The No. 5 Connecticut Huskies secured a hard-fought 77-73 victory over the No. 18 Florida Gators in a high-stakes Jimmy V Classic match up on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. This intense contest gave UConn a measure of revenge for last season’s NCAA Tournament defeat against the then-defending champions. The Huskies now stand at an impressive 9-1 after collecting their fourth win this season against a ranked opponent.
Guard Solo Ball powered the Huskies offense, leading the team with 19 points and draining three crucial three-pointers. Alex Karaban contributed 13 points, matching Ball’s output from beyond the arc. Center Tarris Reed Jr. made an impactful return to the lineup after missing two games with an ankle injury, providing 12 points and five rebounds. The Huskies shot a red-hot 59.3 percent from the field in the first half, helping them build a 39-32 halftime lead.
The Gators, however, refused to back down in the second half. They quickly erased the deficit, taking their first lead since the middle of the opening frame on a difficult layup by Thomas Haugh. Haugh had a strong showing with 18 points, while Xaivian Lee paced the Gators’ scoring with 19 points. Florida dominated the rebounding battle, pulling down 16 offensive boards, which kept them close despite shooting only 42.4 percent overall.
With the lead trading hands multiple times, the game reached its climax midway through the second period. Florida took a narrow 55-54 advantage with eight minutes left. UConn immediately answered on the next possession when Braylon Mullins hit a jumper to regain the lead. Karaban then delivered a momentum-swinging three-pointer after blocking a Lee layup attempt on the defensive end. Ball followed quickly with his own three-pointer, capping a decisive 12-3 run that put the Huskies up 66-58 with just over four minutes to play.
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The eight-point margin created enough cushion for UConn to withstand Florida’s final desperate push. The Gators cut the lead to three points inside the final 15 seconds. Then, UConn committed a critical backcourt turnover while trying to inbound the ball. However, the game ended abruptly when Florida failed to inbound the ball themselves, committing a five-second violation. Ball calmly sank a final free throw to seal the 77-73 victory.
Huskies guard Malachi Smith proved instrumental in the win, tallying a game-high nine assists against just one turnover. This efficient ball movement helped UConn shoot 50 percent for the entire game. For the defending champion Gators, the loss drops their record to 5-4. They must address their inconsistent shooting and turnovers as they head into their next matchup.
