HARTFORD, Conn. — In a thrilling matchup on Wednesday night, Solo Ball delivered a stellar second half, scoring 14 of his 16 points to help No. 25 UConn stage a comeback from a significant 14-point deficit and ultimately secure a 72-61 victory over DePaul.
Tarris Reed Jr. also made a significant contribution for UConn, finishing the game with 16 points and eight rebounds. Jaylin Stewart added 15 points to the scoreboard but left the game with 3:34 remaining after suffering an unsteady fall near DePaul’s basket.
On the opposing side, Layden Blocker led DePaul with 18 points and five rebounds, while teammate CJ Gunn chipped in with 14 points. DePaul (10-12, 1-10 Big East) has seen better days, having lost 42 out of their last 43 regular-season games within the Big East Conference. In the early stages of the game, they established an impressive lead, which swelled to 14 points against the Huskies.
UConn, however, kicked off the second half with intensity, outscoring DePaul 43-24 and avoiding what could have been a disappointing upset. Going into halftime, DePaul held a 37-29 lead, but the Huskies quickly shortened the gap to just two points with back-to-back three-pointers from Ball and Stewart barely two minutes into the second half.
The Huskies were missing key players, including freshman Liam McNeeley, who was sidelined for the seventh consecutive game due to an ankle injury, and fellow freshman guard Ahmad Nowell, who also suffered from an ankle issue. DePaul was without forward David Skogman, a starter in 14 of the 18 contests he played this season.
Looking at the game specifics: DePaul managed to avoid trailing until the middle of the second quarter, despite having lost three Big East games recently in overtime. For UConn, this game marked a significant rebound as they avoided a second straight conference defeat, demonstrating strength particularly in the second half by sinking all 14 free-throw attempts.
A critical moment of the game occurred when Ball fell into an offensive rhythm, scoring seven points within a stunning 44 seconds in the second half, including completing a three-point play that handed UConn their first lead with 9:38 left to play, followed by a four-point play soon thereafter.
An important statistic to note is that UConn managed to record 11 assists against 12 baskets in the second half, helping them extend their lead decisively.
Looking ahead, DePaul will return home for a game against Seton Hall this Sunday, while UConn will face a challenging matchup against No. 9 Marquette on Saturday.
