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The UConn Huskies are back in action as they took on the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Friday night. The defending champions have rebounded after their hiccup against Kansas by winning two back-to-back games against UNC and the AR-Pine Bluff. As a result, they now have a resounding record of (9-1) and are currently sitting at the top in the Big East Conference.

Terrell Owens holding Dude Wipes XL

The Huskies overcame a tough challenge 76-63 away from home against the No.10 Bulldogs at the Climate Pledge Arena.

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The Huskies continue to roar

UConn confidently started the game, leading the Bulldogs in the opening minutes. Senior guard Cam Spencer and No. 32 Donovan Clingan did most of the scoring for them. However, Ryan Nembhard and Anton Watson made sure not to let the game slip from Gonzaga. They decided to counterattack UConn’s offense and reached double-digit figures in quick time, scoring 13 points a piece in the opening half.

Despite that, the reigning national champions kept on scoring and ended the first half 45-34 in the lead. Cam Spencer and Donovan Clingan were their prolific scorers, adding 13 and 10 points, respectively.

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Connecticut continued to dictate the game in the second half, with 22-year-old-guard Tristen Newton joining the party. He assisted Spencer and Clingan to further extend UConn’s lead. On the other hand, Ryan Nembhard and Anton Watson’s resilient efforts kept Gonzaga in the hunt.

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Read More- How Dan Hurley’s “Formula” Can Push UConn to Historic NCAA Title

Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, no other player stepped up for them apart from these two. Yet, they were neck-to-neck with the Huskies, although UConn remained in front courtesy of their first-half lead. Following this, they managed to keep the upper hand in closing moments and got over the line with a 76-63 victory.

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The 2 fighting Bulldogs

Despite the loss, Gonzaga should be mighty proud of the way two of their players showed grit and character throughout the game. The 6′ 8″ forward Anton Watson and junior guard Ryan Nembhard displayed tremendous courage and took the fight to the Huskies. Watson was the top scorer for the Bulldogs scoring 20 points and 4 rebounds in his 34 minutes. Similarly, the talented No.0 Nembhard ended his night with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists next to his name.

The Huskies are on track to become back-to-back NCAA champions. By winning 10 out of their 11 opening games, Dan Hurley’s boys have sent a clear message that they are not taking anything for granted. Moreover, their dominance against quality sides makes them more dangerous in their upcoming games.

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What are your thoughts on Connecticut’s victory? Let us know in the comments section.

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Written by

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Shahryar Fazal

1,034 Articles

Shahryar Fazal is a senior NBA writer at EssentiallySports. His specialisation lies in his scrupulous Live Coverage of the events like NCAA and WNBA tournaments. A former sportsman himself, Shahryar used to contribute stories for publishing houses like TOI before taking up American sports as his field of interest. From Caitlin Clark to Cameron Brink, Shahryar is always on his toes to break any news involving the bright future of Women’s Basketball. Outside of ES, he loves to hawk the court clashes and lives by an athletic oath of maintaining consistency in life.

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Saumya Khanduja

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