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Donovan Clingan dominates and UConn roars past Illinois and back into Final Four
"He’s the most impactful player in the country," UConn guard Tristen Newton said.
Donovan Clingan showed why his UConn teammates call him the “most impactful player in the country,” turning in a dominant 22-point, 10-rebound double-double in an 77-52 Elite Eight win over Illinois at TD Garden on Saturday night.
The 7-foot-2-inch Huskies center was a force on both ends of the court, swatting four shots and finishing with authority at the rim.
“It starts with defense,” UConn guard Tristen Newton said Thursday. “He affects all shots around the rim, gets good rebounds. I think the most underrated part of his game, for me personally, he’s a good screen setter . . . Throw it up to him, he’s going to get it. He’s the most impactful player in the country, we would say so.”
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UConn, which won its fifth national championship last year, will return to the Final Four for the seventh time in program history. The top-seeded Huskies play No. 4 seed Alabama at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals.
Clingan was dominant from start to finish. He scored the first 7 points of the game and imposed his will as UConn broke the game open in the second half.
Clingan showcased his agility and power during a sequence in the second half when he slid his feet to cut off a drive from Illinois guard Terrance Shannon Jr., then turned and stuffed a dunk attempt from Quincy Guerrier who leapt from the other side. On the following possession, Clingan ran the floor and scored with a forceful two-handed slam.
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UConn held Illinois to just 9 points over the first 12 minutes of the second half. Freshman guard Stephon Castle shut down Shannon, who finished with 8 points on 2 of 12 shooting. Shannon was the third-leading scorer in the nation coming into the game.
The Huskies had five scorers in double-figures. Hassan Diarra and Samson Johnson were each 5 for 6 from the field, scoring 11 and 10 points, respectively. Senior guard Cam Spencer scored 11 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Southborough native Alex Karaban chipped in 10 points and threw down a two-handed dunk during UConn’s emphatic 30-0 run that led to the blowout.
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