Rapid Recap: UConn tops URI in exhibition opener, 102-75
UNCASVILLE – The UConn Huskies gave the capacity crowd at Mohegan Sun Arena a show as the two-time reigning national champions made their first public appearance with their new-look squad. After losing four starters to the NBA including two lottery picks, head coach Dan Hurley was working with a bunch of new players and lineups. But the returners led the charge as the Huskies claimed a 102-75 victory.
The starters were Solo Ball, Hassan Diarra, Alex Karaban, Liam McNeeley, and Samson Johnson. Ball led the Huskies with 18 points and some incredible defensive intensity on the other end. Karaban finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, and four assists while McNeeley showed off his range and scoring ability with 10 points and Diarra dished out a team-high nine assists.
Aidan Mahaney was the first guy off the bench; the Saint Mary’s transfer finished with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field with three assists. Tarris Reed came in next a few minutes later, the former Michigan forward finished with eight points and 10 boards.
McNeeley got the night started quickly with a layup 12 seconds in. Ball and Karaban hit threes in the next two minutes and Diarra took a steal all the way to put UConn up 10-2 early.
Foul trouble, defensive sluggishness, and rotating new team members contributed to the game getting closer across the first half. The rest of the period saw four lead changes and five ties but UConn pulled ahead 44-40 by halftime.
Mahaney was first off the bench at 16:36 after Diarra got two fouls, followed closely by Reed. Jayden Ross and Jaylin Stewart entered the game with 11:34 left in the first half. Freshman Ahmad Nowell made his first appearance in the middle of the second half while Youssouf Singare and Isaiah Abraham made appearances with a little over two minutes left with the game well in hand.
Both teams were about as coordinated as one might expect in a mid-October exhibition, including nine turnovers each in the first half. The more talented team prevailed in the second half as UConn turned it over just three times in the final 20 minutes while URI finished with 19 giveaways.
The Huskies regained control at the end of the first half after briefly losing the lead. They grew their lead back up to nine thanks to some early URI turnovers in the second half and kept that buffer up through the end. Ball was flying all over the place defensively all night but the team defense tightened up across the second half as an 0-for-8 stretch led to four-plus scoreless minutes for the Rams.
Nowell hit two threes after entering the game to excite the crowd and Mahaney shook off an up-and-down first half to play with a lot more confidence in the second. The Huskies finished with four players in double-digit scoring while three had eight and two others had six points. The whole bench got involved as 12 guys played on the evening.
Next up, the Huskies have their season opener, on November 6th against Sacred Heart at Gampel Pavilion. Tip-off will be at 7 p.m. and the game will be televised on FS1.