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STORRS – Alex Karaban directed the reigning back-to-back national champion UConn men’s basketball team as it opened the 2024-25 season with a 92-56 win over Sacred Heart in Gampel Pavilion on Wednesday.
There was a sold-out crowd on hand as the Huskies unveiled their second national championship banner in as many years about a half hour before tip-off. The ceremony, essentially the same as it was last season, included video messages from the four starters who left the program for the NBA: Donovan Clingan, Stephon Castle, Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer.
Karaban, the fifth starter who decided to pull from the draft and come back to star at UConn, did exactly that once the ball was tipped. He led the way with 20 points, seven assists, six rebounds and seven blocks, only missing two shots from the field.
Returning to live action this week after dealing with a calf strain, freshman Liam McNeeley air-balled his first 3-point attempt but all of the first game nerves seemed to have gone with it. The five-star forward made his next two from deep and recorded a double-double in his debut, finishing with 18 points, 10 rebounds and a pair of assists.
Karaban got the season started with a block on the defensive end and Samson Johnson put the first points on the board with a dunk after he stole the ball in the backcourt and went coast-to-coast. McNeeley converted a layup after another Karaban block and Solo Ball landed the first 3-point attempt of the season as UConn got its sold-out crowd going with a 7-0 flurry to start the game.
Ball made three more from deep and started his sophomore season with a 16-point effort.
Hassan Diarra returned to the sixth-man role he was awarded for last season and was first off the bench on Wednesday. His first made shot from the field was a fastbreak layup through traffic, following a steal from St. Mary’s transfer Aidan Mahaney, who started and was scoreless in 23 minutes played.
UConn’s defensive effort, a question mark entering the season after…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/alex-karaban-liam-mcneeley-lead-021000956.html
Author : Hartford Courant
Publish date : 2024-11-07 02:10:00
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