No. 3 UConn Dominates Columbia 89-62 Behind Ball’s 23, Karaban’s 20

STORRS, CT – Solo Ball poured in a game-high 23 points, Alex Karaban added 20, and No. 3 UConn (3-0) built a commanding 27-point first-half lead en route to an 89-62 victory over Columbia (1-1) on Monday night before a sold-out crowd of 10,244 at Gampel Pavilion.

The Huskies shot a blistering 56.6 percent from the floor and 43.5 percent from beyond the arc, suffocating the Lions with defensive pressure and offensive efficiency in a dominant opening 25 minutes before coasting through a sloppy second half.

First-Half Dominance

UConn fell behind 6-4 early after Columbia hit a pair of quick three-pointers, but the Huskies responded with a 7-0 run capped by a Karaban triple to seize control at 9-6. The Lions pulled within one midway through the half, but back-to-back threes from Malachi Smith and Jayden Ross sparked a ferocious 14-0 UConn run that pushed the lead to 28-13.

Connecticut never looked back.

The Huskies rattled off another 11-0 run late in the half, punctuated by a steal-and-slam from Karaban that forced a Columbia timeout with UConn up 40-17. The Huskies took a 50-27 lead into the break, shooting 60.6 percent from the field and holding the Lions to just 34.4 percent.

Karaban led all scorers with 14 first-half points, while Ball added 13. UConn dished out 15 assists on 20 made baskets and committed just two turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.

“I thought the first 22-25 minutes of the game was an extension of the last game,” UConn head coach Dan Hurley said. “I thought we showed a level of dominance on defense: 15 assists, two turnovers in the first half, suffocating defense. I thought it was awesome.”

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Second-Half Struggles

The Lions outscored UConn in the opening segment of the second half, pulling as close as 19 points before the under-8 timeout, but the Huskies maintained a comfortable cushion throughout. UConn’s largest lead came at 2:25 remaining when the margin ballooned to 29 at 86-57.

However, the second half exposed vulnerabilities. UConn missed a flurry of free throws, struggled on the glass, and allowed Columbia to fight back with pride. The Lions shot 41.7 percent in the second half and outscored the Huskies 35-39, a stark contrast to the first-half beatdown.

“Human nature kicked in, and Columbia—they got a lot of pride, and they’re well-coached,” Hurley said. “They got tough kids and good players, and they didn’t want to get 40-pieced in here today. They fought their ass off, so credit to them. And then human nature kind of reared its ugly head for us, and we didn’t play a clean second half.”

Hurley singled out rebounding as a potential issue after a stretch in which UConn couldn’t secure defensive boards on missed shots and free throws.

“That sequence brought me back to the Michigan State game, where we couldn’t rebound free throws,” Hurley said. “Rebounding showed itself to be a potential issue today. That’s alarming.”

Ball, Karaban Lead Balanced Attack

Ball finished 7-of-15 from the field, including 3-of-9 from three-point range, and knocked down 6-of-8 free throws. Karaban shot 7-of-11 overall and 2-of-5 from deep, adding four assists, six rebounds, and a steal.

Tarris Reed Jr., now off his minutes restriction, recorded 19 points on 6-of-9 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds. Reed also swatted two shots and added an assist in a dominant interior performance.

“He’s had an admittance restriction,” Hurley said. “I thought he was defensively active in the first half—pressure on passers, ball-street defense. He was just so impactful defensively, and then super efficient whenever we threw him the ball.”

Jayden Ross provided a spark off the bench, going 3-of-3 from three-point range and finishing with 10 points and two blocks in 22 minutes.

“That’s what you’re looking for from your wings,” Hurley said. “Tremendous. That’s what we need.”

Silas Demary Jr. orchestrated the offense with a game-high nine assists—the most for a Husky this season—while adding five points, six rebounds, and a steal. UConn assisted on 22 of its 30 made baskets.

Columbia Fights Back

Miles Franklin and Blair Thompson tied for the Columbia lead with 10 points apiece. Franklin shot 5-of-8 from the field and added three rebounds and an assist. Thompson went 4-of-8 and grabbed two boards.

