UConn Completes Dominant Run, Wins 5th National Championship

HOUSTON -- UConn assistant coach Tom Moore embraced guard Tristen Newton in a big hug as he walked toward the bench. Head coach Dan Hurley high-fived his players as they jogged off the floor. The Huskies' fan section was the loudest it had been all night.

It wasn't the end of the game. It wasn't even the end of the first half. There was still 2:55 left before halftime, but the Huskies had opened up a 16-point lead on San Diego State and had all the momentum. At that point, the final outcome seemed decided, and the second half, for all intents and purposes, looked to be a coronation.

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San Diego State had other ideas, cutting the Huskies' lead all the way down to five -- but UConn promptly responded with a knockout punch to close out one of the most dominant runs in NCAA tournament history with a 76-59 win over the Aztecs on Monday.

The Huskies have now won five national championships in the past 24 years, under three different coaches, with Jim Calhoun leading the program in 1999, 2004, and 2011, Kevin Ollie in 2014, and now Hurley. UConn officially reaffirmed its status as one of the premier programs in college basketball.

"This is number five," former UConn star Emeka Okafor told ESPN after the game. "We have one in every decade for the past four decades. ... I don't know how you would deny a school who has the most championships in the past 25 years. This will definitely end the debate, if there was any."

They played 17 games against teams outside the Big East. They won all 17 games by double figures.

It was all capped by one of the most dominant NCAA tournament runs in history, with UConn winning its six NCAA tournament games by an average of 20.0 points, the fourth-largest average since the tournament expanded in 1985. The Huskies are also the fifth team since 1985 to win all six of their games by double digits.

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LOOK: 50 images of winning moments from sports history

Sometimes images are the best way to honor the figures we've lost. When tragedy swiftly reminds us that sports are far from the most consequential thing in life, we can still look back on an athlete's winning moment that felt larger than life, remaining grateful for their sacrifice on the court and bringing joy to millions.

Read on to explore the full collection of 50 images Stacker compiled showcasing various iconic winning moments in sports history. Covering achievements from a multitude of sports, these images represent stunning personal achievements, team championships, and athletic perseverance.

Filed Under: Final Four, March Madness, NCAA Men's National Championship, San Diego State Aztecs, UConn Huskies

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