The UConn Huskies took home their fifth national championship at the NCAA’s Final Four finale in Houston. Their 76-59 victory Monday night brought San Diego State’s unlikely bid for glory to an end.
After the game, players from both teams gave thanks to God for the opportunity to compete at the highest level.
If this tournament has taught us anything it’s that college basketball is completely unpredictable. Yet with all the upsets and the Cinderella stories, the UConn Huskies pulled off their fifth national championship in 25 years, joining the college basketball elite.
After the loss, San Diego State’s #33 Aguek Arop fought back the tears as he said, “I know we didn’t win, but this is something that I dreamed of (gets emotional) since I was kid. I’m sure it’s what we all dreamed of. But coming from humble circumstances to being here, I just praise God that I get to share with these guys next to me and the guys in the locker room.”
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UConn’s #2 Tristen Newton earned a double-double with 19 points and 10 boards in the big game. He told us, “I thank God for putting me in this position presenting me, blessing me with the talent and ability, so I’m really blessed and thankful.”
UConn’s #44 Andre Jackson, Jr. told CBN Sports the other day that he can’t separate his faith and who he is as a basketball player.
After the win he explained, “None of this would be even possible without God. I was sitting before the game, just sitting and listening to a lot of Gospel music trying to calm myself down because I was nervous. But just having that faith in God allows me to be able to go out and perform in the way that I do and not worry about everything else and really just trying to every single day get closer to God because I know it’s a journey.”
“God is the reason I’m here. Without God this would never be possible so God was the person who allowed me to keep having faith that my dreams could become reality, and God can do a lot of things and God is real,” Jackson said.
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