University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Xavier
#4 Huskies Visit Xavier On New Year's Eve
12/29/2025 11:23:00 AM | Men's Basketball
CINCINNATI – The No. 4 UConn men's basketball team returns to action after an extended break when it visits Xavier on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Tip-off from the Cintas Center is set for 5 p.m. and will air on Peacock / NBCSN with John Fanta and Nick Bahe on the call.
The Huskies have been off since closing the first semester with a win at DePaul on Dec. 21, while the Musketeers are also coming off a win and respite after winning at Georgetown on Dec. 20. UConn is 7-5 all-time against Xavier, including a 6-4 record as league-mates. Last season the two squads split the regular season series with each winning on its home floor.
UConn is on a seven-game winning streak as it closes out 2025, starting 2-0 in the BIG EAST for the third time in the last four seasons. The Huskies boast a top-five defense per major metrics and rank among the nation's leaders in scoring defense (61.1 ppg, 6th), field goal percentage defense (37.1, 8th) and blocked shots (6.0, 10th). The Huskies are tied for the national lead in Quad 1 wins and are the only team with four "Quad 1A" victories.
In its last outing, Connecticut overcame an early eight-point deficit to secure a 72-54 victory at DePaul. Alex Karaban led all scorers with 21 points and grabbed six rebounds, while Tarris Reed Jr. notched a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double. Silas Demary Jr. was the third Husky in double-figures and stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. In the second half, UConn shot 55.6 percent while holding DePaul to 31.0 percent to swiftly turn a three-point halftime lead into a double-digit margin it would hold the rest of the way.
UConn was without leading scorer Solo Ball in Chicago, as the junior had a streak of 47-straight starts snapped due to a minor injury. Ball averages 15.4 points per game and is hitting 2.0 3-pointers per contest. He is followed atop the scoresheet by Reed Jr. with 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Karaban is averaging 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, holding a pristine 52.4/43.9/87.0 shooting line. Demary Jr. leads the BIG EAST with 5.8 assists per game to quarterback a top-20 offense, per major metrics.
The Musketeers host the Huskies with a 9-4 record on the year, including a 7-2 mark at the Cintas Center. They split their first two BIG EAST games by falling at home to Creighton before the win at Georgetown. Tre Carroll leads XU with 16.5 points per game, with Roddie Anderson III (12.7 ppg) and Jovan Milcevic (11.6 ppg) joining him in double-figures. Filip Borovicanin adds 8.8 points per game to go with team-highs of 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
Following the trip to Cincinnati, the Huskies return to Gampel Pavilion for the first time in nearly a month and host Marquette on Sunday, Jan. 4.
