The UConn men’s basketball team has had quite the month so far after being ranked No. 1 in the AP poll and dominating the Big East conference with a 7-1 record. Despite Connecticut’s tall task last Saturday night on the road against the Villanova Wildcats, the Huskies got the job done in a game that truly came down to the final minute.
In sports, especially basketball, coaches try to “script” how they want their teams to start a game. Whether running a specific play or trying out a different defense, it is not uncommon to see teams try to change things up to seize momentum early on. The script for the first four-and-a-half minutes for UConn was complete domination. The Huskies put the Cats on the ropes early, jumping out to a quick 11-0 lead and neutralizing the hostile Philadelphia crowd. After a Villanova timeout, everything changed for Head Coach Dan Hurley’s squad. A Wildcats 18-5 run put them in the driver’s seat and largely left Connecticut stunned, as their massive lead was suddenly in jeopardy.
From there, it was a back-and-forth matchup all night, and despite the multiple double-digit runs that the Huskies went on, Villanova either tied or made it uncomfortably close. UConn went into the halftime break up five. However, the drama was far from over.
The Wildcats wasted no time getting on level terms, and both sides traded buckets, each with ample opportunity to pull away. However, that all changed at the 13-minute mark. The Huskies went on a massive 13-0 run, and it appeared they couldn’t be stopped. But, just as momentum appeared in UConn’s favor, the Cats stormed back to make it a one-point game.
Whether it was Alex Karaban hitting the go-ahead shot from beyond the arc with under three minutes to go or Cam Spencer making big free throws late, the Huskies had plenty of production from their offensive unit. But, while Spencer and Karaban had solid performances, the night belonged to Tristen Newton.
The 22-year-old guard put on a show for the Philadelphia crowd, as his offensive performance was a significant reason why this game finished the way it did. Newton finished with 25 points on 8-17 shooting, grabbing six rebounds. The most impressive facet of his performance was how he faired at the charity stripe, going 6-7, including two free throws with four seconds left to make it a two-possession game. The magnitude of that moment cannot be understated as Villanova’s Mark Armstrong put up a half-court heave that found the net. However, it didn’t matter, as UConn held on 66-65 for the tough road win.
To the delight of many Huskies fans, Donovan Clingan performed well, grabbing seven boards in 24 minutes of play. Despite falling six points below Connecticut’s expectations, his recent performance is noteworthy, especially considering he is returning from a foot injury that took him out of five games. Whether he was clogging up lanes, contesting shots or crashing the glass, the Bristol native made his presence felt, and UConn fans should be excited for what comes next. The program needed him badly on Saturday night, as Samson Johnson failed to find his mark in 16 minutes of play.
While Spencer’s 3-11 line is much more inefficient than Newton’s 8-17 shooting, his contributions were crucial to the Huskies winning their seventh game in a row. The Rutgers transfer scored 14 points, including two clutch free throws at the end. Ultimately, his experience was a big part of why the result was what it was. Not to mention, when he did get good looks, he capitalized, going 7-7 from the free-throw line.
Karaban also had a solid day at the office, scoring 10 points on 3-8 shooting. The 21-year-old also came away with five rebounds, and his defensive presence was a big reason why the game was as close as it was, even if the box score doesn’t reflect that. His big moment of the night came with under three minutes of play, hitting the go-ahead three and giving his side the momentum they needed to hold on.
This was a massive win on the road for the UConn men. With the Seton Hall Pirates falling 97-90 to Creighton in a triple OT thriller, the Huskies are firmly atop the Big East conference. With this big game in the rearview mirror, UConn will have an eight-day layover and return to action on Jan. 28 against Xavier at the XL Center.