University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Marquette
No. 1 Huskies Set For Top-Five Showdown With No. 4 Marquette
2/15/2024 8:08:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HARTFORD – A top-five showdown on tap in downtown Hartford.
The No. 1 UConn men's basketball team (23-2, 13-1 BIG EAST) rides a historic winning streak into the XL Center on Saturday afternoon to host No. 4 Marquette (19-5, 10-3 BIG EAST) for a showdown atop the conference standings. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. and the game will air nationally on FOX with Tim Brando and Donny Marshall on the call.
Saturday's game is Stripe Out XL. Fans are encouraged to wear either blue or white, depending on their section. For more information and to find your color, visit www.uconnhuskies.com/stripeout.
Connecticut has won its last 13 contests, all in league play, reeling off the second-longest streak in BIG EAST history and the longest since another Husky streak in 1995-96. The 13-game winning streak is also the longest in the nation. Marquette will also come into the contest red-hot, riding an eight-game winning run.
UConn is 8-8 all-time against Marquette in a series dating back to 2006. Last year the Golden Eagles took two of three from the Huskies, including a win in the BIG EAST Tournament semifinals en route to their first conference tournament title. UConn is 5-2 against MU since returning to the BIG EAST for the 2020-21 season, including a 3-0 mark at home (2-0 at XL).
The Huskies are coming off a commanding win at DePaul on Wednesday, easing past the Blue Demons with a 101-65 victory. Alex Karaban (Southborough, Mass.) led six Huskies in double-figures with 21 points, while Stephon Castle (Covington, Ga.) chipped in 15 points and six assists. It marked the first time this season that Connecticut has had six double-figure scorers and the fourth time all five starters have finished in double-digits.
UConn boasts the top scoring offense (82.0 ppg) and top scoring defense (64.1 ppg) in the BIG EAST, sitting atop the league leaderboard in nearly every major statistical category. Cam Spencer (Davidsonville, Md.) leads the balanced offensive attack with 15.2 points per game and hits from a 44.7 percent clip from 3-point range, fourth-best in the nation. Tristen Newton (El Paso, Texas) is a Midseason Finalist for Wooden Award and the Naismith Award, averaging 15.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game on the year as one of the nation's most well-rounded guards.
Karaban is right near the top of the scoresheet with 14.9 points per game, while Donovan Clingan (Bristol, Conn.) adds 12.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game and is shooting 63.3 percent from the floor. Castle is the fifth Husky averaging double-figures and leads all conference freshmen with 11.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. UConn is the only team in America with five players averaging at least 10 points and four rebounds per game.
The Golden Eagles visit Connecticut with a 19-5 record on the year, sitting 2.5 games behind the Huskies in the league standings with a 10-3 conference record and checking in at No. 4 in the national polls. Marquette is riding an eight-game winning streak into the contest, most recently picking up a road win at Butler on Tuesday. Tyler Kolek leads MU with 16.1 points per game and a league-high 7.4 assists per contest. Kam Jones and Oso Ighodaro both check in with 14.3 points per contest, as Ighodaro adds a team-high 7.5 rebounds and shoots 61.9 percent from the floor. Marquette is the defending BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament champions.
Following the showdown with Marquette, UConn is back on the road for a stiff test at No. 17 Creighton Tuesday, Feb. 20.
