No. 3 UConn will leave the bright lights of Boston for home to Storrs, Conn., hoping to earn a second straight victory over a Top 10 opponent when the Huskies meet No. 4 Arizona on Wednesday night in a battle of 4-0 teams.
After winning their first three victories by an average margin of 38 points, the Huskies pulled off their first major challenge of the season in a thrilling 86-84 victory over then-No. 7 BYU Saturday at TD Garden in Boston.
UConn shot 56.6 percent from the field for the game and had an 11-point lead at halftime before holding off BYU’s late charge to win for a ninth time in its last 10 Top 10 games. Alex Karaban, Silas Demary Jr. and Tarris Reed Jr. scored 21 points each.
“We just had to stay calm, stay together and fight through adversity,” Karaban said. “Adversity is going to help us later in the season. It was a good learning experience.”
With the season still young and the level of competition only increasing, UConn coach Dan Hurley is learning more about his team.
It was a particularly important night for Demary, Boston’s Hall of Fame Series MVP whose 21-point performance included several crucial baskets and free throws, and he added seven assists, five rebounds and two steals. The Georgia transfer and former SEC freshman pick is averaging 13 points per game this season.
“When the game gets tight, it’s about players playing off script and making a big shot,” Hurley said. “(Demary) obviously showed that he was resourceful and he was able to get to the free throw line, he was able to pressure the rim, get in the paint, finish. The guy is going to continue to get better, and we need that from him.”
Arizona has come out on top in two ranked battles so far, including Friday, when he beat then-No. 15 UCLA 69-65 in a Hall of Fame Series game in Inglewood, California.
Wildcats freshman Koa Peat has had a rocky start to his college career. His scoring production has declined each game, going from 30 points against Florida to just seven points in Friday’s game. He also committed four fouls and six turnovers.
Following his team’s latest win, Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd noted that while the roster of two reigning McDonald’s All-Americans is exciting, success at this high level isn’t all about youth.
“We know young people get a lot of attention, but let’s not hide it: we need our veterans,” Lloyd said. “They’ve been to these games before.”
Senior Anthony Dell’Orso scored 13 of his 20 points off the bench in the first half against the Bruins and made four 3-pointers. Jaden Bradley hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:23 left and added four rebounds and three assists.
Although coming off the bench is a new role for Dell’Orso, the Australian-born transfer and Campbell have taken to it well.
“When you have a coach that supports you and trusts you, that’s all you can ask for,” Dell’Orso said. “I think he does that to a lot of our guys, and it keeps us going down the stretch, building confidence that we can perform and execute and get the win.”
–Field level media
