UConn pulled off a hard-fought 78-74 victory against Butler, showcasing their resilience in the face of a tough road environment and a desperate opponent. The Huskies shot an impressive 46% from three-point range, compared to Butler’s 33%, which is significant considering Butler is a team that heavily relies on its three-point shooting to generate offense. This stark shooting contrast brought to mind the Purdue defense from last season’s title game against Zach Edey—where allowing tough twos and limiting threes became a bulletproof strategy. UConn’s ability to force Butler into less efficient shots while hitting big ones on their end proved to be the difference.

However, this wasn’t without challenges. The whistle didn’t favor UConn, with a 20-to-10 foul disparity at one point, largely benefiting a desperate Butler team on a four-game losing streak. Late whistles evened it out to 20-13 by the end, but many of those felt like make-up calls. Despite the adversity, the Huskies stuck to their game plan, limiting Butler’s perimeter shooting and finding ways to execute offensively. Let’s break it down in the box score.

UConn Huskies Player Contributions

Starters:

• Liam McNeeley: Led the team with 17 points, shooting 5-13 from the field and a perfect 3-3 from beyond the arc. Added 5 rebounds and a team-high 7 assists, showcasing his playmaking ability.

• Alex Karaban: Top scorer with 21 points on 7-16 shooting, including 4-9 from three-point range. He also grabbed 6 rebounds and provided stability on both ends of the court.

• Samson Johnson: Perfect from the field with 6 points on 3-3 shooting. Contributed 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block, while staying efficient with limited opportunities.

• Solo Ball: Struggled offensively, scoring 4 points on 2-8 shooting and 0-5 from three. Added 1 rebound and 1 steal but had 4 fouls, limiting his impact.

• Hassan Diarra: Scored 12 points on 4-8 shooting, including 2-3 from three. His 7 assists and 3 steals highlighted his ability to create for others and disrupt Butler’s offense.

Bench:

• Jayden Ross: Contributed 4 points on 1-2 shooting, hitting a three-pointer and going 1-2 from the free-throw line. Added 3 rebounds and 1 assist.

• Jaylin Stewart: Went scoreless on 0-2 shooting but grabbed 1 rebound and provided energy off the bench in limited minutes.

• Tarris Reed Jr.: Provided 7 points on 2-4 shooting and 3-4 from the free-throw line. Was strong on the glass with 6 rebounds, including 1 offensive board, but struggled with turnovers and fouls.

• Youssouf Singare: Did not attempt a shot but contributed 1 rebound in limited minutes.

• Aidan Mahaney: Scored 7 points on 3-4 shooting, including 1-1 from three. Added 1 assist in a solid outing with limited opportunities.

Butler Bulldogs Player Contributions

Starters:

• Jahmyl Telfort: Scored 7 points on 3-12 shooting, including 1-3 from three. Added 6 rebounds and 7 assists but struggled with efficiency.

• Pierre Brooks II: Contributed 13 points on 4-8 shooting, including 1-3 from three. Went a perfect 4-4 from the free-throw line and added 2 rebounds.

• Patrick McCaffery: Tied for team-high with 17 points on 6-12 shooting. Hit 1-3 from three and 4-4 from the free-throw line. Added 2 rebounds and 1 block.

• Andre Screen: Dominated inside with 17 points on 4-7 shooting and a perfect 9-9 from the free-throw line. Pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds and added 4 blocks.

• Finley Bizjack: Scoreless on 0-2 shooting but added 1 steal in limited action.

Bench:

• Boden Kapke: Scored 3 points on 1-3 shooting, including 1-3 from three. Added 2 rebounds and 2 assists.

• Landon Moore: Chipped in 8 points on 3-5 shooting, including 1-2 from three. Also had 1 rebound and 1 steal.

• Kolby King: Added 9 points on 2-5 shooting and 5-8 from the free-throw line. Pulled down 8 rebounds and had 1 steal in a strong effort off the bench.

This game highlighted key contributions from UConn’s starting lineup, particularly Alex Karaban and Liam McNeeley, while Butler relied heavily on Andre Screen’s interior dominance and Patrick McCaffery’s scoring to stay competitive.

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