Sixth-ranked UConn leaned on its height advantage and breezed to a 95-52 victory over Northern Arizona in Storrs, Conn., on Monday night in the season opener for both teams.
The Huskies, who beat San Diego State in last season’s national championship game, outrebounded Northern Arizona 50-27 and had a 50-30 advantage in points in the paint. UConn also blocked 10 shots.
Forward Alex Karaban scored a game-high 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds for UConn, which never trailed. Karaban made 8 of 12 shots from the field, including three of his six 3-point attempts.
UConn received 14 points and seven rebounds from 6-foot-5 guard Tristen Newton, while getting 12 points and eight rebounds from 7-foot-2, 280-pound center Donovan Clingan. Freshman guard Stephon Castle also scored 12 points for the Huskies.
Junior guard Liam Lloyd tossed in a team-high 15 points for Northern Arizona, which doesn’t have a senior on its roster. Lloyd also led the Lumberjacks in rebounds (six) and assists (five). Tommy Lloyd, Liam’s father, is the men’s basketball coach at Arizona.
Northern Arizona’s Jayden Jackson and Trenton McLaughlin each finished with seven points, while Carson Basham had six along with six boards.
The Lumberjacks shot 33.9 percent from the field (20 of 59) and missed 12 of their 15 3-point attempts.
UConn shot 56.7 percent from the field (17 of 30) through the first 20 minutes of action and led 47-30 at halftime. The Huskies shot 56.1 percent from the floor for the game (32 of 57) despite going 7-for-25 on 3-point attempts.
Northern Arizona played without 6-foot-8 forwards Carson Towt and Jack Wistrcill, both of whom missed the game because of injury. Towt led the Lumberjacks in rebounds, assists and blocks last season, when he was third on the team in scoring (10.1 points per game). Wistrcill, a sophomore, played in 35 games during his freshman season.
The Huskies were picked third in the 2023-24 Big East preseason coaches’ poll, behind Marquette and Creighton.
–Field Level Media