GLENDALE, Ariz. — Eventually, the 3-pointers stopped falling. When that happened, Connecticut could smell blood.

Alabama was trying to hang on, to do what nobody in this NCAA Tournament has been able to do: Give the defending national champions a game.

But as those long-range shots started finding iron, and the Huskies kept on hammering them in the paint, the Crimson Tide looked like a beaten team by the under-four media timeout.

Coach Dan Hurley’s team was too powerful, too deep, too unrelenting in the force with which it played.

It wasn’t a blowout, but the game was no longer in doubt, either.

No. 1 UConn was well on its way back to the national championship game after Saturday’s thorough 86-72 victory over No. 4 Alabama in front of 74,720 at State Farm Stadium, setting up a heavyweight showdown against back-to-back National Player of the Year Zach Edey and fellow No. 1 seed Purdue on Monday night.

The Huskies moved to within one victory of back-to-back titles with their 11th straight tournament win by double figures.

“Everyone came to UConn to try to be a part of history,” star center Donovan Clingan said. “We’re one step closer to our goal. But none of us in this locker room are satisfied. We know we have a lot of work to do, a big matchup on Monday.”

This wasn’t Illinois, San Diego State or Northwestern, teams that barely stood a chance.

Alabama actually led for a good portion of the first half.

The Crimson Tide were hitting their 3-pointers — they went 8-for-11 in the first half — and were not intimidated as so many other opponents have been in the tournament the past two years.

It didn’t matter.

Connecticut methodically broke down the SEC opponent with its deep array of two-way weapons, and didn’t have to sweat the final few minutes. It was firmly in control.

“Our identity is to be pretty relentless,” Hurley said. “We might not break you for 18 minutes, 25 minutes, but at some point if what we’re doing at both ends and on the backboard is at a high level, it just becomes hard for the other team to sustain [its play].”

As expected, Alabama (25-12) had no answer for the 7-foot-2 Clingan, who controlled the paint at both ends with 18 points, five rebounds and floor blocks.

Freshman Stephon Castle picked the perfect time for his best offensive game of the year, equaling a career-high with 21 points on 7-for-13 shooting, Cam Spencer and Alex Karaban each added 14 while Tristen Newton notched 12 points and nine assists.

Mark Sears paced Alabama with 24 points and Grant Nelson chipped in 19 points and 15 rebounds.

Alabama did so much right over the first 20 minutes.

It was hot from distance.

It hung with Connecticut (36-3) on the glass and shot an even 50 percent from the field.

Yet, the Crimson Tide was still behind by four at the break.

“Like Danny says, they’re close to being bulletproof,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said.

Out of halftime, the Huskies came out red hot, quickly extending to an eight-point lead. Alabama countered with seven consecutive points, only for the defending national champions to push the advantage back to eight.

The Crimson Tide again stormed back, sending a message: UConn had a game on its hands.

When Nelson scored in the lane, it was 56-all with 12:41 left to determine Purdue’s opponent in the title game.

Hurley then went to Samson Johnson, his quicker center to combat Alabama’s small-ball lineup as a change of pace.

Johnson helped kick-start an 8-0 run that included a dunk of his own and four points from Castle.

A few possessions later, Newton added a 3-pointer, pushing the lead to a game-high nine with 8:09 left.

From that point on, it was academic.

Connecticut is heading back to Monday night, looking to become just the eighth team to win titles in consecutive years.

The best player in the country, Edey, awaits them.