Connor Igoe added nine points off the bench, going 2-of-3 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. Gerard O’Keefe chipped in six points, all in the second half, including a made three-pointer.

The Lions shot just 37.5 percent overall and 23.8 percent from three-point range, and were outscored 40-24 in the paint. Columbia turned the ball over 13 times, leading to 10 UConn points.

Inside the Numbers

• Shooting Efficiency: UConn shot 56.6 percent (30-53) from the field and 43.5 percent (10-23) from three-point range, while holding Columbia to 37.5 percent (21-56) and 23.8 percent (5-21).
• Turnover Margin: The Huskies coughed it up just six times, using a +7 turnover margin to outscore Columbia 10-2 off miscues.
• Assists: UConn assisted on 22 of 30 baskets, with Demary Jr. dishing nine, Karaban four, and Ball three.
• Rebounding: Connecticut finished +2 on the glass (34-32), with Reed pulling in eight boards and Demary Jr. and Karaban each hauling in six.
• Paint Dominance: UConn dominated inside to the tune of a 40-24 scoring advantage.
• Defensive Pressure: The Huskies finished with a 7-2 edge in blocks and a 9-4 lead in steals.

Karaban Climbs All-Time Scoring List

With 20 points on the day, Karaban now has 1,415 for his career, moving past Art Quimby (1,398) into 24th place in UConn program history. He sits just 11 points behind Emeka Okafor (1,426) for 23rd place.

Ball and Karaban became the first UConn teammates to both record 20 points in a game since Feb. 26, 2025, when Ball and Reed Jr. did so versus Georgetown.

Karaban recorded the 16th game of his career with 20 or more points, while Ball notched his sixth.

News and Notes

• Series History: The Huskies improve to 10-2 all-time against the Lions and haven’t lost in the series since 1976.
• Home Dominance: UConn has won 36 straight home non-conference games dating back to November 2019 and is 45-2 in home non-conference games under Dan Hurley.
• Gampel Pavilion: Connecticut has won 35 of its last 38 games at Gampel Pavilion.
• Non-Conference Excellence: UConn is 45-5 (.900) in non-conference games since the start of the 2022-23 season.
• Ross’ Milestone: Ross’ double-figure scoring game was the third of his career.
• Three-Point Barrage: UConn hit double-digit three-pointers for the first time this season.

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Up Next: Top-10 Showdown at TD Garden

The Huskies head to TD Garden in Boston on Saturday, Nov. 15, for a top-10 showdown with No. 7 BYU as part of the Hall of Fame Series Boston. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. on FOX.

“I’m excited to get a chance to go play in Boston this weekend versus one of the best teams in the country,” Hurley said. “When you watch clips of BYU and AJA and Saunders—one of the best point guards in the country—when you see that quality on film, you get scared straight. Things that worked the first three games won’t work. But it’s fun.”

Hurley acknowledged the upcoming stretch will test his team’s vulnerabilities.

“This time of year, people are challenging themselves in these non-conference games, and it’s a good barometer for where you’re at,” he said. “You have a pretty good sense of where you’re vulnerable, but it’s really going to expose vulnerabilities, especially when you go into the deep water now.”

5 Key Takeaways

1. Dominant First Half: UConn’s 50-27 halftime lead was built on suffocating defense, 60.6 percent shooting, and a 15-to-2 assist-to-turnover ratio.
2. Ball and Karaban Shine: Ball’s 23 points and Karaban’s 20 led a balanced attack, with both players showcasing offensive versatility.
3. Reed Off Restriction: Tarris Reed Jr. is now off his minutes restriction and delivered 19 points and eight rebounds in a dominant performance.
4. Rebounding Concerns: UConn’s struggles on the glass in the second half, particularly on missed free throws, raised red flags ahead of a brutal upcoming schedule.
5. BYU Looms Large: The Huskies face their toughest test yet on Saturday against No. 7 BYU in Boston, a game that will expose any remaining weaknesses.

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