Takeaways from UConn Basketball's 71-52 win over Boston College
Two starters held out by injuries. An offensive war of attrition. Bodies populating the Mohegan Sun Arena hardwood. Turnovers in bunches. Defensive lapses and missed assignments. Player’s sprinting down the court demanding the ball while wearing one shoe.
October basketball in its purest form.
UConn defeated Boston College by 19-points in its first on-court action of the 2025-26 season to cap Monday’s exhibition double-header.
It was an ugly game – a sight for sore eyes – but that’s to be expected in scrimmage No. 1. Dan Hurley emphasized the bad shots his team took, the missed assignments down low and the plundered opportunities offensively. But there was good, too. Hurley’s Huskies clamped down defensively, allowing just 12 points in the final 13 minutes of gametime and scored over half of their points in the paint.
Below are the most notable takeaways from the scrimmage.
Injuries – how long they’ll be out and who filled in
The team released shortly before tip-off that point guard Silas Demary Jr. and center Tarris Reed Jr. would not play as they nursed calf and hamstring injuries, respectively.
Demary is considered day-to-day, whereas Reed is expected to be evaluated in the coming weeks.
A pair of newcomers filled their roles in Malachi Smith and Eric Reibe, who got their first starting action as Huskies in their first (unofficial) career games.
Smith, who started 31 games at Dayton last season, chipped in seven points, three assists and five rebounds to go with a block on the other end. He also served as the Huskies’ primary on-ball defender and frequently full court pressed the Eagle ballhandlers.
Reibe saw the court for 21 minutes in his Husky debut. The returns were seen early and often. The first points of the night, a pair of rebounds and an assist in his first four minutes were emblematic of the seven-footer’s night. Reibe finished with eight points on 3/9 shooting and six rebounds.
Karaban and Ball shouldered the scoring
Alex Karaban (17) and Solo Ball (12) were the only two Huskies to reach double-figures until Braylon Mullins cashed in the game’s final five points with a three pointer and dunk to reach 12 himself.
Karaban’s 17 points were comprised of 16 shots (10 of which were triples) and two free throw attempts – the most field goal attempts on the team and second-most in a game of his career. The fifth-year senior hit on six of those 16 shots (37.5%).
Ball hit on five of his 13 field goal attempts (38.4%) and added a point from the charity stripe to reach his total.
Only one of those makes came from behind the arc, which, if it counted, would have been just the seventh time Ball hit one or less three point shots in a game that he started.
Mullins (12), Reibe (8), Smith (7) and Stewart (7) accounted for 34 of UConn’s remaining 42 points. Dwayne Koroma and Alec Millender added a basket a piece while Jayden Ross chipped in four points.
Jacob Furphy was the only player to see the court who didn’t score.
Three point and free throw shooting
The Eagles attempted over seven times the number of shots at the free throw line than the Huskies in the first half (15 to 2) and made 10 of its 15 second half tries. Boston College made 19 of its 30 attempts, while UConn went a perfect 11 for 11.
The three point shooting wasn’t much better. The Huskies shot a ghastly 8/34 behind the arc, good for 23.5%. Boston College was even worse percentage wise, sinking just three of its 17 attempts (17.6%).
A slap across the face woke UConn up
Boston College closed the first half on an 11-3 run, which brought the game within eight points, before rattling off 13 of the second half’s first 15 points to take the lead at the 13 minute mark.
Hurley took a much-needed timeout.
Connecticut then ripped off a 19-3 run, catalyzed by a Karaban three-pointer off a fast break at the 11:30 mark, which gave the Huskies a 14-point advantage with just over six minutes remaining. UConn closed the game on a 32-12 run.
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