BROOKLYN, N.Y. — For No. 16 Stetson, the first-ever March Madness game was effectively over before it began.
Defending champion UConn, the overall top seed in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, jumped out to an 8-0 lead, led by 20 points midway through the first half and held a 52-19 lead after the first 20 minutes. Ta.
The Huskies’ lead eventually reached 39 points in a 91-52 win, but clearly the game was all but over for the Hatters at halftime.
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Stetson Hatters head coach Donnie Jones and guard Stephen Swenson watch a game against the Connecticut Huskies in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on Friday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)
At that point, Stetson head coach Donnie Jones needed to change his team’s mindset because his players were “disappointing.” He did it, he said, by writing just one word on a whiteboard in the locker room.
“pride.”
“My biggest thought with these guys was knowing how this day ends, and when I walk off this floor, I’m going to go home with pride,” Jones said after the game.
“What I wrote on the board was ‘Pride.’ At that point, I wasn’t concerned about the score. I just wanted the players on our team to go out there and play at the level that got us here.” I wanted to show that. I have no regrets for playing in the game for the last 20 minutes,” he explained.
“There are no losses for our group tonight. Victories have already been won.”
Stetson Hatters head coach Donnie Jones (right) greets Connecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley after the 2024 NCAA Tournament first round game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Friday. do. (Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports)
Northwestern’s March Madness hero says Wildcats are ‘built’ for tough moments after thriller
When asked if his team’s players showed pride in the second half, Jones said “absolutely.” University Con outscored Stetson 39-33 in the second half, but it was a far cry from the first half.
“We were like that all season long. This was a unique group, a group that never quit no matter the score. They were so resilient. There were so many tears in that locker room. “There was a lot of respect in that locker.” “Being in the room, they really love each other, and that’s something you don’t see a lot on teams. We play, and even when some teams are winning, they’re never this close.”But this group really came together and truly believed,” he said.
Stetson coach Donnie Jones spoke to the media Friday during a press conference at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports)
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After the Wildcats won in overtime against the No. 8 FAU Owls on Friday, UW will play No. 9 Northwestern on Sunday.
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