University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
16-5,5-5Big East
Butler University
11-10,3-7Big East
UConn MBB Rolls To Inspirational Victory
1/22/2023 4:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UConn Athletic Communications / Jan. 22, 2023
HARTFORD, Conn. – The UConn men's basketball team received a plethora of inspiration as it headed into Sunday's game against Butler at the XL Center.
There was the return to the bench of head coach Dan Hurley and associate head coach Kimani Young after both missed the Huskies' last game after testing positive for Covid.
There was the sight of the 2023 NCAA Championship Trophy, sent on a tour by the NCAA to a few select teams around the country.
There were the throwback white uniforms that were so successful for the Huskies last season.
There was a video put together by UConn scouting a video coordinator Mat Johnson and videographer Tevin Shears, incorporating Al Pacino's inspirational speech from "Any Given Sunday" into clips from the Huskies' season.
And there was a sellout crowd (15,564) on hand at the XL Center lending its loud and raucous support in an effort to help a team that had been struggling.
It all added up to a lopsided 86-56 UConn victory that snapped the Huskies' three-game losing streak.
"It was good to see us resemble the team that we have been for the larger part of the season than for the last couple weeks," Hurley said afterward. "I think the Wednesday game at Seton Hall, I saw a team that fought much harder than they have been fighting."
UConn (16-5 overall, 5-5 BIG EAST) never really allowed Butler into the game, jumping out to a 6-0 lead that grew to 20-10, then 32-13 and 45-23 at the half.
Well-aware of the 14-point halftime lead that slipped away in Wednesday's loss at Seton Hall, UConn began the second half with a 15-2 burst that widened the gap to 60-25 and put the game away.
"The coaches reminded us at halftime of what happened at Seton Hall," freshman Alex Karaban said. "We wanted to come out after halftime and throw the first punch."
Butler (11-10, 3-7), forced to play without ill leading scorer and rebounder Manny Bates, shot only 32.7 percent for the game and lost the rebound battle, 48-22, including 18 offensive rebounds by UConn which led to 18 points.
"When they get rolling, they have great tenacity," Butler coach Thad Matta said of UConn. "We just didn't have it today. Some of the shots we were giving up … the lack of communication on defense … the lack of awareness on defense. You can't play a team like UConn and not have that, there is no question about it."
The win completed a sweep of the season series against Butler for the Huskies, who placed four men in double-figures, led by sophomore Jordan Hawkins' 20 points. Junior Adama Sanogo added 17 points and 14 rebounds, his fourth double-double of the season and the 14th of his career.
Freshman Alex Karaban chipped in with 15 points and senior Tristen Newton had 11. In all, 10 different Huskies scored, including 5 by grad student Joey Calcaterra, which put him at exactly 1,000 career points (first four seasons at San Diego).
UConn will return to Gampel Pavilion on Wednesday, playing host to #8 Xavier (6:30 p.m., FS1).
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