No. 18 UConn held off a late rally from No. 8 Gonzaga for a 77-71 win on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. UConn star freshman Liam McNeeley led the charge in the Huskies’ biggest win of the 2024-25 season — scoring a career-high 26 points for his second outing of at least 20 points this season.
McNeeley recorded seven rebounds and four assists after intermission to help his team pull off the upset. Michigan transfer Tarris Reed Jr. scored 12 points and added six rebounds and three blocks. Reed and McNeeley were two of five UConn players that scored at least eight points.
The Huskies have now won their last four games since going 0-3 in the Maui Invitational last month. UConn was coming off a 76-65 win over Texas on the road just days after knocking off Baylor in the Big 12-Big East Battle.
Khalif Battle scored a team-high 21 points for Gonzaga, while Ryan Nembhard added 16. Gonzaga took a 38-37 lead with 1:47 remaining in the first half and never led again after UConn star forward Alex Karaban knocked down a pair of free throws moments later. Gonzaga was coming off a 90-89 overtime loss to Kentucky last weekend and has now lost three of its last five games.
UConn (8-3) opens Big East play against Xavier on Wednesday. Gonzaga (7-3) faces Nicholls State on the same day.
