The No. 5 UConn Huskies finished their non-conference slate with a 71-63 win over Texas in Friday night’s game on FOX.
The Huskies added another quality win to their resume, while the Longhorns lost their second contest in the last three. Forward Alex Karaban led the Huskies with 18 points, giving the redshirt senior his fourth game this season of 18-plus points, while center Tarris Reed Jr. returned from a two-game absence and contributed across the board.
Here are four takeaways from UConn’s sixth-straight win:
1. Tarris Reed Jr. is the Huskies’ MVP
Reed did it all for UConn on Friday, fulfilling the duties of a steadying paint presence with post scoring and rim protection. But what makes him invaluable is his versatility at the five spot.
The best UConn teams have big men that are skilled passers — a la Donovan Clingan — and Reed showcased that trait, dishing a season-high five assists. Having a center who can quarterback the offense opens up everything for the Huskies’ because their half-court sets are predicated on an open paint, and bringing the big out to pass from the perimeter creates that space inside.
Reed showed there’s nothing he can’t do, as he posted 12 points, five assists, six rebounds and four blocked shots.
2. UConn may have a guard-play problem
The only aspect of Friday’s game where Texas had the advantage was its guard play. Tramon Mark and Jordan Pope had their way, scoring at all three levels, and Simeon Wilcher impacted the game off the bench.
UConn’s guards, meanwhile, struggled to stop the Longhorns and barely contributed to the game. Silas Demary Jr. finished with two points, shooting 1-of-5 from the field, and committed five turnovers. Malachi Smith took over for his struggling counterpart down the stretch, finishing the game with nine assists and just four points.
Head coach Dan Hurley has talked about the guards having a lot on their plate in terms of initiating the offense, and needing time to adapt to the scheme in each of their first seasons in Storrs. But we’re a third of the way through the schedule and there are still glaring issues in their confidence and consistency.
3. UConn has a secret weapon in Braylon Mullins
And he might not be a secret much longer.
The freshman showed he’s a tough shot-taker and a tough-shot maker on his way to scoring 10 points. He started his first game of the season on Friday, and adapted to the increased role with ease. Mullins knocked down each of his first three shots, all of which came with a hand squarely in his face, or from multiple feet beyond the 3-point line.
Mullins, the No. 12 recruit in the nation, missed the first six games of the season with an ankle injury. He made an immediate impact after returning and starred in UConn’s win over Kansas on Dec. 2, scoring 17 points in 23 minutes.
Another jewel of this star-studded freshman class, Mullins offers a unique ability not many players — let alone freshmen — possess. He’s an elite movement shooter to the point where he’s almost better shooting off-balance or with a hand in his face. He’s the Jordan Hawkins for these Huskies — a player who can change the game at any moment with his shot-making ability.
4. UConn’s non-conference schedule has set it up for success
After Friday’s win, the Huskies ended non-conference play at 10-1, with four wins against Quad 1 opponents. They played five teams ranked inside the Associated Press Top 25 over the last month, and did so intentionally, because the Big East is as weak of a conference as it’s ever been this season.
UConn only has five more opportunities to earn Quad 1 wins, so playing a strong non-conference schedule, and handling business throughout it, will go a long way in buoying the Huskies’ resume.
Last season, three of the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament had 30 wins or more; three of the four had eight-plus Quad 1 wins. Each of those benchmarks are realistically achievable given the Huskies’ remaining schedule, but they wouldn’t have been had they decided to play a cupcake non-conference slate. A one-seed could legitimately be on the horizon because UConn trekked through its non-conference schedule and will now be the favorite in all but maybe one of its Big East games.
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