NOVA

UCONN

Preview not available

UConn uses late run to beat Villanova 73-56 in Big East Conference Tournament quarterfinal

AP
Mar 14, 2025

NEW YORK (AP) Alex Karaban scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half to help Connecticut rally for a 73-56 victory over Villanova in a Big East Conference Tournament quarterfinal at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.

The third-seeded Huskies (23-9) move on to play No. 2 seed Creighton in a Friday semifinal. The Bluejays had to go to a second overtime before beating 10th-seeded DePaul 85-81. The Blue Demons were aiming for the school's first semifinal appearance in the tournament. Top-seeded and sixth-ranked St. John's plays No. 5 seed Marquette in the other semifinal.

UConn didn't take the lead in the second half until Karaban made two free throws for a 49-48 advantage with 9:09 remaining. Eric Dixon had a three-point play to tie the game at 51 with eight minutes left. Karaban hit a 3-pointer to cap a 7-0 run and the Huskies outscored the Wildcats 22-5 down the stretch.

Wooga Poplar scored 15 on 7-for-9 shooting to lead sixth-seeded Villanova to a 36-31 advantage at halftime. The Wildcats missed 19 of 24 shots after the break.

Villanova's Eric Dixon needed 17 points to break Kerry Kittles' school record of 2,243 career points. He finished with eight on 2-for-15 shooting and will have to hope the Wildcats earn a spot in a postseason tournament to break it.

Karaban finished a rebound shy of a double-double for UConn. Liam McNeeley totaled 12 points and seven rebounds. Samson Johnson didn't miss a shot and matched Solo Ball with 11 points.

Poplar led all scorers with 25 points. Jordan Longino added 10 points for Villanova.

