No. 2 UConn seeks to take care of unblemished Big East mark vs. Providence

Second-ranked UConn will attempt to extend its winning streak to 16 games and remain unbeaten in the Big East when it faces Providence on Tuesday night in Storrs, Conn.

The Huskies (19-1, 9-0 Big East) remained the only undefeated team in the conference when they beat Villanova 75-67 in overtime on Saturday. Junior guard Solo Ball tossed in a game-high 24 points in the win. He was 5 of 12 on 3-point attempts.

“I think we’ve got a will to win,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “We don’t have an ability to sustain the level of basketball we need to play at both ends of the court to be like we were in (2024). Sometimes, as a coach, that last great team you have, you’re kind of measuring your team up against. The deficiencies we have here, I feel like it’s more like the (2023) team, things we’re still working through.”

UConn’s last three conference games have been nail-biters. The Huskies withstood a late rally to beat Seton Hall 69-64, edged Georgetown 64-62 and then outlasted Villanova.

“We’ve found a way to win so many times, and that’s just another one,” said senior forward Alex Karaban, who scored 17 points against Villanova, all of which came during the last 9:03 of regulation and the five-minute overtime. “We’ve just got to learn to not put ourselves in those positions.

“We’re not at UConn just to be satisfied because we’re 19-1. We always nitpick and see what we want to do better. But at the same time, we’ve got to take a step back and realize we’ve put in a lot of hard work. Yes, these games have been close and we find ways to win, but we’re grateful and blessed to be 19-1 and we’re just going to stack wins.”

Providence (9-11, 2-7) has had a tough time finishing games this season, and that was the case in Saturday’s 81-78 home loss to Georgetown. The Hoyas rallied from a 21-point second-half deficit by scoring 56 points in the final 20 minutes.

“Just a crusher — a crushing defeat,” Providence coach Kim English said. “You know, tale of two halves. I’ve not done a good enough job building a level of toughness and discipline that’s needed to have a chance to win — really, really win.”

The Friars have lost five of their last six games, a stretch that began with a 103-98 overtime setback against visiting UConn on Jan. 7. Providence had an 11-point lead with 3:12 to play in regulation in that game.

UConn freshman Braylon Mullins was hit in the face during Saturday’s win over Villanova and is in concussion protocol. Mullins led all scorers with 24 points in the first meeting with Providence, when the Huskies made 18 of their 32 3-point attempts.

The Friars have been playing without senior guard Jason Edwards, who has missed the last four games with a foot injury. Edwards, the No. 3 scorer in the Big East (17.2 points per game), had a walking boot on his right foot during Saturday’s game against Georgetown.

Providence’s Jaylin Sellars is the No. 5 scorer in the Big East (16.0). Ball (14.6), Tarris Reed Jr. (14.2) and Karaban (13.8) are UConn’s leading scorers.

UConn’s only loss came against then-No. 4 and currently top-ranked Arizona 71-67 on Nov. 19 in Storrs.

–Field Level Media