UConn into Elite Eight with 30-point win in rematch vs. SDSU - ESPN

BOSTON — There's been a tongue-in-cheek mantra for UConn over the past two seasons: The Huskies can't win close games.

In reality, it's not that they can't win one- or two-possession games — it just rarely comes down to the final minutes for Dan Hurley's team. Earlier this season, the Huskies set the record for most consecutive nonconference victories by double digits. They lead the nation in scoring margin.

And on Thursday, UConn laid down another marker. The top-seeded Huskies dominated No. 5 San Diego State 82-52 in a national championship rematch, advancing to the Elite Eight with the largest margin of victory in a Sweet 16 game since 2017.

«We suck at winning close games, so you have to go with the alternative,» Hurley joked after the win.

After three NCAA tournament games, UConn has trailed for a grand total of 28 seconds. The Huskies have led by double digits for 58:27 of a possible 60 second-half minutes. They've won their three games by an average of 28.7 points.

For a program whose run to last year's national championship featured one of the all-time dominant performances — six wins by an average of 20 points — the Huskies have gone into a different gear.

«We just have people that just are desperate to win more,» Hurley said. «We have winners. We have 'we' guys. We have also talked about legacy.… These guys right now are leaving a legacy in a place that's hard to leave a legacy. It's been a historical season in a tough place to make history. They're galvanized by that. It's special.»

San Diego State did a better job of keeping the game competitive than UConn's first two NCAA tournament opponents, at least early in the contest. The Aztecs took an early lead and went shot-for-shot with the Huskies for most of the