4 Takeaways From UConn's Exhibition Win Over Michigan State

[ad_1] HARTFORD, Conn. — Followers on this basketball-crazed state had been handled to a uncommon, high-profile exhibition recreation on Tuesday night time as No. 4 UConn confronted No. 22 Michigan State in a closing tune-up for each groups. Greater than 15,000 stuffed PeoplesBank Area to observe two applications identified for the way in which they carry out in March, when video games matter most, do battle in late October, when neither squad resembled something near a completed product.

Behind 18 factors apiece from energy ahead Alex Karaban and capturing guard Solo Ball, the Huskies loved a wire-to-wire, 76-69 victory. A blemished defensive effort on each side resulted in 56 complete fouls and 74 mixed free-throws on an evening largely devoid of rhythm or stream. Each coaches — Tom Izzo of Michigan State; Dan Hurley of UConn — have loads of issues to repair between now and their respective openers subsequent week.

Listed below are my takeaways:

1. UConn exploring lineup mixtures after Braylon Mullins damage

The presumptive and most well-liked stream of UConn’s rotation was thrown into flux final Friday when the varsity introduced that freshman capturing guard Braylon Mullins, a possible day-one starter, suffered an ankle damage in observe that may sideline him for roughly six weeks. And whereas the precise nature of the damage is unclear — Hurley swatted apart the suggestion that Mullins is coping with a excessive ankle sprain when requested for an replace earlier this week — the Huskies are respiration a sigh of aid after harboring early considerations in regards to the severity of the ailment.

"We had been very nervous that it might have been far worse for him," Hurley stated. "We rely our blessings and we thank God. We thank God that the damage is what it's."

A local of Greenfield, Indiana, roughly 25 miles east of Indianapolis, Mullins was a five-star prospect and the No. 15 general participant within the 2025 recruiting cycle. He headlined a four-man UConn class that included coveted middle Eric Reibe (No. 28 general), Australian combo guard Jacob Furphy (No. 148 general) and developmental wing Jacob Ross (No. 250 general), the youthful brother of Huskies’ small ahead Jayden Ross. Mullins, who was named Massive East Freshman of the Yr on the league’s media day occasion final week, was anticipated to slip into the beginning backcourt alongside level guard Silas Demary Jr., a switch from Georgia, and fellow capturing guard Solo Ball.

Solo Ball #1 of the Connecticut Huskies reacts whereas defending Kur Teng #2 of the Michigan State Spartans through the second half of an NCAA males's basketball exhibition. (Photograph by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Photos)

With Mullins unavailable for Tuesday’s recreation, Hurley awarded extra minutes to the elder Ross, Furphy and incoming transfers Malachi Smith (Dayton) and Alec Millender (IU Indianapolis) because the Huskies navigate the ultimate week earlier than their season opener in opposition to New Haven.

Ross, who scored 13 factors on 4-of-5 capturing, together with 2-of-3 from past the arc, did essentially the most to stake a declare for elevated enjoying time. He was deemed a possible breakout participant by Hurley final summer time solely to fall out of the rotation in convention play. Any scoring punch Ross can present after averaging simply 2.4 factors per recreation can be a great addition for an offense that anticipated vital manufacturing from Mullins.

2. Inexperienced Michigan State backcourt wants time to develop

One of many ideas that UConn head coach Dan Hurley shared with reporters throughout his media session on Monday afternoon, the day earlier than going through Michigan State, was the uneasiness he felt relating to how freshman middle Eric Reibe would deal with the ruggedly skilled Spartans’ entrance court docket. That the Huskies can be with out starter Tarris Reed Jr., nonetheless bothered by a hamstring drawback, meant Reibe was the one true middle obtainable to tangle with seniors Jaxon Kohler (6-10, 245 kilos) and Carson Cooper (6-11, 245 kilos). These fears proved authentic as Michigan State’s huge males mixed to attain 22 factors and seize 22 rebounds, anchoring the guests on each ends of the ground.

Cam Ward #3 and Jaxon Kohler #0 of the Michigan State Spartans react through the second half of an NCAA males's basketball exhibition. (Photograph by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Photos)

What Hurley had been much less involved about, and understandably so, was a Spartans’ backcourt that's going to want extra time to search out itself after bidding farewell to the group’s three main scorers from final season: Jaden Akins (12.8 factors per recreation); Jase Richardson (12.1 factors per recreation); Tre Holloman (9.1 factors per recreation). That left redshirt sophomore Jeremy Fears Jr. (7.2 factors per recreation) as the one returning guard who averaged greater than two minutes of enjoying time final season.

Izzo strengthened his roster by including former Samford and Mississippi State guard Trey Fort (No. 18 capturing guard, No. 83 general switch) and former Miami guard Divine Ugochukwu (No. 78 level guard, No. 453 general switch). Each gamers got here off the bench on Tuesday night time as Fears was joined by sophomore Kur Teng, a former four-star prospect and the No. 53 general recruit from 2024, within the beginning lineup.

The majority of the scoring accountability fell to Fears, who performed 32 minutes and led Michigan State with 14 factors, most of which got here on the free-throw line. He appeared, for big stretches, like the one Spartan prepared to assault UConn’s protection off the dribble, particularly late within the shot clock. With 9:25 remaining within the second half, Fears was nonetheless the one participant on Izzo’s roster to tally an help. That he completed with as many turnovers (six) as assists (six) underscored how troublesome this recreation was for Michigan State's offense, which shot 39.1% from the ground.