---

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

1st Half
NOVA
Wildcats
36
UCONN
Huskies
31

Time		Play	Score
20:00		(Huskies gains possession)
19:43	+2	Samson Johnson makes two point dunk (Alex Karaban assists)	0-2
19:16		Wooga Poplar turnover (Hassan Diarra steals)
19:10		Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot
19:08		Wildcats defensive rebound
18:51		Eric Dixon offensive foul
18:51		Eric Dixon turnover (offensive foul)
18:27		Samson Johnson turnover (traveling)
18:15		Wooga Poplar misses two point layup
18:13		Enoch Boakye offensive rebound
18:08		Enoch Boakye misses two point tip layup
18:06		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
17:58	+2	Samson Johnson makes two point dunk (Hassan Diarra assists)	0-4
17:32	+2	Wooga Poplar makes two point jump shot	2-4
17:09		Solo Ball misses three point jump shot
17:07		Eric Dixon defensive rebound
17:00		Solo Ball shooting foul (Jhamir Brickus draws the foul)
17:00	+1	Jhamir Brickus makes regular free throw 1 of 2	3-4
17:00	+1	Jhamir Brickus makes regular free throw 2 of 2	4-4
16:31		Liam McNeeley turnover (Eric Dixon steals)
16:23		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
16:21		Huskies defensive rebound
16:03	+2	Liam McNeeley makes two point layup	4-6
15:37		Samson Johnson shooting foul (Enoch Boakye draws the foul)
15:37		TV timeout
15:37	+1	Enoch Boakye makes regular free throw 1 of 2	5-6
15:37		Enoch Boakye misses regular free throw 2 of 2
15:37		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
15:13		Alex Karaban misses two point jump shot
15:11		Hassan Diarra offensive rebound
15:03		Solo Ball misses three point jump shot
15:01		Wooga Poplar defensive rebound
14:51	+2	Wooga Poplar makes two point jump shot	7-6
14:23		Alex Karaban misses two point jump shot
14:21		Tarris Reed Jr. offensive rebound
14:11	+2	Tarris Reed Jr. makes two point dunk	7-8
13:42	+3	Jhamir Brickus makes three point jump shot	10-8
13:16		Liam McNeeley misses three point jump shot
13:14		Wildcats defensive rebound
13:01		Jaylin Stewart shooting foul (Tyler Perkins draws the foul)
13:01	+1	Tyler Perkins makes regular free throw 1 of 3	11-8
13:01		Tyler Perkins misses regular free throw 2 of 3
13:01	+1	Tyler Perkins makes regular free throw 3 of 3	12-8
12:46		Liam McNeeley turnover (Enoch Boakye steals)
12:29		Hassan Diarra shooting foul (Jordan Longino draws the foul)
12:29	+1	Jordan Longino makes regular free throw 1 of 2	13-8
12:29	+1	Jordan Longino makes regular free throw 2 of 2	14-8
12:15		Jaylin Stewart misses three point jump shot
12:13		Tyler Perkins defensive rebound
12:06		Wooga Poplar misses three point jump shot
12:04		Tarris Reed Jr. defensive rebound
11:54		Solo Ball misses three point jump shot
11:52		Jordann Dumont defensive rebound
11:35	+3	Wooga Poplar makes three point jump shot (Jordan Longino assists)	17-8
11:04	+2	Tarris Reed Jr. makes two point layup	17-10
10:42		Jordann Dumont misses three point jump shot
10:40		Tarris Reed Jr. defensive rebound
10:29	+3	Alex Karaban makes three point jump shot (Jaylin Stewart assists)	17-13
10:05		Aidan Mahaney shooting foul (Jordan Longino draws the foul)
10:05		TV timeout
10:05		Dan Hurley technical foul
10:05	+1	Jhamir Brickus makes technical free throw 1 of 2	18-13
10:05	+1	Jhamir Brickus makes technical free throw 2 of 2	19-13
10:05		Jordan Longino misses regular free throw 1 of 2
10:05	+1	Jordan Longino makes regular free throw 2 of 2	20-13
9:56		Tyler Perkins personal foul
9:43	+2	Jaylin Stewart makes two point layup (Aidan Mahaney assists)	20-15
9:14		Tyler Perkins misses two point jump shot
9:11		Alex Karaban defensive rebound
9:05	+2	Solo Ball makes two point layup	20-17
8:41		Eric Dixon misses two point jump shot
8:39		Enoch Boakye offensive rebound
8:27	+2	Wooga Poplar makes two point jump shot	22-17
8:08		Wooga Poplar shooting foul (Solo Ball draws the foul)
8:08	+1	Solo Ball makes regular free throw 1 of 2	22-18
8:08	+1	Solo Ball makes regular free throw 2 of 2	22-19
7:47		Eric Dixon misses two point layup
7:45		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
7:38		Liam McNeeley turnover (traveling)
7:38		TV timeout
7:21	+2	Wooga Poplar makes two point layup	24-19
6:54	+2	Jaylin Stewart makes two point layup (Samson Johnson assists)	24-21
6:26		Hassan Diarra personal foul (Eric Dixon draws the foul)
6:26	+1	Eric Dixon makes regular free throw 1 of 2	25-21
6:26	+1	Eric Dixon makes regular free throw 2 of 2	26-21
6:11	+2	Liam McNeeley makes two point layup (Alex Karaban assists)	26-23
5:56	+3	Jordan Longino makes three point jump shot	29-23
5:33		Solo Ball turnover (Jhamir Brickus steals)
5:28		Jump ball. (Wildcats gains possession)
5:20		Samson Johnson blocks Jhamir Brickus's two point layup
5:18		Wildcats offensive rebound
5:16		Samson Johnson personal foul (Wooga Poplar draws the foul)
5:16		Wooga Poplar misses regular free throw 1 of 1
5:16		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
4:53		Aidan Mahaney misses three point jump shot
4:51		Tyler Perkins defensive rebound
4:38		Tyler Perkins misses two point jump shot
4:36		Jaylin Stewart defensive rebound
4:28		Aidan Mahaney turnover (bad pass) (Enoch Boakye steals)
4:05		Enoch Boakye misses two point layup
4:03		Alex Karaban defensive rebound
3:52		Alex Karaban misses three point jump shot
3:50		Tyler Perkins defensive rebound
3:30		Tarris Reed Jr. blocks Jordan Longino's two point layup
3:28		Alex Karaban defensive rebound
3:16	+3	Aidan Mahaney makes three point jump shot (Alex Karaban assists)	29-26
3:05		Wildcats 30 second timeout
3:05		TV timeout
2:49		Eric Dixon turnover (Aidan Mahaney steals)
2:45	+2	Aidan Mahaney makes two point layup	29-28
2:25	+2	Wooga Poplar makes two point jump shot	31-28
2:07	+3	Liam McNeeley makes three point jump shot (Aidan Mahaney assists)	31-31
1:41	+3	Eric Dixon makes three point jump shot (Wooga Poplar assists)	34-31
1:13		Solo Ball misses three point jump shot
1:11		Wildcats defensive rebound
0:47		Jhamir Brickus misses two point jump shot
0:45		Tarris Reed Jr. defensive rebound
0:37		Huskies 30 second timeout
0:19		Liam McNeeley misses two point layup
0:17		Tyler Perkins defensive rebound
0:03	+2	Wooga Poplar makes two point jump shot	36-31
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
NOVA
Wildcats
20
UCONN
Huskies
42

Time		Play	Score
19:42		Solo Ball misses two point layup
19:40		Jordan Longino defensive rebound
19:40		Jump ball. (Wildcats gains possession)
19:16		Jordan Longino misses three point jump shot
19:14		Enoch Boakye offensive rebound
18:56		Alex Karaban shooting foul (Jhamir Brickus draws the foul)
18:56		Jhamir Brickus misses regular free throw 1 of 2
18:56	+1	Jhamir Brickus makes regular free throw 2 of 2	37-31
18:45		Hassan Diarra turnover (bad pass) (Enoch Boakye steals)
18:30		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
18:28		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
18:18	+2	Hassan Diarra makes two point layup	37-33
17:48		Enoch Boakye turnover (lost ball) (Samson Johnson steals)
17:30	+3	Solo Ball makes three point jump shot (Hassan Diarra assists)	37-36
17:09	+3	Wooga Poplar makes three point jump shot (Jhamir Brickus assists)	40-36
16:47	+2	Solo Ball makes two point jump shot (Hassan Diarra assists)	40-38
16:23	+3	Wooga Poplar makes three point jump shot (Jhamir Brickus assists)	43-38
16:00	+2	Alex Karaban makes two point layup	43-40
15:25		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
15:23		Alex Karaban defensive rebound
15:13		Jordan Longino shooting foul (Liam McNeeley draws the foul)
15:13		TV timeout
15:13		Liam McNeeley misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:13	+1	Liam McNeeley makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-41
14:58		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
14:56		Eric Dixon offensive rebound
14:55		Liam McNeeley personal foul (Eric Dixon draws the foul)
14:35		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
14:33		Alex Karaban defensive rebound
14:25		Alex Karaban offensive foul (Eric Dixon draws the foul)
14:25		Alex Karaban turnover (offensive foul)
14:03		Wooga Poplar turnover (lost ball)
13:34		Hassan Diarra turnover (lost ball) (Wooga Poplar steals)
13:30	+2	Wooga Poplar makes two point dunk	45-41
13:20		Jhamir Brickus personal foul (Hassan Diarra draws the foul)
13:06		Liam McNeeley misses two point turnaround jump shot
13:04		Wooga Poplar defensive rebound
12:46		Solo Ball shooting foul (Jordan Longino draws the foul)
12:46	+1	Jordan Longino makes regular free throw 1 of 2	46-41
12:46		Jordan Longino misses regular free throw 2 of 2
12:46		Tarris Reed Jr. defensive rebound
12:25	+3	Alex Karaban makes three point jump shot (Aidan Mahaney assists)	46-44
11:55		Eric Dixon misses two point jump shot
11:53		Aidan Mahaney defensive rebound
11:46		TV timeout
11:30		Jhamir Brickus personal foul (Aidan Mahaney draws the foul)
11:26		Jaylin Stewart misses three point jump shot
11:24		Wooga Poplar defensive rebound
11:04		Alex Karaban blocks Wooga Poplar's two point jump shot
11:02		Alex Karaban defensive rebound
10:55	+2	Aidan Mahaney makes two point layup	46-46
10:37		Tarris Reed Jr. shooting foul (Enoch Boakye draws the foul)
10:37	+1	Enoch Boakye makes regular free throw 1 of 2	47-46
10:37	+1	Enoch Boakye makes regular free throw 2 of 2	48-46
10:18		Aidan Mahaney misses three point jump shot
10:16		Tyler Perkins defensive rebound
10:04		Eric Dixon misses two point jump shot
10:02		Jaylin Stewart defensive rebound
9:53		Enoch Boakye shooting foul (Tarris Reed Jr. draws the foul)
9:53	+1	Tarris Reed Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-47
9:53		Tarris Reed Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 2
9:53		Enoch Boakye defensive rebound
9:27		Jordan Longino misses two point jump shot
9:25		Huskies defensive rebound
9:09		Enoch Boakye shooting foul (Alex Karaban draws the foul)
9:09	+1	Alex Karaban makes regular free throw 1 of 2	48-48
9:09	+1	Alex Karaban makes regular free throw 2 of 2	48-49
8:49		Jhamir Brickus misses three point jump shot
8:47		Liam McNeeley defensive rebound
8:29	+2	Liam McNeeley makes two point layup	48-51
7:58	+2	Eric Dixon makes two point layup	50-51
7:58		Aidan Mahaney shooting foul (Eric Dixon draws the foul)
7:58		TV timeout
7:58	+1	Eric Dixon makes regular free throw 1 of 1	51-51
7:31		Tyler Perkins shooting foul (Liam McNeeley draws the foul)
7:31	+1	Liam McNeeley makes regular free throw 1 of 2	51-52
7:31	+1	Liam McNeeley makes regular free throw 2 of 2	51-53
7:10		Wooga Poplar misses two point jump shot
7:08		Alex Karaban defensive rebound
6:46	+2	Samson Johnson makes two point layup (Solo Ball assists)	51-55
6:34		Eric Dixon misses two point jump shot
6:32		Huskies defensive rebound
6:17	+3	Alex Karaban makes three point jump shot (Hassan Diarra assists)	51-58
5:51	+3	Jordan Longino makes three point jump shot (Eric Dixon assists)	54-58
5:20		Eric Dixon blocks Solo Ball's two point layup
5:18		Huskies offensive rebound
5:18		Huskies turnover (shot clock violation)
5:00		Eric Dixon turnover (lost ball) (Alex Karaban steals)
4:55		Jaylin Stewart misses two point layup
4:53		Liam McNeeley offensive rebound
4:47	+2	Samson Johnson makes two point layup (Alex Karaban assists)	54-60
4:35		Wildcats 30 second timeout
4:35		TV timeout
4:16		Eric Dixon misses two point layup
4:14		Wooga Poplar offensive rebound
4:10		Jordan Longino misses three point jump shot
4:08		Jaylin Stewart defensive rebound
3:40	+3	Alex Karaban makes three point jump shot (Hassan Diarra assists)	54-63
3:17		Eric Dixon misses three point jump shot
3:15		Hassan Diarra defensive rebound
2:53	+2	Samson Johnson makes two point layup (Alex Karaban assists)	54-65
2:53		Jhamir Brickus shooting foul (Samson Johnson draws the foul)
2:53		TV timeout
2:53	+1	Samson Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 1	54-66
2:40		Jordan Longino turnover (out of bounds)
2:14		Liam McNeeley misses three point jump shot
2:12		Tyler Perkins defensive rebound
1:59		Eric Dixon misses two point layup
1:57		Samson Johnson defensive rebound
1:35	+3	Jaylin Stewart makes three point jump shot (Alex Karaban assists)	54-69
1:19		Wooga Poplar misses three point jump shot
1:17		Alex Karaban defensive rebound
1:16		Jordan Longino personal foul (Alex Karaban draws the foul)
1:16	+1	Alex Karaban makes regular free throw 1 of 2	54-70
1:16	+1	Alex Karaban makes regular free throw 2 of 2	54-71
1:08		Jhamir Brickus misses three point jump shot
1:06		Alex Karaban defensive rebound
0:44		Tyler Perkins personal foul (Solo Ball draws the foul)
0:44	+1	Solo Ball makes regular free throw 1 of 2	54-72
0:44	+1	Solo Ball makes regular free throw 2 of 2	54-73
0:33		Jhamir Brickus misses three point jump shot
0:31		Wildcats offensive rebound
0:29		Solo Ball personal foul (Wooga Poplar draws the foul)
0:29	+1	Wooga Poplar makes regular free throw 1 of 2	55-73
0:29	+1	Wooga Poplar makes regular free throw 2 of 2	56-73
0:00		End of period

+ 1

Wooga Poplar makes regular free throw 2 of 2