UConn guard Stephon Castle (5) dunks over Alabama forward Grant Nelson (2) during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
UConn guard Stephon Castle (5) dunks over Alabama forward Grant Nelson (2) during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — UConn kept its bid to repeat as national champion intact by surviving its first true test of the NCAA Tournament, getting 21 points from freshman Stephon Castle while clamping down defensively in the second half of an 86-72 win over Alabama in the Final Four on Saturday night.

The top-seeded Huskies (36-3) had put on a March Madness show before arriving in the desert, a stretch that included a 30-0 run in a decimation of Illinois in the Elite Eight.

This was more of a slow burn, with UConn withstanding an early wave of 3-pointers before holding the Crimson Tide (25-12) without a field goal during a five-minute second-half stretch.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

UConn forward Samson Johnson celebrates a basket during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game against Alabama at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )
UConn forward Samson Johnson celebrates a basket during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game against Alabama at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )
Alabama guard Aaron Estrada, right, shoots around UConn center Donovan Clingan during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )
Alabama guard Aaron Estrada, right, shoots around UConn center Donovan Clingan during the second half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )
Alabama forward Nick Pringle is fouled by UConn center Donovan Clingan, left, during the first half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )
Alabama forward Nick Pringle is fouled by UConn center Donovan Clingan, left, during the first half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )
UConn forward Alex Karaban (11) fouls Alabama guard Rylan Griffen (3) during the first half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
UConn forward Alex Karaban (11) fouls Alabama guard Rylan Griffen (3) during the first half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) and guard Aaron Estrada (55) react to a possession call during the first half of the NCAA college basketball game against UConn at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )
Alabama guard Mark Sears (1) and guard Aaron Estrada (55) react to a possession call during the first half of the NCAA college basketball game against UConn at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )
UConn head coach Dan Hurley reacts during the first half of the NCAA college basketball game against Alabama at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
UConn head coach Dan Hurley reacts during the first half of the NCAA college basketball game against Alabama at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Alabama forward Nick Pringle (23) shoots over UConn center Donovan Clingan (32) during the first half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Alabama forward Nick Pringle (23) shoots over UConn center Donovan Clingan (32) during the first half of the NCAA college basketball game at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Alabama head coach Nate Oats yells during the first half of the NCAA college basketball game against UConn at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )
Alabama head coach Nate Oats yells during the first half of the NCAA college basketball game against UConn at the Final Four, Saturday, April 6, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )