University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Butler
Huskies Travel To Indianapolis To Meet Butler
1/8/2021 10:54:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 8, 2021
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The UConn men's basketball team will make its first-ever trip to a legendary college basketball venue when it journeys to Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis to challenge Butler in a BIG EAST Conference game on Saturday, Jan. 9, at 4 p.m. (CBS SN)
The game is part of a two-games-in-three-days stint for the Huskies, who will move on to Chicago to meet DePaul on Monday, Jan. 11, at 6 p.m. (FS1).
UConn (5-1 overall, 2-1 BIG EAST) and Butler (3-5, 2-3) have met only once before, in the 2011 NCAA National Championship Final, which the Huskies won, 53-41, at Reliant Stadium in Houston. It marked the third NCAA title for the Huskies.
UConn is riding the momentum of its 65-54 triumph at Marquette on Tuesday, a game in which the Huskies rallied from an 18-point, second-half deficit, riding the hot hand of senior Tyler Polley (Miramar, Fla.), who poured in 23 second-half points, including five three-pointers.
The Huskies are led in scoring by sophomore James Bouknight (Brooklyn, N.Y.), who leads the BIG EAST at 20.3 points per game. Junior Tyrese Martin (Allentown, Pa.) is the team's top rebounder (8.8) and junior R,J, Cole (Union, N.J.) is tops in assists (4.0).
As a team, UConn leads the BIG EAST in scoring defense (63.7), 3-point field goal defense (.258), offensive rebounding (15.0) and rebound margin (+5.7). Â
Butler broke a two-game losing streak with its 63-55 win over Georgetown at Hinkle on Wednesday, bolstered by the return from injury of senior guard Aaron Thompson. The Bulldogs are a young team, with four of their top seven players in minutes played being true freshmen.
