Box Score

HARTFORD – The No. 2 UConn men's basketball team  (5-3)had no problem getting back on track in its return home, knocking off UMES (2-9) by a score of 99-45 on Saturday in front of an announced sell-out crowd of 15,684. Liam McNeeley and Jaylin Stewart led six Huskies in double-figures with 16 points apiece in the rout, while Tarris Reed Jr. and Jayden Ross both notched double-doubles.

The Huskies used a big early run to build a massive double-digit advantage that they never relented. Stewart tied his career-high with 16 in his first career start and added seven rebounds, while McNeeley posted 16 with five boards. Reed Jr. (10 points, 12 rebounds) and Ross (10 points, 10 rebounds) became second pair of UConn teammates to double up in the same game this year after McNeeley and Reed Jr. did so in the opener.  

How it Happened

The Hawks notched the game's first bucket, but the Huskies promptly scored the next 13 points and reeled off an 18-2 run over six-plus minutes of game time to take an early double-digit advantage.

Later in the opening stanza, a 12-0 run capped by a Ross slam and McNeeley 3-pointer prompted a UMES timeout with the Huskies up 30-8 and 8:32 left in the period. Despite a scoring drought for the Huskies of over six minutes late in the first, they took a 40-18 lead to the break after a Hassan Diarra 3-point play in the final seconds of the half.

The second half opened with more of the same, with the Huskies scoring the first eight points of the frame to push the lead to 30. Connecticut shot 66.7 percent (18-of-27) in the second half, swelling their lead to as many as 55 in the 99-45 triumph.

Inside The Numbers

• The Huskies shot 54.2 percent (32-of-59) for the game and 37.0 percent (10-of-27) from 3-point range, holding UMES to 30.0 (15-50) and 14.3 (2-14) marks
• UConn had a season-best performance from the free throw line, connecting on 25-of-27 (92.6 percent)
• Connecticut hammered the Hawks on the glass to the tune of a 48-23 margin, getting season-highs in caroms from Reed Jr. (12), Ross (10) and Stewart (7)
• Aidan Mahaney had a season-high 11 points and dished out four assists
• The first 10 Huskies to see the floor all recorded at least five points
• UConn assisted on 23 of 32 field goals, getting game-highs of five apiece from Diarra and Ahmad Nowell – it was the fifth time this season hitting 20 assists
• UConn turned a +1 turnover margin into a 14-6 edge in points off turnovers
• The Huskies also held a 42-20 advantage in the paint, a 17-3 edge in fast break points and out-scored the UMES bench 42-4

News and Notes

• UConn improves to 4-0 all-time against UMES after the first meeting since 2021
• The Huskies have won 32-straight home non-conference games
• Connecticut is 3-0 at the XL Center this season after going 8-0 in Hartford last year
• Reed Jr. notched his third double-double as a Husky and the sixth of his career – his 12 rebounds marked the most in a game for a UConn player this season
• The double-doubles off the bench for Reed Jr. and Ross mark the first time two reserves have posted a double-double in the same game for the Huskies since Andre Jackson and Donovan Clingan did so in the 2022 PKI title game vs. Iowa State
• Solo Ball (12 pts) is the lone Husky to score in double-figures in all eight games this season – a feat he accomplished only three times as a freshman a season ago
• Isaiah Abraham set a new career-high with six points

Up Next

The Huskies ramp up their non-conference slate in a big way, hosting No. 17 Baylor on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at Gampel Pavilion as part  of the BIG EAST-Big 12 Battle.