ARLINGTON, Tex. - During the national anthem Saturday, the Connecticut players stood in silence, their heads down, arms around each other, lost in their thoughts. They swayed from side to side, as if at a revival - their own. All wore the same white long-sleeve T-shirt. It read: UConn Pride.
A year ago these Huskies, enduring the misery of a postseason ban, refused to watch the N.C.A.A. tournament. A month ago, in their regular-season finale, they were destroyed by Louisville.
Three weeks ago they drew the seventh seed in a loaded region.
And now, look.
Look at UConn, conquerors of the tournament's top overall seed, purveyors of hope to a passionate fan base, improbable entrants in the national title game. Most teams failed to defeat Florida even once this season. The Huskies have now done it twice, stifling the Gators, 63-53, in a national semifinal Saturday at AT&T Stadium.
Led by 20 points from DeAndre Daniels, who tormented the Gators with baseline jumpers, 3-pointers from the wing and rim-rattling dunks, Connecticut advances to play the winner of the Wisconsin-Kentucky semifinal for the national title Monday night.
In its last three victories before Saturday, Connecticut had vanquished a No. 2 seed, a No. 3 seed and a No. 4 seed. Add to that list a No. 1 seed, and not just any No. 1 seed, at that.
This was Florida, owner of a suffocating defense and enviable scoring balance and imposing bulk down low. This was Florida, whose coach, Billy Donovan had already won two national titles and was bidding to become only the sixth coach to win three.
But this was also Connecticut, which won Saturday how it wins, or how it has won this tournament, with ferocious defense from its guards, opportunistic scoring from a deep supporting cast and poise, lots and lots of poise, in the final minutes. The Huskies' stellar guard tandem, Ryan Boatright and Shabazz Napier, combined for 25 points - and a steal and lay-in that proved a pivotal moment - but their most important contribution came on defense. They devoured the Gators' guards, Scottie Wilbekin and Michael Frazier, forcing turnovers and limiting them to 7 points.
By losing, Florida joined some ignominious company: all four teams to enter the Final Four having won at least 30 consecutive games - Indiana State in 1979, U.N.L.V. in 1991 and Duke in 1999 - did not win the national championship.
The Men's Bracket
The turning point came when Napier, hounding Wilbekin, stripped the ball and fed Boatright, who showed terrific body control to lay the ball in and extend the Huskies' lead to 47-40 with 6 minutes 51 seconds remaining. The Huskies' lead kept growing, expanding, until Florida looked stunned, in disbelief that their streak had ended like this, to them, again.
These teams played each other back on Dec. 2, when Napier muffled the Gators with a buzzer-beater, a loss that Wilbekin - who was unavailable for those final few minutes after injuring his ankle - called "the lowest point" of Florida's season, as if he had dozens of other options to choose from.
Now there is no question. This is their nadir, their house of horrors for a second consecutive year. Shooting into emptiness, into the vast backdrop of sprawling AT&T Stadium - the Gators had experience with it, and it was not good. Their season ended here last year, with a defeat in the regional final, in part because of some miserable marksmanship. On Saturday they shot 34.8 percent in the first half, 38.3 for the game. Practically unstoppable when they convert their 3-pointers, the Gators went 1 for 10, making their first but missing their next nine in a row.
Early on, with every offensive rebound or tip-in, Florida seemed to be telling UConn, Beat us once? All right. But twice? Good luck with that.
Napier did not take his first shot until more than six minutes into the game. He missed that, as well as his next attempt, and as long as Napier was silenced, the Huskies would struggle - or so the theory went. Connecticut reached this stage because of Napier's diversified contributions, yes, but also because of a supporting cast that again and again drilled important shots, grabbed important rebounds, made important steals.
When Napier scored his first points, on a 3-pointer with 3:54 remaining before halftime, the Huskies were in the midst of overcoming a 16-4 deficit. Smothered by Wilbekin, Napier stayed patient, patient until he found space to penetrate and, when the defense collapsed on him, passed to an open teammate. This is how UConn ended the first half on a 21-6 run, leading by 25-22, taking command.
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