University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
28-3,18-2Big East
Providence
19-12,10-10Big East
No. 2 UConn Sets Records In Regular Season FInale Win At PC
3/9/2024 11:10:00 PM | Men's Basketball
PROVIDENCE – The No. 2 UConn men's basketball team (28-3, 18-2 BIG EAST) made history with a 74-60 win over Providence (19-12, 10-10 BIG EAST) in the regular season finale on Saturday night at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. The victory was UConn's 18th in league play, setting a new BIG EAST record, and its 28th of the regular season – setting a new Connecticut record.
The Huskies overcome a huge early run from the Friars, closing the first half on an absurd 40-9 run to take a double-digit lead into the half. Connecticut would swell its lead to nearly 30 in the second half, seeing all five starters score in double-figures in a balanced offensive effort.
The win also pushed UConn's conference scoring margin to +13.9 on the year, tying the 1984-85 Georgetown squad for the best in league history. Connecticut won the league by four games and will be the top seed in the upcoming BIG EAST Tournament.
Alex Karaban (Southborough, Mass.) led the Huskies with 16 points, while Stephon Castle (Covington, Ga.) added 14 along with six rebounds and four steals. Tristen Newton (El Paso, Texas) added 12 points, eight rebounds and five assists while Donovan Clingan (Bristol, Conn.) went for 11 points and seven rebounds with a pair of blocks. Cam Spencer (Davidsonville, Md.) was the fifth Husky in double-figures with 10 points and dished out five assists without a turnover.
How it Happened
The Friars came out fast in their home finale, scoring the first seven points of the contest and opening the game on a 15-2 burst. The Huskies dug in after the early spurt, using a 7-0 run of their own to pull within 19-16 midway through the opening stanza.
A technical free throw tied the game at 21-21 at the 7:26 mark, and a 3-pointer on the next possession made it a 15-2 run to give Connecticut its first lead of the day. Five-straight from Newton around the five-minute mark gave UConn its largest lead of the opening frame at 29-22, before back-to-back 3-pointers from Karaban and Spencer made it a 35-24 lead and forced a PC timeout at the 3:21 mark of the half.
In the dying moments of the first half, Hassan Diarra (Queens, N.Y.) drilled a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that capped a half-ending 13-0 run and gave Connecticut a 42-24 lead at the break. Overall, the Huskies closed the first half on a 40-9 extended run.
A pair of Karaban 3-pointers early in the second half gave the Huskies their largest lead of the day, going up 53-29 at the 17:18 mark of the second. Midway through the frame, seven-straight points from Clingan including a pair of dunks and a 3-pointer stretched the lead to 68-42 at the 9:06 mark.
The Friars would use a late run to pull back inside 20, but the Huskies were never threatened as they closed out the 14-point victory.
Inside The Numbers
- UConn shot 42.6 percent (29-68) from the floor and 40.7 percent (11-27) from 3-point range in the win, while holding PC to 35.1 percent (20-57) and 29.6 percent (8-27) marks
- The Huskies held a 40-38 edge on the glass and turned 12 offensive rebounds into a 17-6 edge in second chance points
- Connecticut finished with a 34-22 advantage in points in the paint
- The Huskies assisted on 19 of their 29 field goals
News and Notes
- The 18 conference wins top the previous BIG EAST record of 17, held by 1995-96 UConn, 2011-12 Syracuse and 2022-23 Marquette
- The 28 regular season wins for UConn top the previous record of 27, set in the 1995-96, 2005-06 and 2008-09 campaigns
- UConn improved to 49-31 all-time against Providence and have won four of five in the series after sweeping the regular season for the first time since rejoining the BIG EAST for the 2020-21 season
- All five starters scored in double-figures for UConn for the fifth time this season
- Clingan has blocked a shot in all 26 games he has appeared in and has 18 games with multiple swats
- The Huskies hit double-digit 3-pointers in a game for the 15th time this season
- UConn improved to 19-0 this season when holding an opponent under 40 percent shooting
- Castle notched a career-high four steals
Up Next
With the regular season complete, UConn will embark on its postseason run beginning with the BIG EAST Tournament at Madison Square Garden. The top-seeded Huskies will play in quarterfinal action on Thursday, March 14 at noon.
