still capable of playing better.

UConn’s NCAA Tournament dominance is comparable to what Villanova did in 2018
Are we running out of adjectives to describe the Huskies’ postseason brilliance? It’s starting to feel like it. Through five games in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, UConn’s average margin is 20.6 points. By comparison, Villanova’s average margin of victory in the 2018 NCAA Tournament was 17.6 points en route to the program’s second national title under Jay Wright. This NCAA Tournament is starting to feel like a coronation for the Huskies.

Lamont Butler cemented his place as a March Madness legend
Hitting a buzzer beater in the NCAA Tournament gets you in One Shining Moment. Hitting a buzzer beater in the Final Four puts you in a completely different stratosphere. Butler’s game winner from the right wing was the difference in San Diego State’s 72-71 win over Florida Atlantic on Saturday night in Houston, but the long-term benefits that he’ll receive from this shot will last for a lifetime. These types of performances in big moments are becoming a common occurrence for Butler, who drilled a game winning three-point shot earlier this season on Feb. 25th at New Mexico.

On The Side

  • San Diego State is now 9-1 this season in games decided by five points or fewer.
  • Matt Bradley has made five three-point shots in the NCAA Tournament. Four were on Saturday against Florida Atlantic.
  • The one silver lining for Florida Atlantic after losing on a buzzer beater in the Final Four? Everyone on the Owls is expected to return next season aside from Michael Forrest.
  • UConn’s Andre Jackson has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 35:8 in the NCAA Tournament.
  • Miami entered the Final Four averaging 81.3 points in the NCAA Tournament. The Hurricanes only scored 59 against UConn.

Leftovers