UConn Basketball Defeats DePaul: 4 Takeaways

UConn basketball wins wire-to-wire over DePaul 81-68.

UConn basketball dominated in the first half, leading 43-22.

In the second, DePaul climbed back to, at one point, cut the lead to just seven. The Huskies eventually closed out despite being outscored in both the paint (32-34) and fast break opportunities (9-22).

The Huskies were led by Solo Ball, who scored 22 points and 6 rebounds in the victory. Another key player for UConn basketball was Alex Karaban, who scored 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. He shot 6-13 (46.1%) from the field and 4-8 (50%) from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, the Blue Demons were led by Conor Enright, who scored 18 points. He also nearly recorded a double-double with 9 assists. N.J. Benson had another great performance, recording a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. This was his second double-double in two starts after his previous matchup with Loyola Maryland.

Takeaway #1: Solo is Balling

All offseason, UConn Nation was told that Solo Ball may be the team’s best shooter, which was surprising to hear considering Liam McNeeley, Karaban, and Aidan Mahaney are on the roster. He has shown improved shooting so far this season, raising his three-point shooting from 32% to 41% going into the game.

This was the game he officially claimed the title of best shooter on the team, going 7-9 from deep. The team shot an impressive 48.3% which was in large part due to the attention that Solo Ball attracted due to his hot shooting.

Part of the winning formula is having players run around screens to get open jump shots, something Jordan Hawkins and Cam Spencer had perfected during the previous two title runs. Solo Ball has solidified himself as that guy and will continue to be a huge part of the quest for a three-peat.

solo ballin’ 🔥 pic.twitter.com/59vWh8bx4N

— UConn Men’s Basketball (@UConnMBB) January 1, 2025

Takeaway #2: What will the rotation look like minus McNeeley?

The worst part about sports is injuries and UConn basketball was inflicted with a potentially major loss in their victory over DePaul. Early in the second half, star freshman Liam McNeeley suffered an apparent right ankle injury. He did not return to the game and was seen on the bench wearing a boot.

If McNeeley misses time, it will be fascinating to see how UConn basketball head coach Dan Hurley makes up for the 31 minutes that McNeeley normally plays. The leading candidate for an increased role appears to be Aidan Mahaney.

It’s been an up-and-down season for the transfer from Saint Mary’s, losing his starting role and transitioning to more of a key player off the bench. He played for just 4 minutes in the first half, but following McNeeley’s injury, Mahaney saw an extended run, playing 12 additional minutes in the second half.

Expect Jayden Ross and Jaylin Stewart to step up in McNeeley’s potential absence. Both are longer wing players, who can use their athleticism to prevent lane penetration, which Aidan Mahaney struggles with.

Head coach Dan Hurley explained the procedure for identifying the extent of McNeeley’s injury.

“Yes well we’ll get the MRI tomorrow,” Hurley said. “Hopefully it’s just a sprain and we don’t know much.” He would later tell reporters that McNeeley’s injury was a right ankle injury.

Hurley is hands down the best coach in college basketball at this moment and should be trusted to find the best possible lineups even while being down a starter.

Takeaway #3: Conor Enright was a beast and limited his turnovers

Against UConn basketball, Enright only committed 1 turnover, a further decrease from his 3 turnovers against the Greyhounds.

Enright shot 6-10 (60%) and even scored a clutch three-point shot midway through the second half to swing the momentum in favor of the Blue Demons.

This was enough to catch the attention of coach Hurley, who complimented his playstyle in the postgame press conference.

“It’s rare that you win a game when the free throw discrepancy (UConn basketball only shot 10 free throws as opposed to DePaul’s 28) is that significant,” Hurley said. “You know, but credit DePaul and their players, I thought, how could you not be a fan of Enright, and just the way he plays, and the way that coach (Chris Holtmann) have changed this culture here.”

Hurley would later call him a “Tim Tebow” at point guard.

Takeaway #4: DePaul basketball adjusted to the strong three-point defense

UConn basketball forced a lot of pressure on the perimeter, only allowing the Blue Demons to shoot 3-12 (25%) from long range. Only C.J. Gunn (1-4 or 25%), Enright (1-3 or 33.3%), and Isaiah Rivera (1-2, 50%) converted on a three-point attempt.

This caused the Blue Demons to shift focus and attack the paint. Since their 98-52 victory over Northern Illinois, the Blue Demons had never outscored their opponents in the paint. Against the Huskies, DePaul outscored the Huskies 34-32 in the paint.

UConn basketball faced immense pressure throughout the game inside and around the paint. To outscore a team that boasts three players at least 6 feet 10 inches tall (Tarris Reed Jr., Youssouf Singare, and Samson Johnson) is rare. Especially when the Blue Demon’s tallest player, David Skogman (6 feet 11 inches tall) was out with a lower leg injury against the Huskies, makes that feat even more noticeable.

When asked about how the team attacked the paint the last couple of games, head coach Chris Holtmann stated it was better and how teams lately have forced them to play through the paint. He ended that answer by saying, that to win the Big East, they have to score in the paint.

“We’ve really worked on finishing because I think, if we’re going to win this league, we’re gonna have to score in the paint,” Holtmann said. “You know, I’ve said this to our guys we’ve had a great passing game, but we need a little bit of a running game to tease a football analogy. So we are gonna have to be able to score at the rim score at the paint to be able to win this league.”

Next up for UConn (11-3, 3-0): vs Providence (7-7, 1-2) – Jan. 5 at 2 p.m. EST

Next up for DePaul (9-5, 0-3): at Villanova (8-5, 1-1) – Jan. 4 at Noon EST