Click HERE to watch postgame media availability.
UConn men’s basketball beat No. 13 Illinois in convincing fashion at Madison Square Garden, 74-61, to improve to 6-1. This is the second neutral-site win for the Huskies over a ranked opponent this season.
Tarris Reed Jr. and Braylon Mullins both returned from injuries in this game, with Mullins making his season debut. Reed didn’t appear to be at full strength, finishing with two points and five rebounds in 15 minutes, while Mullins scored two in 10 minutes.
Solo Ball got the scoring started with a quick three as the Huskies led through an exciting first few minutes, up 13-12 with 14:56 left in the first half. Ball hit two buckets before a four-point play to cap off a 10-0 run, and UConn mounted an 8-0 run just a few minutes later as Malachi Smith and Jaylin Stewart pitched in off the bench.
The Huskies went into halftime up 43-32, as UConn froze up a bit towards the end to let the Illini stay in fighting distance. Both Ball and Alex Karaban got off to good starts after a light shooting slump. Ball finished with a team-high 15 points, while Karaban amassed 12 points, nine rebounds, and five assists.
As Reed and others got into foul trouble, Reibe stepped up off the bench with all eight of his points coming in the second half as he also finished with eight rebounds.
Smith played a key role in the victory effort, finishing with 14 points, including a four-point play when the lead was down to seven that made it 70-59 with 2:10 left.
The Huskies held on for the win thanks to a hot shooting start and strong defensive performance. They held Illinois to 31 percent from the field and 6-29 (20%) from three, while winning on the glass, 43-38. Dan Hurley’s squad led by as much as 21 points and never trailed.
Next up, the Huskies are in Kansas to meet the Jayhawks. The game tips off at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 2nd on ESPN2 from Phog Allen Fieldhouse.
Box Score:
Team Stats:
Win Probability:
