No. 19 UConn holds off Butler 80-78 in overtime to avoid a 2nd consecutive home loss

jim fuller

Tue, 21 Jan 2025, 10:05 pm·2-min read

UConn center Samson Johnson (35) flexes after making a basket in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Butler, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. (5) dunks as Butler center Andre Screen (23) defends in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

UConn center Tarris Reed Jr., left, shoots as Butler center Andre Screen defends in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

UConn forward Alex Karaban (11) shoots against Butler in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

UConn center Samson Johnson (35) is fouled by Butler forward Jahmyl Telfort (11) as he goes up to make a basket in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

UConn guard Hassan Diarra (10) and UConn forward Alex Karaban (11) celebrate in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Butler, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

UConn head coach Dan Hurley calls out to his players in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Butler, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Solo Ball scored a career-high 23 points and No. 19 UConn held off Butler 80-78 in overtime Tuesday night.

Alex Karaban added 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three blocks for the Huskies (14-5, 6-2 Big East), who were coming off a loss at home to Creighton last Saturday. The two-time defending national champions are 2-2 since an eight-game winning streak.

Samson Johnson and Tarris Reed Jr. each had 14 points. Reed gave UConn an 80-76 lead on a basket with 19.9 seconds left in OT after Karaban had the ball stripped on his way to the hoop.

Jahmyl Telfort scored 25 for Butler (8-11, 1-7) but missed a pair of 3-pointers in the final 3 seconds that could have given the Bulldogs their first win over UConn.

Finley Bizback added 17 points and Andre Screen had 13 points and nine rebounds.

UConn led by 15 in the first half and 39-31 at halftime. Butler erased a nine-point deficit in the final 6:50 of regulation and took a two-point lead before Karaban's jumper with 1:43 left sent the game to overtime tied at 68.

Takeaways

Butler: Fell to 0-11 against UConn. The first meeting came in the 2011 NCAA championship game.

UConn: Karaban made his 94th career start for the Huskies despite sustaining an ankle injury late in Saturday’s loss to Creighton. UConn freshman Liam McNeeley missed his fifth consecutive game with an ankle injury.

Key moment

Butler led early in overtime before Karaban tied the score with a three-point play and then Ball hit a 3-pointer.

Key stat

UConn was 4 for 6 from the field in overtime after struggling to hit shots down the stretch in regulation.

Up next

Butler hosts DePaul on Saturday, and UConn visits Xavier.

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