UConn’s much-anticipated match-up against Gonzaga ended the only way the Huskies knew how – with a hard-fought-for victory. In what was Dan Hurley’s 300th win as a coach, ending the night 77-71 with freshman Liam McNeeley outperforming the entire team is not a bad way to go, right? Except the Huskies’ so-called leader Alex Karaban was not in his best form tonight.

Returning from an injury might be one reason for it, but the redshirt junior performed fine against Texas last Monday. Discussing what all went wrong in the game, John Fanta said on an episode of The Field of 68: After Dark, “UConn shot 24 from three. Karaban was cold tonight, he did not have it going. Samson Johnson exits the game, just over eight minutes into the contest, he’s in concussion protocol.”

It was a scary situation for UConn as Johnson went up to block a shot but fell to the floor, lying motionless. Play was stopped as he was attended to, eventually moving off the court.

“So you lose your starting center, your advertised best player was cold tonight, did not shoot the basketball well, your point guard play is kinda it is what it is,” Fanta points out. And yet, it’s the freshman standout who stole the game and the spotlight.

“Liam McNeeley, who Indiana could use in the worst way right now steps up and takes control of the game. And they do enough defensively to make Ryan Nembhard have to work,” Fanta says.

McNeeley’s 26 points against No. 8 Gonzaga made him only the fourth Huskies player to score 25+ points without a turnover against a ranked opponent, and the first since Shabazz Napier in 2012. Alex Karaban, on the other hand, was only able to add eight on the scoreboard.

“Pretty much everything that could have gone wrong went wrong in Maui. Certain things went wrong tonight,” the analyst continued. And yet, even if their veteran is not in form, Dan Hurley knows who to count on in times of trouble.

“Connecticut doesn’t win this game two and a half weeks ago. They showed maturation that had to happen in a short period of time and McNeeley was a baller tonight, as was Jaylin Stewart, and Tarris Reed did enough.”

Where Reed scored 12 points, Stewart had 10 on the night. Nevertheless, his performance was one of the better ones of his career so far, mainly because it was personal.

Jaylin Stewart’s revenge win against Gonzaga

Madison Square Garden was alive with cheering crowds yesterday as No. 8 Gonzaga lost for the third time in as many meetings against UConn. The Bulldogs put up a good fight, but the night belonged to the Huskies. To one from Seattle in particular.

The Zags’ interest in Seattle-born Jaylin Stewart would be natural to assume and yet, the player says otherwise. “They never really showed a lot of interest in me or offered,” Stewart said, per CT Insider. “So, I kind of took that a little personally (Saturday).”

Not only did the forward immediately even the score after a Nembhard 3-pointer eight minutes into the second half, he put UConn in the lead that remained there for the rest of the game.

It was not his highest-scoring game but three rebounds and one block for the night helped plenty. Liam McNeeley may have shone the brightest last night and all eyes were on Alex Karaban for his lack of good basketball. But one could also say the redshirt junior was just having an off-night and his teammates picked up the slack instead!