UConn reminds why its the best team in the country on chaotic Saturday

Three projected No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament were amid the casualties in a chaotic Saturday of college basketball.

Purdue, Houston and North Carolina all lost, a reminder that there are few bulletproof teams as we head into the opening rounds of March Madness.

We say "few" because there might be one. 

After pulling away in the second half against Marquette to win 73-57 in the Big East Tournament championship game, UConn reminded everyone why it should not only be the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament but also the favorite to cut down the nets in Glendale on Apr. 8.

The Huskies enter the tournament on a seven-game winning streak. Their 31 wins are tied with James Madison for the most in the country.

Despite losing forward Adama Sanogo and guards Jordan Hawkins and Andre Jackson to the 2023 NBA Draft, head coach Dan Hurley retained multiple players from last year's championship roster.

Four of UConn's six top scorers were members of the 2022-23 team, and the additions have also excelled. Guard Stephon Castle was the only unanimous selection to the Big East All-Freshman Team and won Big East Freshman of the Year while averaging 10.8 points per game and establishing himself as one of the team's best defensive players.

Transfer Cam Spencer, who started 64 games at Loyola (MD) and Rutgers from 2021-23, received 2023-24 All-Big East honors during a season he shot a lights-out 44.4 percent from deep on 5.8 three-point attempts per game.

Per EvanMiya.com, the Huskies are the best team in the country in net efficiency rating. They rank as the No. 1 offensive team and the sixth-best defensively. They also are at their strongest against tougher opponents.

Connecticut is 13-3 in Quad 1 games this season, which puts it percentage points ahead of Houston for the best winning percentage in those games. Eight of the 13 wins came by 10 or more points.

It was easy to find carnage on Saturday. Top seeds fell left and right, from conferences big and small. Except for in the Big East, where UConn stood firm and delivered an emphatic message to the NCAA Tournament field.

It's in its own tier and still climbing.