New York, NY—-Liam McNeeley delivered a standout performance with 26 points, leading No. 18 UConn past No. 8 Gonzaga in a closely contested Hall of Fame Series showdown at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night. The Huskies fended off multiple comeback attempts to secure the 77-71 win.
Tarris Reed Jr. contributed 12 points, and Jaylin Stewart added 10 for UConn (8-3), giving head coach Dan Hurley his 300th career victory. The win also reaffirmed the Huskies’ status as a powerhouse following back-to-back national championships.
For Gonzaga (7-3), Khalif Battle scored 21 points, Ryan Nembhard added 16, and Michael Ajayi chipped in with 14. The Bulldogs fell to 2-6 all-time against UConn.
UConn started strong, jumping out to a commanding 13-2 lead. However, Gonzaga fought back, cutting the deficit to 43-40 by halftime. The Bulldogs briefly tied the game at 55 in the second half with consecutive three-pointers from Battle and Nembhard, but UConn responded with a decisive 10-0 run.
Despite a late push by Gonzaga, which included a three-point play from Ajayi to narrow the gap to 73-70 with 3:25 left, the Huskies held firm. A missed three-pointer by Nembhard and a clutch layup by Alex Karaban, just as the shot clock expired, sealed the game for UConn.
Key Takeaways
- Gonzaga: The Bulldogs have now lost consecutive games for the first time since December 2018. They also fell to then-No. 4 Kentucky in a 90-89 overtime thriller on December 7.
- UConn: The Huskies suffered a setback when Samson Johnson exited with an injury in the first half after a hard fall during a defensive play. However, the team’s depth and resilience carried them through.
The victory marked another milestone for Coach Hurley and reinforced UConn’s ability to deliver in high-stakes match-ups. Meanwhile, Gonzaga will look to regroup after two tough losses against top-tier opponents.
Up Next:
The Huskies opens Big East play Wednesday by playing Xavier in Hartford. Gonzaga also returns home Wednesday, when the Bulldogs play Nicholls State.
