University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Xavier
Top-Seed Huskies Open BIG EAST Tourney Play, Thursday
3/13/2024 4:11:00 PM | Men's Basketball
NEW YORK – The top-seeded UConn men's basketball team (28-3) begins play at the BIG EAST Tournament on Thursday afternoon with Quarterfinal action. The Huskies will take on No. 9 Xavier at Madison Square Garden for a noon tip on FS1. Tim Brando, Jim Jackson and Kristina Pink will call the action.
UConn enters the BIG EAST Tournament as the No. 1 seed after a dominating run through the conference season, setting a league record with 18 wins as they finished 18-2 and won the league outright by four games. The Huskies enter the weekend with seven BIG EAST Tournament titles, trailing only Georgetown's eight for the most in conference history.
The Huskies were honored with several major BIG EAST laurels following the conclusion of the regular season. Dan Hurley was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year, while Stephon Castle was honored as BIG EAST Freshman of the Year. Both Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer earned First Team All-BIG EAST honors, Hassan Diarra grabbed the league's Sixth Man Award and Donovan Clingan was named All-Conference Honorable Mention.
Connecticut has advanced to the BIG EAST Tournament Semifinals in each of its last three trips to MSG since returning to the BIG EAST for the 2020-21 campaign. UConn swept each of its potential quarterfinal opponents during the regular season and is 5-4 all-time against Xavier and 9-0 all-time against Butler.
UConn has displayed tremendous balance this season, ascending to the top of the national polls thanks to the top-ranked scoring offense and top-ranked scoring defense in the BIG EAST. All five starters score in double-figures for the Huskies, and they are the only team in America with five players averaging at least 10 points and four rebounds per game.
Newton leads the way for UConn with team-highs of 15.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. He is a top-five finalist for the Bob Cousy Award and a National Ballot selection for the Wooden Award. Spencer is second on the squad with 14.9 points per game and is fourth in America with a 45.1 percent mark from 3-point range. Alex Karaban adds 14.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while posting a 50/40/90 shooting line, while Clingan adds 12.4 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. Castle is the fifth Husky in double-figures with 11.3 points per game.
The Huskies have been comfortable inside Madison Square Garden this season, boating a perfect 4-0 record at the World's Most Famous Arena. UConn won two games at MSG in the Empire Classic on Nov. 19-20, won the Jimmy V Classic against North Carolina on Dec. 5 and topped St. John's on its home floor on Feb. 3. Dan Hurley is 10-6 at Madison Square Garden as the UConn head coach.
Should the Huskies advance, they will face either No. 4 Seton Hall or No. 5 St. John's in Semifinal action on Friday at 5:30 p.m.
