#3 UConn Outlasts #7 BYU In High-10 Thriller In Boston

BOSTON – The No. 3 UConn males’s basketball group (4-0) went up huge early and held on late, knocking off No. 7 BYU by a rating of 86-84 on Saturday evening on the Amica Insurance Hall of Fame Series Boston on the TD Garden. The top-10 win got here in UConn’s first important check of the season behind 21 factors apiece from Silas Demary Jr., Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr.

For the sport the Huskies shot a blistering 56.6 p.c from the sphere and 44.4 p.c from 3-point vary. UConn went up 16 within the first half and led 59-39 early within the second, earlier than a late cost from the Cougars bought them inside a possession within the ultimate minutes. Demary Jr. hit a slew of clutch baskets and free throws within the ultimate three minutes and got here up with an important steal within the ultimate 30 seconds to assist seal the win. He was named MVP of the Hall of Fame Series Boston, including a game-high seven assists, 5 rebounds and two steals to his 21 factors.  

Karaban, taking part in mere miles away from his hometown of Southborough, Mass., was an environment friendly 8-of-11 from the sphere and an ideal 4-of-4 from 3-point vary to complete along with his 21 factors and added three rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Reed Jr. was 8-of-10 from the sphere with a game-high eight rebounds and two blocks to go along with his 21. Jayden Ross was the fourth Husky in double-figures, scoring 10 factors and hitting a pair fo 3-pointers in 12 minutes as a reserve. For BYU, frosh phenom AJ Dybansta rebounded from a quiet first half to steer all scorers with 25 factors and snared a team-high six rebounds.

How it Happened

The Cougars scored the primary 4 factors of the sport as UConn founds its footing earlier than Reed Jr. bought Connecticut on the board with a bucket inside. The groups traded early baskets till the Huskies ramped it up halfway via the primary. A Demary Jr. 3-pointer in transition compelled a BYU timeout at 9:55 with the Huskies up 19-12. After the stoppage, Demary Jr. related on a put-back, then Reed Jr. hit from Demary inside earlier than a Karaban 3-point play. That made it a 10-0 kill-shot and a 14-2 total run, placing the Huskies up 26-12 at 8:51 of the opening stanza.

Another triple from Karaban forward of the U-8 timeout at 7:57 gave the Huskies their largest lead of the evening at 29-14. Late within the body BYU used an 8-2 mini-run to drag again inside single digits for the primary time since UConn’s early run and the Huskies referred to as for time with 56.6 to play within the first up 38-29. The run was quicky spurned by a Karaban triple after the stoppage and UConn took a 43-32 result in the break. Demary Jr., Karaban and Reed Jr. all scored in double-figures over the opening 20.

Reed Jr. began the second half with back-to-back buckets to push the lead again to fifteen. Minutes later Karaban related on a deep triple, and after a BYU three reply Ross cashed in once more from downtown to immediate a BYU timeout at 16:10 with UConn up 55-39.

Midway via the primary the tempo started to sluggish to a slog, and BYU took benefit and battle again from as many as 20 down with a slew from the road to cobble collectively a 7-0 run and pull again inside 12. Ross stopped the run at 9:54 of the second with a jumper inside to provide UConn a 64-50 edge. Minutes later, a Karaban 3-pointer and Jaylin Stewart jam put the Huskies up 71-55 with 7:46 to play.

Another 7-0 run – coming solely from the free throw line – bought BYU inside single digits at 71-62 with 6:45 to play. Reed Jr. stemmed the run briefly with a slam, however the Cougars saved coming and prolonged the run to 13-2 and minimize the result in 73-68 inside of 5 to play.  

Within UConn clinging to a 5 level lead, Demary Jr. bought downhill and related on a driving lay-in via site visitors earlier than a pair of Solo Ball free throws put the Huskies up 79-70 with 3:13 to play. At 1:29, Demary Jr. hit once more on a troublesome mid-range jumper that gave the Huskies an 81-74 edge.

Up three with beneath 30 ticks remaining it was once more Demary Jr. who stepped up and hit two from the road to make it 84-79 in favor of Connecticut forward of a timeout with 25.8 to play. A heaved 3-pointer from BYU related on the subsequent journey to slim the margin to 2, closest for the reason that opening minutes of the primary half. Up three within the ultimate moments, Demary Jr. got here up with a steal that led to a Ball free throw to place the Huskies up 86-82 with 6.1 seconds left. The Cougars hit a jumper on their ultimate journey earlier than time expired and the Huskies held on.

Inside The Numbers

• Connecticut completed the day capturing 56.6 p.c (30-53) from the sphere and 44.4 p.c (8-18) from three, whereas Brigham Young shot 49.2 p.c (29-59) total and 30.8 p.c (8-26) from downtown
  • UConn held BYU to an 0-of-10 begin from three earlier than a success at 1:05 of the primary half
  • The Huskies shot 57.1 p.c from the sphere and 45.5 p.c from deep within the first half, holding BYU to 37.9 and 16.7 marks within the opening 20

• The Huskies completed with 21 assists on 30 subject objectives, in comparison with seven on 29 for BYU
  • The Cougars didn’t document their first help till 2:15 to play within the first
  • UConn out-assisted BYU 13-3 within the first half
  • Demary Jr. had seven assists towards one turnover
  • UConn is second within the nation in opponents A/FGM% at 28.9

• BYU held a slim 28-27 edge on the glass and was +2 in turnover margin
• Nearly each specialty state was even: factors off turnovers went to UConn 16-15, paint went 42-40 to the Huskies, quick break 8-7 Connecticut, second likelihood factors had been 16-0 Cougars and bench scoring favored BYU 22-13

News and Notes

• UConn is now 2-0 all-time towards BYU, with the lone prior assembly coming within the First Round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament
• The Huskies are 9-1 of their final 10 contests between top-10 groups
• UConn is 24-10 towards ranked foes for the reason that begin of 2022-23, probably the most such wins and finest profitable proportion (amongst groups with not less than 10 video games) in that span
• Karaban posted his second sport of 20+ this season and the 17^th of his profession
• Reed Jr. additionally had his second 20-point sport of the season and sixth of his profession
• It was the 75^th time in 115 profession video games Karaban scored in double-figures
• With his 21 factors on Saturday, Karaban now has 1,426 in his profession to maneuver right into a tie with Emeka Okafor for 23^rd in UConn historical past
• Ross has now posted consecutive double-figure scoring video games for the primary time in his profession and has hit double-figures as many occasions this season (2) as his first two years in Storrs mixed

What’s Next

The Huskies return to the pleasant confines of Gampel Pavilion on Wednesday, Nov. 19 to welcome No. 5 Arizona to Storrs.