NCAA Tournament 2012: Iowa State Ends UConn’s Repeat Try, Win 77-64

The UConn Huskies will have to wait a minimum of two years before they get their next shot in the Big Dance, after Iowa State ended their dreams of winning back-to-back NCAA Titles before their postseason ban goes into effect. The Cyclones controlled the game throughout, winning 77-64.

Iowa State jumped out to a big lead in the first half and led UConn at the break, 32-22. Chris Allen led the No. 8 seed Cyclones with 20 points, and foward Royce White had a double-double with 15 and 12.

UConn made it a game in the middle of the second half, getting it down to a two possession game, but Iowa State still had enough gas to put away Jim Calhoun’s squad rather soundly. What’s next for Coach Calhoun? That’s the big question. Calhoun turns 70 in May, and with his health problems and the sanctions against the program he put on the map, rumors have run rampant that Iowa State was the final opponent to get a crack at Calhoun.

Nonetheless, while the season is over for UConn, Iowa State gets the daunting task of taming the beast on Saturday, the No. 1 overall seed, the Kentucky Wildcats.