Postgame media availability (Watch): Hurley, Karaban and Mullins
UConn men’s basketball claimed an impressive victory over No. 21 Kansas, 61-56, after trailing by as much as eight in the first half. This is the Huskies’ third win over a ranked opponent this season and first one on the road.
Solo Ball delivered an efficient 17 points on the night while Braylon Mullins added 17 as well, including nine points in the second half as the Huskies pulled ahead. Eric Reibe finished with 12 points and eight rebounds in 31 minutes as he started once again.
Playing without Tarris Reed Jr. (ankle), the Huskies were losing the battle on the glass in the first half before turning it around in the second and finishing on top 38-32. The UConn (7-1) defense tightened late, and the squad found enough plays on the other side to pull off the shorthanded win.
The game started close early as both teams traded turnovers and Ball scored UConn’s first seven points, hitting his first jumper and three-point attempt to make it 7-7 four minutes in.
Reibe hit the Huskies’ next two buckets to ease a budding run for the home team, but Kansas (6-3) started hitting threes and went up 27-19 with 8:27 left in the first half.
Mullins scored five straight to get the visitors back in the game, making a nice steal and then finishing a putback on the other end before hitting his second three of the night to make it 27-24.
Another run helped the Jayhawks take a 33-29 lead into the break, even though they cooled off towards the end. A lot of different players were getting involved for Bill Self’s squad, as Elmarko Jackson and Jamari McDowell each hit two first-half threes, and Flory Bidunga was presenting matchup problems down low.
The Huskies closed in across the start of the second half, with Karaban spurring a 7-0 run that put them ahead 45-44 with 10:37 left. A Mullins jumper out of the time-out made it 47-44.
A Ball three put UConn up 55-49 with 5:35 left before the home team rattled off five straight to push the lead back down to one.
The two teams traded three-point misses before a nice finish from Reibe made it 57-54. The freshman pulled a rebound on the other end to set up a Karaban lay-up that pushed the lead to 59-54 with 1:53 left.
Jackson made a contested shot and drew a foul from Karaban, but missed the free throw to keep the lead at three with under a minute left.
After a miss by Demary Jr., and a time-out with 23 seconds left, McDowell drove and attempted a lay-up that missed everything and was caught by Mullins, who hit his first career free throws to ice the game.
Next up, the Huskies host East Texas at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford on Friday night. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. and the game will be televised on Peacock.
The following Tuesday, December 9th, they play No. 15 Florida at Madison Square Garden, tipping off at 9 p.m on ESPN.
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