(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)San Diego State guard Matt Bradley (20 ), guard Micah Parrish (3) and forward Nathan Mensah (31) walk towards their bench throughout the second half of the men's nationwide champion college basketball game versus Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)San Diego State guard Lamont Butler (5) drives as Connecticut guard Jordan Hawkins (24) protects throughout the second half of the males's nationwide champion college basketball video game in the NCAA Tournament on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)San Diego State guard Micah Parrish and guard Tyler Broughton sit in the locker room after their loss versus Connecticut in the guys's nationwide champion college basketball video game in the NCAA Tournament on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Houston.
HOUSTON - - They could not keep back the tears, couldn't hide their emotions, struggled to come up with the best words about what this run meant to them and their university.

About what it said for Mountain West basketball.

San Diego State's magic carpet flight through the NCAA Tournament crashed one win from a championship game.

It wasn't difficult to find out why.

The Aztecs fell to a much better Connecticut side 76-59 on Monday night prior to 72,423 at NRG Stadium, allowing the Huskies to celebrate their fifth nationwide title and affording the Aztecs all sorts of heartache for coming oh-so-close to the supreme of moments.

" San Diego State, we put our name on the map," senior forward Keshad Johnson said. "We put our school on the map. We're acknowledged now. Win or lose, I'm sure everybody appreciates us.".

Left no doubt.

However there is no concern, no doubt, not a hint of unpredictability. When they recall at this 2023 NCAA Tournament, when it's judged against others, one fact will base on its own.

The best group won.

And, folks, it wasn't especially close.

San Diego State played the Huskies as hard as anyone else in the draw and still lost by 17.

" We feel excellent about the things we did," San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher said. "Disappointed in the loss, but there was a brotherhood in that locker room that will never ever be divided by a margin of victory or not winning at all.

Amongst those present after the loss was previous Michigan star and now Wolverines coach Juwan Howard, there to support the Aztecs and Dutcher. Howard was a member of the renowned Fab Five when Dutcher was an assistant at the school.

That sense of brotherhood.

Senior guard Matt Bradley called it a great return story. How the Aztecs lost in a first-round game versus Creighton last season.

" I was so stuck on winning this nationwide champion given that we got to this point," Bradley stated. I think over time, I'll definitely be happy with the run, however I'm disappointed in how we could not close out this game.".

They just weren't good enough. Connecticut had much to do with that.

San Diego State actually rallied to get within 60-55 with about four minutes left.

It sure made UConn mad.

The Huskies ended up on a 16-4 run and celebrated as white and blue confetti fell from the rafters. The five national titles tie Duke and North Carolina for the most because 1975, the year John Wooden retired from UCLA … … after his final video game at the San Diego Sports Arena.

Much better next season?

" We have a good team coming back," Dutcher said. "We're going to be excellent next year. I had two freshmen, they're as good as any freshmen I have actually had in my program, could not get on the flooring. They're going to contribute next year.

We're going to be great next year. We've had a lot of good groups at San Diego State, and we'll continue to have good groups.".

That said, the Huskies are worthy of all appreciation.

They rolled this bracket, guy. It was something else.

" It's something we hang our hats on," San Diego State junior guard Darrion Trammell stated of his group's journey to the Final Four. "That's the chip on our shoulder - - to not only get regard for the San Diego State Aztecs however for the Mountain West as a whole. I feel we did that.".

They did. They wept. What a magic carpet flight.

Ed Graney is a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing and be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com. He can be heard on "The Press Box," ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on Twitter.