UConn basketball wins in a slugfest against Gonzaga 77-71.
As usual it was a magical night at the Mecca. There’s no better venue for a college basketball game and that rang true for this heavyweight matchup. UConn nation did their part in creating an absolutely electric environment.
It was a tight game throughout with neither team being able to pull away. UConn’s offense was humming at times, going on several long scoring runs which resulted in UConn leading for over 37 mins of game time.
Gonzaga would not go down without a fight and was able to punch back to cut into the deficit each time it looked like things may get out of hand to keep the game to a possession or two the majority of the game.
In the end UConn basketball was able to make enough plays in the final minutes to close out their non-conference schedule with one of the best wins in this college basketball season.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
DAWG EAT DOG WORLD 😤@keybank pic.twitter.com/xqWTZZq4lH
— UConn Men’s Basketball (@UConnMBB) December 15, 2024
Takeaway #1: UConn is rounding into form
While this was not one of the prettiest games UConn basketball has played this season, it may have been their most impressive. In a game where they shot 20.8% from three, they were able to lead almost wire to wire against one of the best teams in college basketball.
The key to this performance was the improved defense and rebounding. This has what has allowed UConn to steamroll the competition in seasons past and what the team was lacking early this season. UConn was much sharper with defensive rotations and did a much better job with their on ball defense.
And while they only finished with four blocks, that doesn’t capture how many shots at the rim they were able to alter, causing Gonzaga to miss several shots in the paint that they usually make.
Youssouf Singare only played for 7 minutes but he had a massive impact on the game by altering many shots and attacking the glass as he filled in admirably for an injured Samson Johnson who has entered the concussion protocol after a scary fall midway through the first half.
It is unlikely that Alex Karaban will shoot 0-7 from deep on many other nights this season and the team as a whole should see more of their open looks fall. That is a scary thought for a lot of teams in the Big East as UConn basketball appears to be all the way back.
Takeaway #2: Which Graham Ike will show up for the Bulldogs?
Graham Ike is one of Gonzaga’s best players. That’s what made his performance against UConn basketball so surprising. He was coming off a 28 point, 11 rebound performance in Gonzaga’s loss against Kentucky. The script was flipped against UConn however, only scoring 3 points and grabbing 0, that’s right, 0 rebounds.
This was a game Graham Ike should have dominated. Starting center Samson Johnson exited the game in the first half and was unable to return, and backup center Tarris Reed was in foul trouble all game which should have resulted in a monster performance for Ike.
He’s still one of the better big men in college basketball but Gonzaga will need the Graham Ike they saw against Kentucky if they want to make a run at a final four. He has struggled with inconsistent play in the past and Gonzaga will need him to be a more consistent force night in and night out.
Takeaway #3: Madison Square Garden and college basketball are the perfect pairing
The lights always shine brighter in New York City and Madison Square Garden is the perfect spotlight for a basketball game. Ryan Nembhard alluded to that postgame, saying it’s one of his favorite places to play as he has played several times at MSG during his time with Creighton.
Stages this grand are where stars are born, and Liam McNeeley did not falter under the pressure of this matchup. He was the best player on the floor, leading UConn with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. He has established himself as arguably the best freshman in college basketball and will be a key factor in UConn’s hopes to three-peat.
It’s not just the players that make college basketball what it is, it’s also the fans. UConn fans packed MSG as several U-C-O-N-N chants rained down onto the court. Gonzaga fans did their thing and traveled from all the way across the country and had a great turnout as well.
There’s not many sports that would be able to do this for a neutral site game. And even within college basketball there’s not many venues that would be able to accomplish this feat. There are too many neutral site matchups with half filled arenas but as long as MSG hosts college basketball games, that will not be a problem.
Next up for UConn (8-3): vs. Xavier (8-3) on Dec. 18 at 7:00 p.m. EST
Next up for Gonzaga (7-3): vs. Nicholls (7-4) on Dec. 18 at 9:00 p.m. EST