Reports of UConn‘s demise following the Maui Invitational? Greatly exaggerated.
Following the Huskies’ 0-3 showing in Maui, Dan Hurley’s team has done a complete 180 in the last two weeks, beating Gonzaga 77-71 on Saturday night in front of a packed house at Madison Square Garden to cap a stretch of wins that started with Baylor and Texas.
In a game that had a late-March feel to it, Connecticut overcame the absence of starting big man Samson Johnson for the final 31 minutes of the contest after he exited with a head injury in the first half. The Huskies got the necessary stops late in the game and were able to overcome a tough perimeter shooting night to escape with a victory over the No. 8-ranked Zags. It’s a statement win from UConn, one that should launch the Huskies back into my top 15 this week.
With that said, here are three key takeaways from UConn’s win over Gonzaga.
[Read more: Gonzaga’s Mark Few relies on ‘competitive spirit’ in ever-changing college landscape]
Liam McNeeley is one of the five best freshmen in college basketball.
On a night where UConn star Alex Karaban was ice-cold from 3-point land, finishing 0-for-7 from beyond the arc, the 6-foot-7 McNeeley served as the Huskies’ alpha and looked like one of the best players in the sport. His floor-game and feel is off the charts, a reason why he will be a top-10 pick in the NBA Draft come June. He finished with a career-high 26 points to go along with seven rebounds, four assists and no turnovers. Whenever Connecticut needed a play, McNeeley delivered.
UConn’s defense has figured things out.
The Huskies looked lost on defense at the Maui Invitational. Now, this group has improved enough on the perimeter to be solid. And because this UConn team is such a stellar group on the offensive end, they don’t need to be extraordinary defensively, but rather, solid. On a night when the Huskies shot just 5-for-24 from downtown, they contained the nation’s second-best offense from 3-point range, holding Gonzaga to 6-of-16 from deep.
Ryan Nembhard scored 16 points for the Zags, but UConn forced him to take 15 shots to do it. Credit to Hassan Diarra for his 35 minutes. The fifth-year senior is a leader on the defensive end and did his part. Nolan Hickman was also held scoreless. The other breakout performer for UConn on the season, and in this game: Jaylin Stewart. He is the latest standout in the Huskies’ player development factory, delivering 10 points on Saturday.
Hassan Diarra spins and finishes a layup through contact, extending UConn’s lead over Gonzaga
Huskies own the glass, even without their big man.
When Johnson went down with the injury, it made you instantly wonder: How could UConn hang with Gonzaga on the interior? The Huskies still managed to find a way to out-rebound Gonzaga, 35-34, and win the battle in the paint, 38-34. Michigan transfer Tarris Reed delivered 12 points and six rebounds off the bench, and when he was in foul trouble, Youssouf Singare gave a serviceable seven minutes.
More than anything, UConn’s win over Gonzaga showed that, yes, a three-peat is still in play. This team possesses great upside – and the best quality of all – high-level shotmaking. McNeeley is beyond his years.
John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta.
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