HOUSTON (KTSM) – Burges graduate Tristen Newton and four-seed UConn are now just one victory away from college basketball immortality.
After a 72-59 win over Miami in the Final Four on Saturday, Tristen Newton and UConn will now face off with San Diego State University in the NCAA Tournament Championship game at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on Monday night.
The Huskies will battle San Diego State University at 7:20 p.m. MT on Monday on CBS for the national title. The Aztecs beat nine-seed FAU 72-71 on a buzzer-beater by Lamont Butler.
UConn will look to win its fifth title since 1999 in that game.
“We just want to go get number five,” Newton said. “The people before us got four [national championships] before us. We are trying to get one more. We get jealous seeing that stuff is the practice gym every day, so we are just trying to get number five and join them.”
“We’re not just happy to be here. We want to win the whole thing. I don’t think you’ll see any smiles or jumping, throwing water until we win the whole thing,” Newton said after UConn’s win.
Newton has been a key piece for UConn this season. On Saturday, Newton was once again a steadying presence for UConn, stuffing the stat sheet with seven points, five rebounds and a game-high eight assists in the team’s win over Miami.
In UConn’s game against Miami, Newton played in front of his entire family, including his cousins – Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones and his twin brother, former UTEP linebacker Alvin Jones.
Scarcely-recruited out of Burges, Newton is one of just a handful of Borderland natives to participate in the Final Four. On Monday, he’ll get the chance to become one of an even fewer number of El Pasoans to ever win a national championship. Playing for El Paso means a lot to Newton.
“They’ve all been behind me, shooting me messages and DMs, even if I’ve never met them before,” Newton said. “They’re showing a lot of love. I’m glad that I can show them that a lot of people from El Paso can do this.”
