NEW YORK – The three-seed UConn men's basketball team (23-9) is in action on BIG EAST Tournament Semifinal Friday when it takes on two-seed Creighton (23-9) at the World's Most Famous Arena. Tip-off from Madison Square Garden is set for approximately 9 p.m. on FOX with Gus Johnson, Jim Jackson and Kristina Pink on the call.

Friday night will mark the third meeting this season between the Huskies and Bluejays, with each team taking the road leg of the regular season series. The rubber match also signifies the second time the two squads have faced off in the BIG EAST Tournament. Creighton tipped the Huskies, 59-56, in the 2021 Semifinals.

UConn is coming off a Thursday night thriller, going down nine early and five at half before a game-changing 22-3 run late in the second half to knock off six-seed Villanova, 73-56, in the BIG EAST quarterfinals. Alex Karaban led UConn across the board, scoring 15 of his team-high 18 points in the second half to go with nine rebounds and six assists. Liam McNeeley added 12 points and seven rebounds while Solo Ball and Samson Johnson both scored 11. Creighton went to double overtime in its quarterfinal before pulling out an 85-81 victory over 10-seed DePaul.

The Huskies are playing some of their best basketball of the season as the calendar has turned to March and have won five-straight heading into Friday night. Ball leads a balanced and potent UConn attack with 14.8 points per game, followed closely by Karaban at 14.6 per game and McNeeley with 14.5 per game. Hassan Diarra is the straw that stirs the drink for Connecticut's top-15 offense with 5.9 assists per game. Johnson and Tarris Reed Jr. form a potent 1-2 punch at the pivot, averaging 7.5 and 9.8 points on 76.9 and 67.2 percent shooting, respectively.

UConn has turned up its intensity on the glass in recent weeks and has out-rebounded its last 11 opponents. The Huskies have surged into the top-20 nationally in rebounding margin and lead the BIG EAST with a +6.5 mark. Reed Jr. leads the way with 7.3 rebounds per night and ranks among the most efficient rebounders in the country, while McNeeley pulls down 6.2 per game and Karaban adds 5.4.

Creighton went 15-5 in the BIG EAST regular season to finish second in the league standings. The Bluejays are led by their dynamic duo of Ryan Kalkbrenner (19.8 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 66.3 FG%) and Steven Ashworth (16.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 7.0 apg) and have won their last three games. The Bluejays boast both a top-50 offense and defense, per Kenpom.

In the other Semifinal earlier on Friday night, top-seed St. John's will take on five-seed Marquette. Should Connecticut advance, they would face the winner on Championship Saturday at The Garden.