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Rapid Recap: UConn scrapes past Villanova, 66-65

Rapid Recap: UConn scrapes past Villanova, 66-65

It was a battle at the Wells Fargo Center but UConn stayed composed at the end to hold on for the win.

Aman Kidwai
January 20, 2024

The No. 1 UConn Huskies traveled to Philadelphia to take on a feisty Villanova squad at the Wells Fargo Center, escaping with a 66-65 victory.

UConn started the contest with an 11-0 run, putting on a clinic as it looked ready to put this one out of reach early. But the home team responded, getting it to 13-12 and then tying the game at 18 with 5:04 left in the first half. From then on, the two teams seemed to trade off on scoring runs throughout the game, which saw six ties and four lead changes.

With the score knotted at 58 and three minutes left, Tristen Newton, who finished with 25 points on the night, found Alex Karaban for a three to put UConn ahead for good.

Justin Moore scored a lay-up and with 29 seconds left Newton hit one of two free throws on the other end to keep the door slightly open. But an offensive foul by Villanova’s Justin Moore hooking Diarra gave UConn the ball back. From there, Dan Hurley’s squad closed out another gritty win, their seventh in a row and third road triumph in Big East play.

UConn (17-2, 7-1 Big East) has eight days until its next game, against Xavier on Sunday at the XL Center for a noon tip-off that will be televised on FS1.