UConn men's basketball completes 14-point second half comeback to defeat Villanova, 66-59

Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant on Feb 18, 2025

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HARTFORD, Conn. — The UConn men’s basketball team came back from down 14 points with 12 minutes to go in the second half to beat Villanova at the XL Center, 66-59, on Tuesday night.

Liam McNeeley and Tarris Reed Jr. combined to score UConn’s last 17 points to secure a much-needed victory for the Huskies, who improved to 18-8 on the year and 10-5 in Big East play. McNeeley finished with a team-best 20 points on 7-for-7 shooting from the free throw line, adding seven rebounds and a pair of assists. Reed made himself a tough player to take off the court as he finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and three assists.

Solo Ball, the only UConn player to make a 3-pointer until McNeeley hit one with five minutes to go, finished with 13 points and a team-best six assists. And Hassan Diarra, back in the starting lineup after two games, finished with eight points, two assists and three blocks.

The XL Center crowd was growing restless as UConn made just one of its first 10 shots from the field and fell behind the Wildcats, 16-6, as they took advantage of open shots on the perimeter and off of turnovers. But two-time national championship point guard Tristen Newton was welcomed back to Connecticut at the under-12 media timeout, earning a standing ovation.

After Newton returned to his seat behind the Huskies’ bench, next to his 2023-24 backcourt mate Cam Spencer, McNeeley ended the run with a strong drive to the rim for a layup. Diarra did the same thing a few possessions later, starting an 8-0 run as Ball got the team’s first 3-pointer to fall and McNeeley got to the rim again, cutting the deficit to just two.

Villanova, shooting 5 for 10 to UConn’s 1 for 9 from beyond the arc before halftime, got a three-point play and a 3-pointer from Jordan Longino in the final two minutes and went into the break up, 34-26.

Ball made two 3s in the first few minutes of the second half and McNeeley, just 2 for 6 at the break, was more aggressive with a tough and-one finish that brought UConn to within five. But Wooga Poplar, 2 for 9 in the first half, went on a personal 9-2 run and pushed the Wildcats’ lead to 14 with 11:58 to go, their largest of the game to that point.

UConn answered with a 13-3 run over almost six minutes as it found success on the offensive glass. Jaylin Stewart, after playing just one minute in the first half, rose up for an offensive rebound and finished a putback. Diarra stole the ensuing inbound and was fouled, making both from the free throw line before McNeeley became the only Husky not named Solo Ball to make a 3-pointer, cutting the deficit to just three with five minutes to go.

The Huskies finished the game just 4 for 19 from 3-point range, but held Villanova to just 32% shooting from the field and 3 for 12 from beyond the arc in the second half.

With the shot clock about to expire, Ball found a cutting Reed and he bobbled the ball, gaining control just in time to lay it in before the buzzer and tie the game at 58. McNeeley gave UConn its first lead since the score was 2-0 with a pair of free throws, and Ball found Reed again for a two-handed slam that put the Huskies up four with 1:11 to go.

There was no blowing this one as Reed got to the rim again and McNeeley’s perfect night from the stripe continued.

UConn will travel to “Storrs South” for a matchup against No. 10 St. John’s, which has some breathing room for first place in the league. The Johnnies are 22-4 overall and 13-2 in Big East play.

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