The UConn men’s basketball team (20-9, 12-6 Big East) started March off on the right note, ending their road schedule with a 75-63 win over the Providence Friars (12-17, 6-12 Big East), spoiling their Senior Day.
Providence won the tip and scored the game’s first four points before Solo Ball drilled his first two three-point attempts to get the Huskies’ offense going. Samson Johnson started the game but could not stay in after picking up two fouls and struggling on the glass less than a minute into the game.
Tarris Reed Jr. came into the game and was on a tear during the first half. At one point, he scored six straight points for the Huskies, forcing Providence head coach Kim English to call timeout. He finished the first half with 15 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. It seemed like the Friars had zero answers for the potential Big East Sixth Man of the Year.
“I got a transition dunk, and after that, I was ‘Okay, I’m hot,’” said Reed following the win. “I’m always ready on the bench, knowing that I have to be a crucial part of the team, going on the court with energy.”
Hurley spoke about how Hassan Diarra was looking better during Friday’s pregame media availability. That was true in the first half, with eight assists. That matches the most he has recorded in the first half. In a New Year’s Day win at DePaul, Diarra had eight assists.
“I felt good,” said Diarra, who finished the game with 10 assists. “I just got to maintain it, keep doing my rehab, keep doing my treatment, keep strengthening it. Get as much rest as possible.”
UConn finished the first half strong, knocking down three straight baskets and six of their last eight. Alex Karaban looked strong in the final 8:43 of the first 20 minutes, finishing the opening half with nine points, including a big three-pointer with 1:12 left. He knocked down the half’s final basket with one second left to put the Huskies up 41-33.
Connecticut came out swinging in the second half. Reed continued to produce and matched his career high of 22 points at the 14:38 mark, resulting in English calling a timeout.
“We’re a much different team when we get that level of play from the center spot,” said Hurley.
He finished the day with new career highs in numerous stat categories. Reed scored 24 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and blocked six shots on 10-13 shooting. According to Stathead, Reed joins Hasheem Thabeet as the only UConn players since the 2004-05 season to have at least 24 points, 18 rebounds and six blocks while shooting at least 76% from the field in a single game. Thabeet had 25 points, 20 rebounds and nine blocks on 10-13 shooting in a win at Seton Hall on Feb. 14, 2009.
Karaban continued to make strides, scoring eight points, including another three-pointer in the second half to finish with 17 on the day. Hurley said the team goes nowhere unless Karaban plays the way he has played throughout his career at UConn.
“I completely agree with him,” said Karaban. “I wasn’t playing or being like Alex Karaban during my struggles. I wasn’t leading as much as I should have been. I wasn’t playing as well as I needed to. This team is really going to go as far as myself and the rest of the guys, and I got to lead the charge. I got to continue to be that piece for us, offensively and defensively.”
For Providence, it was difficult to find premier scoring. Jayden Pierre was the only player to score 10 points or more for the Friars. With the loss, they now go into their final two games of the season with a three-game losing streak and after losing seven of the last eight games.
While McNeeley was out on the court dropping Corey Floyd Jr. to the ground, Diarra was comically trying to put his shoe back on and played roughly a minute on one shoe.
“I asked the ref to stop the game, but he wouldn’t do it,” Diarra remarked. “I didn’t have enough time to put my shoe back on. I was about to put it back on, but then I saw someone about to shoot it. I tried to throw it to one of the fans, then I tried to throw it to my bench. It was just a debacle.”
In front of Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, Connecticut took care of business in a place Hurley knows all too well. Hurley ended his press conference with a “Go Rhody.”
With two games to go, UConn has no way of clinching the Big East regular-season title, which was won by St. John’s on Saturday. The highest seed they can get, while very unlikely, is the No. 2 seed. However, they will need a lot of help to clinch that.
With a win on Wednesday as they host No. 21 Marquette, they move into the driver’s seat for a more realistic possibility, the No. 3 seed in the Big East Tournament.