MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The No. 25 UConn men's basketball team (15-6, 7-3 BIG EAST) heads to Fiserv Forum on Saturday night for a marquee showdown at No. 9 Marquette (18-3, 9-1 BIG EAST). The FOX Primetime Hoops showdown will air at 8 p.m. with Gus Johnson, Jim Jackson and Kristina Pink on the call.
In a rematch of the 2024 BIG EAST Tournament title game, UConn and Marquette will meet for the first time in 2024-25 as the league's last two regular season and tournament champions. The Huskies lead the all-time series, 11-8, after sweeping three contests a season ago. Since returning to the BIG EAST for 2020-21 UConn is 8-2 against Marquette, including a 3-1 record in Milwaukee. UConn is coming off a double-digit win over DePaul on Wednesday night, while Marquette was last in action on Tuesday when it won its third-straight with a road victory at Butler.
The Huskies are 2-0 this season against nationally ranked foes and are 13-2 over the last two seasons in ranked-versus-ranked match-ups. Connecticut has won its last eight contests against foes ranked inside the top-10 dating back to Dec. 5, 2023. Three such victories over Marquette are included in that span, including UConn's first top-10 road win in 15 years last season.
On Wednesday at the XL Center, Solo Ball and Tarris Reed Jr. each scored 16 points to help the Huskies overcome an early 14-point deficit in a 72-61 victory over DePaul. Jaylin Stewart added 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting, Aidan Mahaney scored 10 off the bench and Alex Karaban dished out a career-high eight assists. Karaban is UConn's leading scorer this year with 15.0 points per game and adds 5.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.7 blocks per contest, ranking top-20 in the BIG EAST in every major statistical category. Ball is UConn's top scorer in league play with 16.9 points per BIG EAST game and is shooting 43.5 percent from 3-point range on the year, top-25 nationally.
Mahaney has scored in double-figures in each of UConn's last two games as a bench spark, while Reed Jr. leads the Huskies with 7.0 rebounds a night as a reserve. Samson Johnson is shooting a ridiculous 78.4 percent from the floor and along with Karaban and Reed Jr. averages 1.7 blocked shots per game – helping UConn rank second nationally in blocks. Hassan Diarra triggers a top-10 UConn offense with 6.4 assists, upping that mark to 7.1 per game in conference play which ranks second in the league.
Marquette has been one of the best teams in the country this season, entering the primetime showdown ranked No. 9 in the nation and holding an 18-3 record. MU sits atop the league standings with a 9-1 record at the turn. Kam Jones leads four Golden Eagles averaging double-figures with 18.9 points per game, stuffing the stat sheet with 4.6 rebounds and 6.3 assists per night. David Joplin scores 14.6 per game and Stevie Mitchell adds 12.1 while leading the BIG EAST in steals.
After Saturday night the Huskies have a brief respite with a midweek bye ahead of a showdown with No. 15 St. John's on Friday, Feb. 7 at Gampel.
Players Mentioned
- G
- 6' 2"
- Senior
- F
- 6' 10"
- Junior
- F
- 6' 8"
- Redshirt Sophomore
- G
- 6' 3"
- Freshman
- F
- 6' 7"
- Freshman
- C
- 6' 10"
- Junior
- G
- 6' 3"
- Junior
Players Mentioned
- 6' 2"
- Senior
- G
- 6' 10"
- Junior
- F
- 6' 8"
- Redshirt Sophomore
- F
- 6' 3"
- Freshman
- G
- 6' 7"
- Freshman
- F
- 6' 10"
- Junior
- C
- 6' 3"
- Junior
- G
Latest Men's Basketball
- Karaban Named To Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch ListINDIANAPOLIS – UConn men's basketball star Alex Karaban has been named to the Midseason Watch List for the Oscar Robertston Trophy, as announced by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association on Monday (Feb. 3). Karaban is one of 50 members of the watch list who will be considered as contenders for the National Player of the Year.
- Solo Ball Named BIG EAST Player of the WeekNEW YORK – UConn men's basketball sophomore Solo Ball has been named BIG EAST Player of the Week, the conference announced on Monday morning (Feb. 3). It is the first Player of the Week nod of Ball's career and his fourth weekly conference honor.
- Ball Goes Off, #25 UConn Wins At #9 MarquetteMILWAUKEE, Wis. – Solo Ball posted career-highs of 25 points and 11 rebounds to lead the No. 25 UConn men's basketball team (16-6, 8-3 BIG EAST) to a massive 77-69 win at No. 9 Marquette (18-4, 9-2 BIG EAST) on Saturday night at the Fiserv Forum. The win was UConn's ninth-straight over a top-10 foe and saw it improve to 3-0 this season against ranked opponents.
- #25 Huskies Rally To Top DePaul At XL CenterHARTFORD – The No. 25 UConn men's basketball team (15-6, 7-3 BIG EAST) rallied from a halftime deficit to top DePaul (10-12, 1-10 BIG EAST) by a score of 72-61 on Wednesday night at the XL Center. UConn was down as many as 14 in the first half before storming back with a huge second frame.
- #25 UConn Welcomes DePaul To XL for CvC GameHARTFORD – The No. 25 UConn men's basketball team (14-6, 6-3 BIG EAST) is back in action on Wednesday night when it welcomes DePaul (10-11, 1-9 BIG EAST) to the XL Center. The Huskies and Blue Demons will conclude their regular season series at 8 p.m. on Peacock with John Fanta and Jordan Cornette on the call.
- Three Incoming Huskies Named McDonald's All AmericaBROOKLYN, N.Y. – Three members of UConn's incoming freshmen class have been named McDonald's All Americans, as announced by the organization on Monday (Jan. 27). Darius Adams, Braylon Mullins and Eric Reibe will all take part in the McDonald's All America Game for the East team on April 1 at the Barclays Center.
