WASHINGTON — In an impressive bounce-back performance, Alex Karaban netted 19 points, and Solo Ball contributed 15 as the No. 9 ranked Connecticut Huskies defeated the Georgetown Hoyas 68-60 on Saturday.
The Huskies, now boasting a record of 13 wins and 4 losses with a conference standing of 5-1 in the Big East, responded strongly after suffering a narrow loss against Villanova earlier in the week. This marks a significant fact as the team has not experienced consecutive conference losses since January 2023.
On the other hand, Curtis Williams Jr. led the Hoyas with 15 points. Unfortunately for Georgetown, they have now encountered a streak extending 20 games without a victory against ranked opponents, the last coming after they clinched the 2021 Big East tournament title.
Connecticut took a slight lead of 36-31 into halftime. However, they came out strong in the second half with a 17-2 scoring run that prompted Georgetown’s coach Ed Cooley to use two timeouts before the Hoyas could register their first points of the half. The Huskies extended their lead to 64-41 as the game progressed.
Additionally, UConn’s freshman forward Liam McNeeley, who averages 13.6 points per game, sat out his third consecutive match due to an ankle injury.
Notably, Connecticut has maintained an undefeated record against Georgetown since the schools reunited in the Big East for the 2020-21 season, having won all nine encounters.
**Takeaways**
From the game, it was evident that Connecticut effectively contained a young Georgetown squad and showcased their growth by pulling away in the latter half. The team’s performance reflects a mature approach, considering they have now won nine of their last ten matches following three losses during the Maui Invitational last November.
Georgetown’s situation saw guard Jayden Epps return to the lineup, contributing three points in 14 minutes after having been sidelined due to a lower-body injury. He had only played a total of four minutes in the previous three games.
**Key Moment**
A pivotal play occurred early in the second half when Hassan Diarra executed a clean steal on Epps and finished with a layup, putting Connecticut up 39-31. From that point on, Georgetown failed to come within nine points until the final moments of the game.
**Key Stat**
Karaban’s performance against the Hoyas was particularly notable; in three games against Georgetown over two seasons, he has averaged 23.3 points, showcasing impressive shooting accuracy—70.3 percent overall and 66.7 percent from beyond the arc.
**Upcoming Games**
Connecticut is set to face Creighton at home on January 18. Meanwhile, Georgetown will travel to take on St. John’s on Tuesday.