It's official: No. 7 seed Connecticut will meet No. 8 seed Kentucky tomorrow night for the NCAA Championship. The unexpected pairing is what March Madness is all about, as both teams were able to surpass some serious competition on their way to the finals.
Early in the evening, Florida and Connecticut met from the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Huskies got going early on with a 25-22 lead at halftime and never looked back, outscoring Florida 38-31 in the second half on their way to a 63-53 win. DeAndre Daniels provided the fuel for UConn with 20 points and 10 boards, becoming just the second player in school history to score 20 and grab 10 rebounds during a Final Four game.
Afterwards, Kentucky and Wisconsin engaged in an all-out battle, with the Wildcats pulling out a miraculous 74-73 win in the end. Freshman guard James Young (pictured, center) led the Kentucky rally with 17 points and 5 rebounds, and you can get a closer look at his Jordan XX8s after the break. The Championship Game tipoff is set for tomorrow at 9:10 PM EST on CBS.
Around the pro sports world, there was plenty of NBA and MLB action to catch up on, so hit the jump for a full recap.
Riley Jones is a freelance writer from Charlottesville, VA and a contributor to Sneaker Report. With an unshakable affinity for basketball and all things pop culture, he can be found on Twitter @rchrstphr.
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Dakari Johnson Holds Down the Paint for Wildcats
Shoe: Nike Zoom Soldier VII
Player: Dakari Johnson
Game: Duke vs. Wisconsin
Key Stat: 10 points, 7 rebounds
$80
Tyler Skaggs Controls the Mound in the UA Yard Mid
Shoe: UA Yard Mid ST
Player: Tyler Skaggs
Game: LAA vs. Houston
Key Stat: 8 IP, 0 ER
Ryan Boatright Handles the Back Court for Huskies
Shoe: Nike Zoom Crusader
Player: Ryan Boatright
Game: Connecticut vs. Florida
Key Stat: 13 points, 6 rebounds
$110
Nolan Arenado Blasts 2 Homers in the Nike Air Max MVP Elite
Shoe: Nike Air Max MVP Elite 3/4
Player: Nolan Arenado
Game: Colorado vs. Arizona
Key Stat: 3-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI
$110
Kyrie Irving Drops 44 Points, 8 Dimes in Cavs' Loss
Shoe: Nike Zoom HyperRev
Player: Kyrie Irving
Game: Cleveland vs. Charlotte
Key Stat: 44 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds, 3 steals
$120
Joakim Noah Dominates Wizards in the adipure Crazy Ghost
Shoe: adidas adipure Crazyghost
Player: Joakim Noah
Game: Chicago vs. Washington
Key Stat: 21 points, 12 rebounds
James Young Rallies Wildcats to the NCAA Championship Game
Shoe: Jordan XX8 SE
Player: James Young
Game: Kentucky vs. Wisconsin
Key Stat: 17 points, 5 rebounds
$150
DeAndre Daniels Leads UConn to NCAA Finals in the Nike Kobe 8
Shoe: Nike Kobe 8 System
Player: DeAndre Daniels
Game: Connecticut vs. Florida
Key Stat: 20 points, 10 rebounds
$130
Riley Jones is a freelance writer from Charlottesville, VA and a contributor to Sneaker Report. With an unshakable affinity for basketball and all things pop culture, he can be found on Twitter @rchrstphr.
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