UConn a step from Final Four after blowout of Hogs

Arkansas' Nick Smith Jr. (3) dribbles down the court against UConn in the first half of a Sweet 16 game in the West Regional of the NCAA Tournament Thursday in Las Vegas. - Photo by John Locher of The Associated Press
Arkansas' Nick Smith Jr. (3) dribbles down the court against UConn in the first half of a Sweet 16 game in the West Regional of the NCAA Tournament Thursday in Las Vegas. - Photo by John Locher of The Associated Press

LAS VEGAS -- Jordan Hawkins scored 24 points for UConn and the Huskies are one step away from the Final Four after an 88-65 rout of Arkansas in a West Region Sweet 16 matchup Thursday.

The fourth-seeded Huskies (28-8) will play the winner of UCLA or Gonzaga in an Elite Eight game Saturday in Las Vegas. Arkansas' season ended at 22-14.

UConn played like a team capable of winning its fifth NCAA Tournament title and first since 2014. The Huskies have outscored their three March Madness opponents by 62 points.

They won their first two games by outscoring Iona and Saint Mary's by a combined 86-49 in the second half. UConn surged early against Arkansas with a 14-point run and took a 46-29 lead into halftime.

The Huskies never trailed and led by as many as 29 points when they went up 62-33. Arkansas answered with a 10-point run in just 27 seconds, but the outcome was never in doubt.

UConn, which has won nine of its past 10 games, shot 57.4% compared to 31.7% for Arkansas. The Huskies dominated inside by outrebounding the Razorbacks 43-31 and outscoring them 42-24 in the lane.

Adama Sanogo scored 18 points, Alex Karaban had 11 and Nahiem Alleyene 10 for UConn. Sanogo, who also had eight rebounds, has scored 71 points in 75 minutes this tournament.

Anthony Black led Arkansas with 20 points, Ricky Council IV had 17 and Nick Smith Jr. 11.

Arkansas, which was seeded eighth, was in the Sweet 16 for the third year in a row. The Razorbacks also reached the Elite Eight the past two years, and a third consecutive appearance would have been a first in program history.

photo UConn's Andre Jackson Jr. dunks in the first half of a Sweet 16 college basketball game against against Arkansas in the West Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Thursday, March 23, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
photo UConn's Alex Karaban (11) celebrates in the first half of a Sweet 16 college basketball game against Arkansas in the West Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Thursday, March 23, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
photo Arkansas' Kamani Johnson reacts in the first half of a Sweet 16 college basketball game against UConn in the West Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Thursday, March 23, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)
photo Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman reacts in the first half of a Sweet 16 college basketball game against Arkansas in the West Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Thursday, March 23, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker)
photo UConn head coach Dan Hurley speaks with his team in the first half of a Sweet 16 college basketball game against the Arkansas Razorbacks in the West Regional of the NCAA Tournament, Thursday, March 23, 2023, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

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