The University of Connecticut's men's basketball team, UConn, ranked #4, showcased a strong team performance with 21 assists on 26 field goals in a recent game. An interesting tactical shift occurred when UConn played Alex Karaban at the 5, which opened up new offensive dimensions for the team, especially in the absence of Donovan Clingan. This move was partly due to Samson Johnson's foul trouble. UConn's record stands at 12-2 as they prepared for their next game against Butler on Friday, with commentators noting Butler had a real shot at pulling off an upset. Despite this, UConn maintained their lead, even though Butler was leading by 7 at the half. Ultimately, UConn secured an 88-81 victory over Butler. Alex Karaban contributed significantly to the win with 20 points and 5 rebounds, while DJ Davis led all scorers with 22 points. However, defense and rebounding continue to be weak points for UConn, as highlighted by their opponents' scoring rate of 1.7 points per possession (PPP) in the second half. Butler managed to get only seven stops during this period, and UConn's ability to score at will was a decisive factor in their win. Notably, Butler remains winless against UConn.
#Butler still winless vs. UConn as No. 4 Huskies rally to win https://t.co/hwK8jtQppN
UConn gets a road win over Butler! https://t.co/TZSG91vvYw
Impressive win for UConn at Butler tonight. Huskies had to grind it out against an inspired Bulldogs team. Alex Karaban continues to impress filling in the middle for the absent Donovan Clingan. 20 pts 5 rebs.
FINAL: UConn 88, Butler 81 Defense and rebounding have been the Achilles heel for this team all season long. Burnt them again today. UConn scored at will in the second half. DJ Davis led all scorers with 22, Alex Karaban had 20 for the Huskies.
Butler has got seven stops in the second half. Seven. UConn is scoring 1.7PPP. You will not win many games letting teams score like that.
BUTLER IS WITHIN ONE OF UCONN 👀 https://t.co/woXwha05Vp
Uh...don't look now, but Butler is leading #4 UConn by 7 at the half.
‘It’s going to take a valiant, valiant effort!’ @John_Fanta tells @BrandonLondonTV why Butler has a real shot at pulling off an upset against fourth-ranked UConn tonight Watch more: https://t.co/Uv0PPGV0xS https://t.co/iKQOVV6r3s
Intriguing factor to watch with UConn: when they go small with Alex Karaban at the 5, it opens up different dimensions offensively. Yes, it happened because Samson Johnson was in foul trouble, but still…there *could* be something there. Huskies are 12-2. Next: at Butler. Friday.
UConn has 21 assists on 26 field goals.