Story by
Silas Demary reacts to heartbreaking national championship loss
- Story by
- Silas Demary reacts to heartbreaking national championship loss
The Georgia Bulldogs lost one of their top players, point guard Silas Demary Jr. , to the NCAA transfer portal last offseason. Demary made the most of his opportunity. He transferred to the UConn Huskies, got paid and advanced to the Final Four. Demary's storybook season ended in a heartbreaking loss in the national championship against the Michigan Wolverines .
Demary entered the national championship dealing with a lingering injury, but he was still able to battle through the pain and make an impact for the Huskies. Demary primary contributed in the title game as a defender. UConn held Michigan to the Wolverines' lowest point total of March Madness in the Huskies' 69-63 defeat.
Advertisement
In 21 minutes of playing time in the national championship, Demary posted two points, two rebounds, two assists and a block. The 6-foot-4, 195-pound guard fouled out in the final moments of the game, putting an end to his great season. Demary has one season of eligibility left after spending the first two years of his career at Georgia. He was much more effective in the Final Four against Illinois, where he recorded seven points, nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals in a strong performance.
Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau (3) dribbles the ball around Connecticut guard Silas Demary Jr. (2) during the first half of the NCAA national championship
"I'm not real emotional," UConn coach Dan Hurley said after the loss. "Players are crying a lot more than I am. It's hard to be upset with your team. We lost the game because we missed. We didn't make enough shots.
"But it's hard to be upset with your team when they get 22 offensive rebounds versus that team. I mean, that's just how hard we just played to hold that team to 38 percent from the field."
Advertisement
Demary was a big part of UConn's defensive success against Michigan, but it wasn't quite enough. Demary will have to make a decision about his future in the upcoming days. After the national championship, Demary reflected on his first season at UConn.
"I just look back at the season, I think I've grown a lot as a person, as a man, on and off the court," Demary said. "I think this is probably one of the best years of my life. Like, especially in college. Just being around people that push me everyday. I'm grateful to have been allowed to have put this jersey on and in a couple of days I'll just be able to look back and think about all the memories, all the guys I met this year. And just look back and enjoy all the moments."
The NBA draft along with the transfer portal are options for Demary. The portal opens on April 7.
Silas Demary Jr. after the national championship
This article originally appeared on UGA Wire: UConn's Silas Demary reflects on heartbreaking national title loss
