UConn ends Bama's basketball title dreams

It was the first time that the Alabama men's basketball team has ever played in basketball's Final Four; but this is almost as common for UConn as going to the football playoffs is for Alabama. That experience advantage proved to be just a little too much for the Tide to overcome.

Bama fell 86 to 72 Saturday night.

Alabama pulled close a few times; but every time they did the University of Connecticut Huskies went on a run and UConn's defense was just too much for Alabama. Nate Oats' crew normally scores 90 points or more. Bama is a team that lives by the three-point shot and the Huskies worked hard to keep the Tide from getting good looks at the basket. The men from Connecticut held the Tide to just 72 points on the night.

Mark Sears scored 24 points and has 5 rebounds in the loss. Grant Nelson scored 19 points and had 15 rebounds. Aaron Estrada had 13 points and 3 rebounds.

Connecticut will play Purdue in the National Championship Game on Monday night. Both were number one seeds in their brackets. UConn (36 and 3) is the defending national champion.

Bama falls to 25 and 12 in what will long be remembered as the best team in program hjstory.

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