LAWRENCE, KS – The No. 5 UConn Huskies (7-1) passed their first true road test of the season with a gritty 61-56 victory over No. 21 Kansas (6-3) on Tuesday night at Allen Fieldhouse, one of college basketball’s most iconic and intimidating venues.

Freshman Braylon Mullins had a breakout performance in his second career game, matching Solo Ball’s game-high 17 points off the bench as one of four Huskies in double-figures. Eric Reibe added 12 points and eight rebounds in a balanced effort that saw UConn overcome a seven-point halftime deficit and dominate the second half.

Second-Half Surge

Trailing 33-29 at the break, the Huskies flipped the script in the second half, outscoring Kansas 32-23 while holding the Jayhawks to a dismal 25.0 percent shooting (5-20) from the field and 14.3 percent (1-7) from three-point range after halftime.

“We knew we had to lock in defensively in the second half,” Ball said postgame. “This is one of the toughest places to play in college basketball, and we had to match their intensity and execute our game plan.”

The Huskies were out-rebounded by nine in the first half but turned the tables in the second, going +15 on the glass in the final 20 minutes. UConn finished with a 38-32 edge on the boards and dominated second-chance opportunities, outscoring Kansas 14-5 in that category.

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Mullins Delivers Off The Bench

Freshman Braylon Mullins provided a massive spark off the bench in his first true road game, matching Ball’s team-high 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting, including 3-of-9 from three-point range. Coming into the game with just 10 career minutes under his belt, Mullins played 23 minutes and was a game-best +13 while adding five rebounds.

“Braylon showed tremendous composure for a freshman in this environment,” head coach Dan Hurley said. “He made big shots when we needed them and wasn’t fazed by the crowd or the moment. That’s the kind of growth we need from our young guys.”

Mullins hit his first career three-pointer at 9:40 of the first half to cut Kansas’ lead to 19-18, then put on a personal 5-0 run late in the opening frame that forced a Kansas timeout. His critical three-pointer at 14:59 of the second half cut Kansas’ lead to 40-36, igniting a 9-2 UConn run that brought the Huskies back within striking distance. His clutch free throws in the final seconds sealed the victory.

Karaban Sparks Comeback

Alex Karaban was instrumental in the comeback, scoring 11 points with six rebounds, three assists, and two blocks—with all but two points coming in the second half. Over a 2:30 span midway through the second half, Karaban scored seven-straight points and gave UConn its first lead since the opening minutes when he put the Huskies up 45-44 with 10:47 to play.

His three consecutive layups in the paint sparked a decisive run and energized the Huskies’ offense. Karaban’s block at the rim with 23.2 seconds remaining and UConn clinging to a 59-56 lead sealed the game, as Mullins grabbed the rebound and hit two free throws to ice the victory.

Reibe Dominates Inside

Eric Reibe was a force in the middle, recording 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting with eight rebounds and two blocks. The sophomore scored in double-digits for the fourth time this season and third time in his last four outings. In that span, which has included three spot starts, Reibe is averaging 12.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 62.9 percent (22-35).

“Eric gave us exactly what we needed tonight,” Hurley said. “He was physical, he protected the rim, and he made winning plays on both ends. That’s the kind of toughness we need on the road.”

Reibe opened UConn’s second-half scoring with a pair of layups that cut the deficit to two and set the tone for the Huskies’ comeback. He also recorded the first two steals of his career and altered numerous Kansas attempts inside.

Defensive Dominance

UConn’s defense was the difference-maker, holding Kansas to 35.3 percent shooting (18-51) from the field and 27.8 percent (5-18) from three-point range. The Huskies blocked seven shots and forced 10 turnovers while limiting Kansas to just 20 points in the paint.

Karaban, Reibe, and Jaylin Stewart all had two blocks, and the Huskies’ rim protection neutralized Kansas’s size advantage. Connecticut limited Kansas to 1-of-7 from three-point range after halftime and held the Jayhawks scoreless for extended stretches.

Game Flow

Ball scored UConn’s first seven points and gave Connecticut its first lead with a three-pointer at 16:40 to make it 7-6. Kansas responded with an 8-1 run and took a 27-19 lead to the under-8 media timeout with 7:54 to play in the first half.

Mullins forced a Kansas timeout with a three-pointer at 6:37 to pull the Huskies within three at 27-24. A Reibe bucket cut the lead to one, but the Jayhawks maintained their first-half advantage and took a 33-29 lead to the break.

Kansas jumped out to a seven-point lead early in the second half at 40-33, but UConn responded with a 12-4 run capped by Karaban’s layup at 10:47 that gave the Huskies their first lead of the half at 45-44.

With Kansas still within one at 6:12, Ball hit a mid-range jumper to push the advantage to three. On UConn’s next trip, he drilled a three-pointer that led to a Kansas timeout with UConn holding its largest lead of the night at 55-49 with 5:32 to play.

Kansas answered with five-straight points to cut it to 55-54, and UConn called a timeout with 4:28 remaining. Ball found Reibe for a layup at 2:38, and Karaban hit inside at 1:53 to push the lead to five at 59-54. After Kansas cut it to 59-56, Karaban’s block and Mullins’ two free throws with under 10 seconds to play salted away the five-point win.

Kansas Falls Short

Melvin Council Jr. led Kansas with 12 points, while Flory Bidunga recorded 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Elmarko Jackson added 11 points off the bench, but the Jayhawks’ offense went ice-cold in the second half.

Kansas shot 41.9 percent (13-31) in the first half but managed just 25.0 percent (5-20) after the break. The Jayhawks were also outscored 30-20 in the paint, 19-13 in bench scoring, and committed 10 turnovers that led to six UConn points.

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Inside The Numbers

• UConn shot 42.1 percent from the field (24-57), 26.9 percent (7-26) from three, and 75.0 percent (6-8) from the free-throw line
• The Huskies shot 44.8 percent in the second half while holding Kansas to 25.0 percent
• Kansas shot 35.3 percent (18-51) from the floor, 27.8 percent (5-18) from three, and 71.4 percent (15-21) from the line
• The Huskies outrebounded Kansas 38-32, including a 25-10 advantage in the second half
• UConn had an 11-9 edge in offensive rebounds and outscored Kansas 14-5 in second-chance points
• UConn dished out 12 assists on 24 field goals, led by Demary Jr.’s four and Karaban’s three
• The Huskies had a 7-5 edge in blocks and a 5-4 advantage in steals
• Karaban, Reibe, and Stewart each had two blocks; Reibe led with two steals (first two of his career)
• Ball’s 17 points came on 6-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-7 from three and 2-of-2 from the line
• Mullins’ 17 points came on 6-of-12 shooting, 3-of-9 from three, and 2-of-2 from the line
• UConn’s 19 bench points outscored Kansas’ 13 bench points
• The Huskies scored 30 points in the paint compared to Kansas’ 20
• Mullins became the ninth different Husky this season to score in double-figures

Historical Context

• UConn is now 1-4 all-time against Kansas, picking up the program’s first win in five tries
• The Huskies are 26-11 since the start of 2022-23 against ranked foes and 3-1 this season—the 26 ranked wins in that span lead the country
• UConn is 17-7 in true road games since the start of 2022-23, tied for the most away wins among high majors (Duke, Houston) in that time
• The Huskies are now 20-8 against ranked foes away from home (road or neutral) over the past four seasons
• Kansas fell to 6-3, suffering its first home loss of the season
• Allen Fieldhouse attendance: 15,300 (capacity: 16,300)
• Ball scored in double-figures for the sixth time this season and the 41st time in his career
• Mullins recorded his first career game with 15+ points
• Kansas will return to Connecticut next season

Hurley Praises Team’s Resilience

Head coach Dan Hurley praised his team’s mental toughness and ability to execute in a hostile environment.

“This is one of the hardest places to win in college basketball, and our guys showed incredible poise and maturity,” Hurley said. “We didn’t play our best in the first half, but we made the adjustments we needed to make and came out with a different energy in the second half. That’s a sign of a team that’s growing and learning how to win on the road.”

Hurley also highlighted the contributions of his bench, particularly Mullins and the defensive intensity brought by Jaylin Stewart.

“Our depth is going to be a strength for us this year,” Hurley said. “Braylon gave us a huge lift, and guys like Jaylin came in and made winning plays. That’s what it takes to win games like this.”

Up Next

The Huskies return home to Gampel Pavilion on Friday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. when they host East Texas A&M on Peacock and NBCSN.

Game attendance: 15,300

Officials: John Gaffney, Doug Sirmons, Kipp Kissinger

Game duration: 2:05

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