Rapid Recap: UConn Comes Back to Defeat Villanova
Click HERE to watch postgame press conference
HARTFORD – UConn men’s basketball overcame another slow start and more cold shooting to erase a double-digit second-half deficit and win 66-59 at the XL Center on Tuesday night.
It was a defensive battle early, as free throws got UConn its first four points and both teams were missing early. A couple of Dixon threes helped the Wildcats pull ahead and then he was fouled after a turnover to make it 11-6. The run continued to make it 16-6 at the U-12 as UConn started 1-of-10 from the field.
“Wake the f**k up!” Alex Karaban yelled to his teammates in the huddle after the turnover and foul on Dixon.
That’s exactly what the Huskies did, mounting an 8-0 run of their own – during which Solo Ball hit the Huskies’ first triple on the night – to pull to within two. At halftime, the visitors’ lead was 34-26 as they responded to the Huskies’ run with a 10-4 run of their own. It looked like they were doubling McNeeley any chance they got. The freshman had four points in the first half but exploded in the second.
Villanova kept its buffer through the early stages of the second half, as the mistake-prone Huskies were getting in their own way and their fouls weren’t helping. The lead grew to 10 with 13 minutes left in the game as Hurley gave freshman Ahmad Nowell his first action since an injury in January.
It didn’t help. Villanova continued scoring at will and the lead grew as big as 14 in the middle of the second half. The Huskies did start pressing a little and closed the lead to four with seven minutes left as some of their shots began to fall and the defense stiffened up. Dan Hurley credited McNeeley and Tarris Reed Jr. for keying the comeback effort.
With the lead at six and four minutes left, UConn started forcing some turnovers to close in and pull ahead. After a Hassan Diarra block, McNeeley hit two free throws to cut the lead down to two, and then Reed made a lay-up with the shot clock winding down to tie the game. The Huskies grabbed the lead after two more McNeeley free throws and pushed it to four after a Reed dunk.
They held on for the win after some crucial stops and another Reed Jr. bucket late as the Hartford crowd went wild.
Next up, the Huskies are in the home away from home for a road game against St. John’s. Tip-off will be at 12 p.m. from Madison Square Garden and the game will be televised on FOX.
The Johnnies (22-4, 13-2 Big East) are first in the league standings and 18th in KenPom (79th Offense, 2nd Defense). They beat UConn at Gampel Pavilion on February 7th in the two teams’ first meeting this season.
Box Score
Team Stats
Win Probability
