Miami basketball retains most respectable NCAA Game versus UConn last 2 years

The first half for Miami in the 2023 Final Four began similarly to UConn's start versus Illinois in the 2024 East Regional Final. Miami fell behind 9-0 before rallying and tying the game at 19. Connecticut closed the half with an 18-5 run to lead 37-24 at halftime. Miami trailed by as many as 20 in the second half before losing by 13.

UConn shut down one of the best offenses in the country in the 2023 Final Four beating Miami and the 2024 East Regional Final defeating Illinois. None of the Miami starters shot 50 percent from the floor in the Final Four versus UConn. Isaiah Wong with 15 and Jordan Miller with 11 were the only Hurricanes in double figures versus UConn.

Connecticut took Illinois completely apart in the 2024 East Regional Final. As they did versus Miami, UConn began the game with a 9-0 run. Illinois answered and eventually tied the game at 23. Connecticut scored the last five points of the first half and the first 25 of the second to put the game away.

Forward Marcus Domask led Illinois with 17 points on seven of 13 from the floor. The four other Illinois starters shot 9-37. The entire Illinois team other than Domask shot 10-53. Illinois finished the game shooting 25.4 percent as a team, including Domask and made six of their 23 three-point attempts.

Northwestern who shot 37.3 percent versus Connecticut in its second-round loss was the best from the floor versus the Huskies in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The best shooting percentage by a UConn opponent in the 2023 NCAA Tournament was 38.8 percent by St. Mary's. UConn has held every opponent under 40 percent in the last two NCAA Tournaments.

Miami shot 32.3 percent versus UConn in the 2023 Final Four and made seven of its 20 three-point attempts. St. Mary's, San Diego State and Northwestern are the only teams other than to lose by less than 25 points to Connecticut in the last two NCAA Tournaments. UConn's 2024 run makes Miami's loss in the Final Four more respectful.