Player of Week: Newton Helps UConn To Second Straight Title
Tristen Newton Stats: Senior Guard Earns Most Outstanding Player Honors
Tristen Newton
Tristen Jamal Newton
UConn
2
23 years old (April 26, 2001)
6-5
American
Guard
Tristen Newton Stats
Heading into the 2023-24 season, UConn was among the NCAAB picks to win the national title despite losing some key cogs to their 2023 national championship squad. One of the pieces that coach Dan Hurley brought back, senior guard Tristen Newton, showed up big in this year’s Final Four, earning Most Outstanding Player honors after helping the Huskies defeat Purdue in the national title game, 75-60 on Monday night.
UConn became the first back-to-back national champion since Florida achieved the feat in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons.
Newton scored 20 points and dished out seven assists in the title-game victory as the Huskies pulled away in the second half for the easy victory. He also had 12 points and nine assists in UConn’s 86-72 national semifinal victory over Alabama on Saturday.
Title Game Finishes Dominant Run
The Huskies covered the college basketball point spreads in their run to the title, winning all six of their NCAA Tournament games by at least 13 points. In fact, in both of their title runs over the last two seasons, no team came within 13 points of UConn in March Madness, a feat never before accomplished in college basketball.
Newton was a big part of that, flawlessly running the team’s balanced offense. He averaged 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game in the NCAA Tournament this season.
It was the second straight season Newton has come up huge in the biggest game of the season, as he had 19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals in UConn’s title game win over San Diego State in 2023. But the Tristen Newton stats in these games don’t show his full impact on the Huskies’ title runs.
Near-Perfect Career After Transfer
Newton started his collegiate career at East Carolina, playing three seasons, and becoming a top target when he decided to enter the transfer portal following the 2021-22 campaign. In his third season with the Pirates, Newton averaged 17.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, making him an enticing addition for Hurley and the Huskies.
He got off to a bit of a slow start to his UConn career, scoring in single-digits in 13 of his first 18 games with the Huskies, including a stretch of nine of 10 contests from Dec. 1 to mid-January. That stretch ended with a scoreless outing in a loss to St. John’s on Jan. 15. He responded with six straight double-figure scoring games, and the Huskies started to gain some chemistry as a team.
Though he only averaged 9.5 points in last year’s NCAA Tournament, it was his double-double in the title game that really helped the Huskies to the title. This season, he was better than ever, averaging 15.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 6.2 assists to earn All-American honors.
In two seasons with UConn, Newton started 78 of 79 games, helping the Huskies to two national titles. He was part of a Huskies team that was so deep that over and under betting was usually given to go over with UConn’s score, but could be chancy because of the Huskies’ great defense.
Future Bright For Newton, Huskies
While Newton has a pair of teammates, 7-2 center Donovan Clingan and guard Stephon Castle, who are among the betting favorites to be lottery picks in this year’s NBA Draft, he’ll need to work to be among the draftees in late June. Newton is projected as a second-round pick despite his shining performance in March Madness, though UConn’s success will undoubtedly get him a lot of looks from NBA teams.
The Huskies are already among the favorites in NCAA odds for next year’s title, despite the losses they will take from this season’s squad. The early odds on most sportsbooks put Duke, UConn, North Carolina, and Kansas as the NCAA best bets to cut down the nets next season. Other top betting favorites for the 2024-25 season are Houston, Arizona, Alabama, Baylor and Kentucky.
But for this week, college basketball is Newton’s world, earning him a place among the March Madness greats.
For college basketball scores, betting odds, analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
