SAN DIEGO — We believe that we will win! It has already been a season to remember for the SDSU men's basketball team, with several firsts.
First time ever for the Aztecs and any Mountain West Conference team to make it to the Elite 8.
First time ever for the Aztecs or any Mountain West Conference team to make it to the Final Four.
The team's fans have been out in full force supporting their Aztecs, cheering when they first made it to the Final Four, sending them off from campus, and welcoming them when they arrived in Houston.
WATCH: Aztecs fans react to the team making it to their first Final Four:
Aztecs head to the championship game
San Diego State will try to bring the city its biggest sports championship Monday evening against a Connecticut team that has won its five NCAA tournament games by an average of 20 points.
"We have to control them in transition," Aztecs coach Brian Dutcher said. "They're as good a 3-point shooting team in transition that we've played all year. We have to take away transition 3s. We have to do a good job in the low post on (Adama) Sanogo. He's strong and tough.
"(Jordan) Hawkins is an NBA guard. So have to make sure we concentrate on him."
Sanogo, a 6-foot, 9-inch forward from Mali, leads the Huskies in scoring, averaging 17.2 points per game, and rebounding, averaging 7.4 per game. The 6-foot-5-inch Hawkins is second in scoring, averaging 16.2 points per game.
Both were first-team All-Big East Conference selections.
Connecticut has a .363 shooting percentage from 3-point range, making 9.1 per game, 28th among Division I teams. San Diego State is limiting opponents to a .282 shooting percentage on their 3-point shots, third in Division I.
The Huskies are second among Division I teams in scoring margin, outscoring their opponents by 14.3 points per game, second in rebounding margin, pulling down 9.3 more rebounds than their opponents per game, fourth in assists, averaging 17.7 per game, and 11th in offensive rebounds, averaging 13.08 per game.
Oddsmakers have made Connecticut a 7 1/2- to 8-point favorite.
"UConn's a really good team," San Diego State guard Matt Bradley said. "We've been seeing what they've been doing throughout the tournament. The wins they've been having are really impressive. But I think we match up with them really well. We know we've just got to stick to our game plan. We're our own biggest competitors. If we just play our own game, I think we should come out with the win."
The Huskies (30-8) are the 13th overall seed in the 68-team tournament and the fourth seed in the West Region.
Connecticut reached the championship game by defeating Iona, the 52nd overall seed, 87-63, in the first round; Saint Mary's, the 19th overall seed, 70-55, in the second round; Arkansas, the 30th overall seed, 88-65, in the Sweet 16, Gonzaga, the 10th overall seed, 82-54, in the Elite 8, and Miami, the 20th overall seed, 72-59, in the Final Four.
The Aztecs (32-6) are the 17th overall seed and fifth seed in the South Region. They defeated College of Charleston, the 47th overall seed, 63- 57, in the first round; Furman, the 53th overall seed, 75-52, in the second round; Alabama, the No. 1 overall seed, 71-64, in the Sweet 16, Creighton, the 22nd overall seed, 57-56, in the Elite 8; and Florida Atlantic, 72-71, in the Final Four.
This will be the Huskies' fifth appearance in the championship game. They won each of their first four championship game appearances, most recently in 2014, when they defeated Kentucky, 60-54.
San Diego State never advanced past the Sweet 16 before this year.