Just after climbing back into the Top 25, No. 14 UConn suffered another upset on Saturday, falling to unranked Creighton after a failed comeback attempt. The Huskies, who were down 35-28 at the half, scraped through the second half to retake the lead with less than four minutes remaining, keeping it a tight contest through the rest of the game.
With four seconds remaining, UConn forward Alex Karaban went for a game-tying three-pointer, but it bounced out. A pair of free throws from Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner secured the 68-63 win for the Bluejays.
The Huskies did everything they could to close the gap in the final minutes. With less than 30 seconds left, forward Jaylin Stewart slipped but pulled off an impressive pass from on the floor; the save gave Karaban a chance for a floater that got UConn within one point of the Bluejays.
Creighton’s Jamiya Neal led both teams with 24 points, with Kalkbrenner pitching in a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Guard Steven Ashworth contributed 12 points, nine assists and six rebounds to the Bluejays’ win.
UConn guards Hassan Diarra and Solo Ball picked up 15 points each, with Diarra also getting six rebounds and seven assists, while Stewart added 14 points.
It’s been a tough run for the defending NCAA Champions, who started the season at the top of the rankings but plummeted after back-to-back losses to Memphis and Colorado at the Maui Invitational in November.
Since then, the Huskies have bounced back, picking up some ranked wins, including a massive 77-71 win over Gonzaga. UConn slipped back into the AP Poll in December, but between Saturday’s loss and a two-point loss to Villanova on Jan. 8, things might be looking bleak for the Huskies again. UConn head coach Dan Hurley, as usual, won’t be pleased.