Fears will want rather more assist from his fellow guards within the months to return.

Eric Reibe #12 of the Connecticut Huskies and Jeremy Fears Jr. #1 of the Michigan State Spartans go for the unfastened ball through the second half of an NCAA males's basketball exhibition. (Photograph by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Photos)

3. Uneven debut for brand new UConn level guard Silas Demary Jr.

Apart from the nagging, team-wide defensive points that led to UConn ending seventy fifth nationally in defensive effectivity — a seismic drop from the Huskies’ two nationwide championship-winning seasons, in 2023 and 2024, once they ranked seventh and fourth, respectively — the most important situation plaguing Hurley’s squad was inconsistency at level guard. The high-profile switch portal addition of Aidan Mahaney, previously of Saint Mary’s, flopped in spectacular style, which left projected sixth man Hassan Diarra because the group’s solely dependable ball handler, a proposition exacerbated by the knee damage that plagued Diarra a lot of the season.

Hurley and his employees rapidly acknowledged that not solely was UConn undermanned and talent-deficient at that place, they had been additionally undersized relative to the 6-foot-5 body of former level guard Tristen Newton, who was a part of each nationwide championship groups and was a consensus first-team All-American in 2024. So when the switch portal kicked into gear final spring, after UConn was dropped by eventual nationwide champion Florida within the Spherical of 32, the Huskies rapidly prioritized former Georgia guard Silas Demary Jr., a tall and prolonged guard within the mould of Newton. Demary was rated the No. 13 general participant and No. 3 combo guard within the portal.

A minor calf damage precluded Demary, now a junior, from enjoying in UConn’s first exhibition recreation in opposition to Boston School two weeks in the past. However he was within the beginning lineup on Tuesday night time and wasted little time igniting a near-sellout crowd. Demary linked on back-to-back 3-pointers earlier than three minutes had elapsed within the opening half, flashing the scoring capacity that noticed him common 13.5 factors per recreation final season. Have been it not for a pair of early fouls that despatched Demary to the bench by the 16:25 mark, he may need damaged unfastened for extra.

Although Demary has been described by Hurley because the group’s finest perimeter defender, foul bother continued to plague him for a lot of the night. He picked up his third with 6:10 remaining within the first half and was saddled along with his fourth by the ten:50 mark of the second half. Demary completed with 9 factors, 4 rebounds and three assists in 20 minutes.

4. Foul issues plague each groups in sloppy defensive exhibiting

Given the bruising reputations of each head coaches and each applications, it was little shock that Tuesday’s recreation unfolded with a stage of physicality usually reserved for mid-winter convention battles. Cooper, the Michigan State middle, wanted a plug in his nostril lower than midway by the opening interval. Guards careened throughout the ground for unfastened balls. Hurley and Izzo each took turns hurling profanity on the referees earlier than apologizing shortly thereafter, for the reason that end result technically didn’t rely. So far as high quality competitors goes, the sport actually achieved its objective.

However virtually as quickly because the second half started, it turned more and more clear that each groups had been operating out of gamers. Cooper was known as for his fourth with 18:03 remaining. Reibe, the beginning middle for UConn, was dinged for his fourth a minute prior. And when Hurley’s reserve huge man, Dwayne Koroma, picked up his fourth on the 16:57 mark, the chance that neither group would have any submit gamers left by the ultimate buzzer appeared fairly actual.

Jeremy Fears Jr. #1 of the Michigan State Spartans and Silas Demary Jr. #2 of the Connecticut Huskies go for the unfastened ball through the second half of an NCAA males's basketball exhibition. (Photograph by Joe Buglewicz/Getty Photos)

It was in that second — maybe spontaneously, maybe not — that the general public handle announcer at PeoplesBank Area introduced the 2 groups had agreed to permit six fouls per participant quite than the standard 5. And with that spectacular information, the group of 15,495 provided one thing of a Bronx cheer on an evening that had, for essentially the most half, devolved right into a foul fest. The Huskies had been known as for 16 fouls within the first half alone; the Spartans for 11. By recreation’s finish, they'd mixed for 74 free-throw makes an attempt and 56 fouls.

Defending with out fouling will likely be a degree of emphasis for each coaches between now and their respective season openers.

4 ½: What's subsequent?

The aggressive nature of Tuesday’s recreation provided these groups a glimpse of what they will count on come November and December, when each head coaches will navigate brutal non-conference schedules in opposition to a number of the sport’s elite.

Izzo’s group, which opens in opposition to Colgate on Nov. 3, has 4 video games in opposition to top-25 groups within the span of 4 weeks. Michigan State faces No. 14 Arkansas, No. 9 Kentucky, No. 25 North Carolina and No. 6 Duke between Nov. 8 and Dec. 6, with two of these video games at dwelling and two at impartial websites. The Spartans may have a good suggestion of the place they stand relative to a number of the finest groups within the nation effectively earlier than their Christmas break.

UConn, in the meantime, is about to embark on arguably the hardest non-conference slate within the nation, one thing that Hurley wished when he and his employees designed the schedule. The Huskies will face No. 8 BYU, No. 13 Arizona, No. 17 Illinois, No. 9 Kansas, No. 3 Florida and Texas between Nov. 15 and Dec. 9, with solely three of these video games on impartial flooring. Hurley’s group ought to be as battle-tested as any come Massive East play.

Michael Cohen covers faculty soccer and faculty basketball for FOX Sports activities. Comply with him at @Michael_Cohen13.

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