INDIANAPOLIS — In a thrilling matchup on Saturday, Alex Karaban led No. 11 UConn to their sixth victory in a row, scoring 21 points against Butler, ultimately securing a 78-74 win.
Liam McNeeley contributed 17 points, while Hassan Diarra added 12 for the Huskies, improving their record to 10-3 overall and 2-0 within the Big East.
For the Bulldogs, Andre Screen and Patrick McCaffery each finished with 17 points, and Pierre Brooks chipped in 13 points, but Butler fell to 7-6 and 0-2 in the conference.
Butler staged a comeback with an 8-0 run that brought the game to a tie at 63. However, UConn regained control with McNeeley completing a three-point play, making it 66-63 with just over four minutes to play.
Diarra then made a crucial jumper, extending UConn’s lead to 71-67 with 1:34 remaining. Following McCaffery’s two free throws that narrowed the gap to 71-69, Karaban struck again with a 3-pointer, pushing the score to 74-69 with 59 seconds left in the game.
McCaffery managed a driving layup to bring Butler within two points at 76-74 with only 8.3 seconds on the clock, but McNeeley sealed the victory for the Huskies by making both of his free throws.
UConn showed dominance early, leading by as much as 16 points before closing the first half with a slight advantage of 42-33.
**Key Takeaways**
UConn has bounced back impressively after a challenging performance at the Maui Invitational, having recently claimed an overtime win over Xavier with a score of 94-89.
Despite falling short, Butler showcased resilience by continually fighting back whenever UConn seemed to have taken command, capitalizing on the free-throw line with 23 successful attempts out of 28.
**Noteworthy Moment**
Karaban’s critical second 3-pointer late in the game created a significant cushion for UConn, marking a pivotal moment that propelled them to victory.
**Statistical Highlight**
The Huskies had a strong showing from beyond the arc, making 11 of their 24 attempts, while the Bulldogs were able to connect on 5 of their 15 three-point tries.
**Looking Ahead**
Both teams are set to continue their Big East schedules on January 1, with UConn traveling to face DePaul and Butler preparing to host Villanova.