By Jacob Lev, CNN
(CNN) — No. 4 seeded Alabama advanced to the program’s first ever Final Four of March Madness on Saturday, alongside defending champion No. 1 seed UConn.
Alabama defeated No. 6 Clemson 89-82 to break new ground and continue an impressive run at this season’s tournament.
The Crimson Tide, who on Thursday downed No. 1 North Carolina, kept up their winning ways.
Guard Mark Sears led the team with 23 points after starting out the game 0 for 7 including 0 for 4 from three. He scored his first points of the game with just over four minutes left in the first half.
Sears then went on to make eight of his last 11 shots including seven of his last 10 three pointers.
After the game, Sears said he “lives for these moments.”
“This is what March Madness is about,” Sears told the TBS broadcast. “You know, when you are a kid, you want to be in these moments and it felt like my dream came true today. My dream definitely came true today.”
Defending national champions UConn, meanwhile, blew out No. 3 Illinois 77-52.
It was a close first half, but the Huskies went on a 30-0 run on their way to a second consecutive Final Four appearance.
When asked about the run after the game, Huskies head coach Dan Hurley was complimentary of his team.
“It was a special level of basketball that we were playing,” Hurley told reporters.
The Huskies and Crimson Tide will face off in the Final Four on April 6 at Statefarm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The men’s Elite Eight continues on Sunday with No. 1 Purdue playing No. 2 Tennessee and No. 4 Duke facing off against No. 11 North Carolina State.
The national championship game is scheduled for April 8 in Arizona.
The-CNN-Wire
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