UConn men’s basketball is in Indianapolis to take on Butler for the two teams’ final regular-season matchup. The Huskies are coming off their first loss since Nov. 19 and first in Big East play after falling to St. John’s on Friday night. UConn head coach Dan Hurley said he’s looking for a championship-level response, driven by his leaders.
“When you get your ass kicked like that, there’s gotta be a response. There’s gotta be some type of championships response...that’s gotta come from your leading players,” he said, naming Tarris Reed Jr., Alex Karaban, and Solo Ball.
The Huskies dropped to No. 6 in the AP Poll but maintained their standing in efficiency rankings, sitting eighth in KenPom (28th Offense, 5th Defense), which projects a 77-67 UConn victory. They were in complete control in their first meeting against Butler, capturing a 79-60 win at PeoplesBank Arena on December 16.
In that game, Ball dropped 26 points while Reed Jr. added 16 and Jayden Ross scored 13 off the bench. The Huskies shot 51% from the field while holding Butler to 30%, including 5-of-24 (21%) from three.
Since that meeting, UConn (22-2, 12-1 Big East) has won 11 games, including some battles against middle-of-the-pack teams like Providence and Georgetown.
Some question whether this year’s Huskies are elite – if they have the same makeup as the ones that won consecutive championships just a few years ago. We’re about to find out, with six games left in the regular season and the Big East Tournament still to play.
They have a rematch with St. John’s on Wednesday, February 25, which will likely decide the Big East regular-season crown as the Red Storm sits tied with UConn atop the standings. The Huskies also still have their second matchups with Villanova (3rd place), Creighton (4th), Seton Hall (5th), and Georgetown (6th) to come.
But first, Butler.
The Bulldogs (13-11, 4-9 Big East) come into the evening having lost four in a row to St. John’s, Georgetown, Providence, and Marquette. They’re 78th overall in KenPom (73rd Offense, 111th Defense) with strengths in offensive rebounding and getting to the free-throw line, while also keeping fouls down themselves.
Thad Matta’s squad is led by the duo of Finley Bizjack (17.9 PPG) and Michael Ajayi (15.8 PPG, 11.6 RPG, though the two were held to just 15 points combined in their first meeting against UConn.
The big, experienced guards are hoping for a better outing despite facing an elite defense that is still improving. The Huskies haven’t fully realized their potential in the post and on the glass, and Braylon Mullins has brought a strong presence to that end in addition to his scoring firepower.
The freshman is making a return to his hometown of Indianapolis, which is also the site of this year’s Final Four. He’s scored in double-digits in all three games since returning from concussion protocol after leaving the Villanova game with eight points early in the second half.
Silas Demary Jr. is coming off one of his most disappointing outings for the Huskies, turning the ball over nine times despite scoring a team-high 18 to help them stay in the contest.
He had been on a tear and – though he still has occasional issues with foul trouble – remains an important piece of the winning formula. He runs the offense and sets the tone on defense; it just didn’t go great against the best opponent UConn faced in league play.
All five Husky starters are averaging double-digit scoring, led by Ball, Reed, and Alex Karaban, with Demary and Mullins not far behind. Karaban scored 17 against St. John’s and is climbing up the program leaderboards for scoring, three-pointers made, and wins.
Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. from Hinkle Fieldhouse. The game will be televised on TNT/TruTV.
