McNeeley Shines as Freshman Leads No. 18 UConn to 77-71 Victory Over No. 8 Gonzaga at MSG

McNeeley Leads No. 18 UConn to 77-71 Win Over No. 8 Gonzaga at MSG

NEW YORK – Liam McNeeley delivered a standout performance at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night, helping the 18th-ranked UConn men's basketball team secure a 77-71 victory over No. 8 Gonzaga in a thrilling Hall of Fame Series matchup. With UConn fans filling the arena — often dubbed “Storrs South” — the game lived up to its high expectations.

The talented freshman McNeeley lived up to his own hype, scoring a career-high 26 points on 7-for-13 shooting, along with eight rebounds and four assists. His performance was especially vital on a night when Alex Karaban struggled (eight points, 0-for-7 from 3-point range), and Samson Johnson was sidelined for most of the game due to injury.

The win also marked No. 300 for UConn head coach Dan Hurley at the collegiate level and provided a much-needed boost as the Huskies wrapped up their nonconference schedule with an 8-3 record.

“We were able to save our nonconference [season],” Hurley said. “Just thinking about what we were able to do and show our character and champions’ will coming out of the MTE (Maui Invitational). We’ve got momentum. I think we’re in a good place in terms of our confidence and our belief that we could be where we want to be with this team.”

UConn’s scoring depth was on full display, with key contributions off the bench. Tarris Reed Jr. added 12 points and six rebounds, while Jaylin Stewart chipped in 10 points at crucial moments. Solo Ball contributed eight points, and Hassan Diarra orchestrated the offense, finishing with seven assists.

“It was a great first experience,” McNeeley said of playing in the iconic venue. “I never played in the Mecca before, but I enjoyed it, even if I showed a little bit of freshman nerves on the dais after the game.”

Gonzaga was led by Khalif Battle, who scored 21 points, including four 3-pointers, and Ryan Nembhard, who contributed 16 points and seven assists. Michael Ajayi added 14 points, going a perfect 4-for-4 from the field. Despite strong individual performances, UConn extended its recent dominance over Gonzaga, winning for the third time in as many years.

“It felt like a prize fight,” Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said, reflecting on the intense atmosphere of the sold-out crowd that quickly got behind UConn. “UConn just has the heart of a champion. Danny [Hurley] really brings that out of them.”

The Huskies appeared to be in championship form right from the opening tip.

Hassan Diarra set the tone early, finding Samson Johnson for a lob dunk that fired up the crowd at Madison Square Garden, where roughly 85% of the fans were cheering for UConn. Johnson followed up with another dunk, and freshman Liam McNeeley contributed seven points—including a straight-on 3-pointer—during an early 11-0 run. UConn quickly turned defense into offense, and Solo Ball added to the excitement with a two-handed dunk in transition, prompting Gonzaga head coach Mark Few to call a timeout less than three minutes into the game.

However, the energy in the building shifted when Johnson went down with an injury around the 11-minute mark. After laying face-down on the court, Johnson was helped off by trainer James Doran. As Johnson made his way to the locker room, UConn fans erupted with “Sam-son John-son” chants. He returned to the bench a few minutes later but did not re-enter the game.

“He’s going into concussion protocol,” UConn coach Dan Hurley explained. “He was screaming at the end of the bench, ‘I’m good, I’m back,’ but we’ve just got to see how things play out. It’s a shame, because he started the game on fire. Offensively, we were humming when he was in the game.”

Despite Johnson’s injury, UConn was off to a strong start, making 6 of their first 7 shots. But they struggled to keep up the pace, hitting just 3 of their next 12 attempts. Meanwhile, Gonzaga found some rhythm, with Khalif Battle scoring eight consecutive points. The Bulldogs then went on a 10-3 run over five minutes, capped off by a 3-pointer from Jaylin Stewart, to take a 21-20 lead. Diarra helped break UConn’s scoring drought by assisting Tarris Reed Jr. for a three-point play, putting the Huskies back in front. McNeeley and Alex Karaban then sparked a 6-0 run in the final minute and a half of the first half, giving UConn a narrow 43-40 lead at the break.

In the second half, UConn had to turn to sophomore center Youssouf Singare, who stepped in after Reed picked up his third foul and Johnson remained on the bench. The 6-foot-10 Singare made an immediate impact, grabbing a couple of offensive rebounds and providing much-needed defense, even though McNeeley’s open 3-pointer came up short.

“His size at the rim caused some problems,” Hurley said of Singare. “He gave us a lift. You need your third center, and he stepped up for us.”

The second half saw both teams struggle with their shooting. UConn shot just 38.7% from the field and 3-for-16 from beyond the arc, while Gonzaga wasn’t much better, shooting 35.5% overall and 2-for-8 from deep.

“I think the game was really intense,” Hurley said. “It was physical, and it was just two top-level teams battling it out. In a game like that, there’s going to be some attrition in the second half. We both shot well in the first half, but then we just beat the hell out of each other.”

With UConn in a bit of a slump, Gonzaga capitalized. Battle and Nembhard hit back-to-back 3-pointers, leading a 6-0 run to tie the game at 55 with just under 12 minutes to play. But Stewart, who has had big moments in the Garden, answered with a 3-pointer—UConn’s fourth of the game on their 18th attempt—and then followed it up with an acrobatic, fadeaway layup. “I thought I was going to airball that,” Stewart admitted with a smile.

Stewart’s personal 5-0 run gave the Huskies a quick lift, and UConn never looked back. McNeeley found Reed for a dunk, then Diarra dished it to McNeeley for an open 3-pointer in transition, putting the Huskies up by 10. McNeeley waved to the crowd, who erupted in response, as Gonzaga called another timeout.

“That fired me up,” McNeeley said. “I just wanted the crowd to feel my excitement.”

Gonzaga tried to claw back, but McNeeley continued to keep them at bay. With less than a minute left, Karaban made a crucial layup at the shot-clock buzzer, extending UConn’s lead to five. McNeeley sealed the victory with two free throws with 20 seconds left, ensuring a 77-71 win for the Huskies.

“We needed these wins to get back in our groove, to get our mojo back,” said Reed. “Maui was tough for us, but it was a wake-up call. Honestly, it was a blessing.”

With their nonconference slate now complete, UConn will head into Big East play with renewed confidence. The Huskies host Xavier at the XL Center on Wednesday at 7 p.m.