The final three games of the nonconference schedule for the No. 25 UConn men’s basketball team (6-3) are essential to reach their ceiling of a third consecutive national championship this season.
Amid a four-game stretch against opponents who were ranked in the AP Poll at some point this season, the Huskies travel to Austin to take on the Texas Longhorns on Sunday, Dec. 8.
UConn began its four-game stretch on the right note with a redeeming win over No. 15 Baylor at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion.
No one stepped up more than Liam McNeeley, who made his presence known on Wednesday night on both ends of the court with 17 points, eight rebounds and three blocks.
It will be a homecoming game for the freshman phenom, who grew up four hours away from Texas’ capital city in Richardson, a suburb of Dallas.
Whether Alex Karaban will play is yet to be determined, as head coach Dan Hurley said that he is “not sure about the weekend.”
Texas will be the toughest defense the Huskies will face to date. According to KenPom, the Longhorns rank No. 19 in defensive efficiency and have shaken off their opening-season loss to Ohio State with a seven-game winning streak, including wins over Syracuse and N.C. State. They rank second in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in points allowed per game with 61.4.
What has contributed to their top 20 defense is their ability to defend inside the arc. Texas ranks No. 3 in the country in opponent two-point percentage at 39.4 percent. The only teams better in that category are San Diego State and Texas. UConn ranks No. 3 in the country in shots from inside 3-point range, shooting 63.7 percent.
Offensively, Texas takes care of the ball well, only turning over the ball 13.7 percent of the time. They rely on defense-to-offense, but the Huskies can make use of being one of the best shot-blocking teams in the country by chasing down whoever is trying to make a play off a fast break. It is inside the paint where Connecticut’s big men, Samson Johnson and Tarris Reed Jr., can come into play. Texas ranks last in the SEC in 3-point attempts, averaging 19.8 per game, and is much more efficient scoring in the paint than settling for midrange attempts. They are a sneaky team from the corner, making 42.4 percent of their shots from there. That is 7.7 percent above average among Division I teams, according to CBB Analytics.
There will be a familiar face on the floor as former Creighton Bluejay Arthur Kaluma serves as the primary power forward for Texas. The 6-foot-7 senior from Glendale, Arizona is one of the most important players for head coach Rodney Terry’s team. Kaluma averages 13.6 points, eight rebounds and one steal per game, while shooting 54.2% from the floor, 38.9% from deep and 72.7% from the free-throw line. He has only failed to score 10 points or more once this season, in the Longhorns’ most recent game against N.C. State. Even though he only scored eight points in that game, he served as a glass cleaner with 15 rebounds. He has two double doubles already this season and is more than capable of a third if the Huskies are not careful.
The main threat for Texas is freshman Tre Johnson, who is expected to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He is the best scorer in the SEC, averaging 20.8 points per game.
Texas is in their first season in the SEC, which is loaded with national contenders. The Longhorns are no exception.
It will be Connecticut’s first visit to the newly built Moody Center, previously visiting the old Frank Erwin Center whenever they had a road game against Texas. One of the most memorable games of the 2010-11 run to the national championship was at Texas, as Kemba Walker scored 22 points, including the game-winning basket, to beat the Longhorns in overtime by one point. The Huskies are 3-1 in Austin all-time and 7-3 overall in the series.
The last time the Huskies visited the Lone Star State’s capital was on Dec. 29, 2015, when Rodney Purvis scored 18 points to help snap Texas’ six-game winning streak.
Fans do not have to look too far back for the most recent meeting between the two programs. In the 2023 Empire Classic title game at Madison Square Garden, Karaban had 20 points, while Johnson had his best outing with 15 points and eight rebounds. UConn ended up on top by a score of 81-71.
Connecticut has been more battle-tested, but their first road game of the season means there are learning experiences ahead, especially with a young team.
They will take on the Longhorns on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 5 p.m. (4 p.m. local time). The game will be televised on ESPN.