University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
18-2,8-1Big East
Xavier
10-10,4-5Big East
No. 1 Huskies Explode Past Xavier On Sunday, 99-56
1/28/2024 3:36:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HARTFORD - The No. 1 UConn men's basketball team (18-2, 8-1 BIG EAST) ran its winning streak to eight games with an emphatic 99-56 win over Xavier (10-10, 4-5 BIG EAST) on Sunday at a sold-out XL Center. The 43-point rout marked the largest margin of victory in any conference game in the BIG EAST this season.
The Huskies tied a program record with 17 made 3-pointers and dished out a season-high 28 assists in the win, getting points from 11 different scorers. Tristen Newton (El Paso, Texas) led the way with 22 points and Donovan Clingan (Bristol, Conn.) added 18 with eight rebounds and two blocks. Also in double-figures were freshmen Stephon Castle (Covington, Ga.) and Solomon Ball (Leesburg, Va.) who each had 12.
UConn put on a show in front of some of the program's legends, as the 2003-04 National Champion Huskies were on hand to be honored at halftime for their official induction into the Huskies of Honor.
How it Happened
The Huskies started fast, opening the game on a 10-0 run and forcing Xavier to miss its first six shots. Later in the opening frame, UConn ripped off a furious 20-0 run that took over six minutes, forced a Xavier timeout and saw the Huskies hold a 38-7 lead at the 5:22 mark of the opening stanza.
UConn would go on to take a 48-22 lead to the half, its largest halftime lead of BIG EAST play. The Huskies did not let up early in the second half, going on a 12-0 run that was capped by a Clingan 3-pointer before the first media timeout of the frame to take their largest lead of the day at 61-26.
The Huskies continued to dominate the rest of the way, subbing liberally over the final 10 minutes of regulation. Andrew Hurley (Glastonbury, Conn.) hit the program record-tying 3-pointer with a banked in triple in the final minute of the contest to push UConn's scoring total to 99, its best in a BIG EAST game under Dan Hurley.
Inside The Numbers
- UConn shot a blistering 61.3 percent (19-of-31) in the first half and was 38-of-65 (58.5 percent) for the game
- Conversely, UConn held Xavier to a 34.4 percent shooting day (21-of-61) from the floor and a 33.3 percent (6-18) mark from three
- The Huskies hit their record-tying 17 shots from 3-point range on 29 attempts, a season-best 58.6 percent mark from deep
- UConn's 28 assists were one more than its previous high of 27, also set against Xavier
- Cam Spencer (Davidsonville, Md.) led the way with six assists, while Castle and Hassan Diarra (Queens, N.Y.) each added five
- Connecticut finished +10 on the glass, rebounding from a -12 performance in the first meeting with the Musketeers
- Clingan grabbed a game-high eight rebounds, followed closely by Alex Karaban (Southborough, Mass.) pulling in seven
- UConn was +4 in turnover margin and out-scored Xavier 18-9 off miscues, also posting a 20-8 margin in fast break points
News and Notes
- UConn improves to 5-4 all-time against Xavier, completing a regular season sweep of the Musketeers after XU was the lone team to notch a regular season sweep of the Huskies a season ago
- The 99 points are the most recorded by Connecticut in a BIG EAST game under Dan Hurley
- The 43-point win marks the second largest margin of victory in a BIG EAST game in program history, behind only a 45-point win over Cincinnati (96-51) on March 9, 2008. It was the fourth-largest margin of victory in a conference game in BIG EAST history
- In addition to tying a program record, UConn's 17 made 3-pointers are the most ever allowed by Xavier in a game
- Clingan's second half 3-pointer was the first of his career
- Ball notched his third double-figure scoring game of the season and his first since Dec. 5
- Apostolos Roumoglou (Xanthi, Greece) had a career-high five points
Up Next
The Huskies are back at home on campus Wednesday night when they welcome Providence to Gampel Pavilion. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. on FS1.
