Connecticut solidified its place among college basketball’s greatest teams by dismantling Purdue 75-60 in the NCAA championship game, cruising to its second straight national title in dominant fashion.

The Huskies became just the second team of the century to win consecutive championships, matching the 2006-2007 Florida Gators. But UConn did so with a rebuilt roster after losing key starters from last year’s team.

While National Player of the Year Zach Edey scored 37 points for Purdue, it mattered little as UConn’s superior guards overwhelmed their counterparts. Tristen Newton, Cam Spencer and Stephon Castle outscored the Boilermakers’ trio 46-17.

UConn took control early in the second half, repeatedly breaking down Purdue’s defense for easy baskets while limiting the Big Ten champions to just one made three-pointer all game. The outcome was never in doubt over the final 10 minutes.

The championship capped a historically lopsided tournament run for the Huskies. They won all six games by double digits, dispatching opponents by an average of 23.3 points per contest.

“I think this is up there with one of the best two-year runs any program has ever had,” exulted UConn coach Dan Hurley, who earned his second national title. “To me it is more impressive than what Florida and Duke did because they brought back their entire teams. We lost some major players.”

While celebrating the repeat, Hurley immediately turned his ambitions to threepeat, vowing “S–t, we’re going to try to replicate it again. I don’t think that we’re going anywhere.”

For Purdue and Edey, the evening represented a harsh teaching moment about the difference between individual excellence and team dominance. Despite the star center’s production, UConn’s defensive intensity and backcourtfirepower rendered his performance largely empty.

“I’ve just got to play better,” Edey said afterward. “This is one of those games where I can’t go through stretches where I’m not effective.”

The Horn News editorial team