No. 3 UConn shakes off slow start to beat New Hampshire

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Alex Karaban had 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots to help No. 3 UConn beat New Hampshire 92-53 on Saturday night.

Karaban scored four of the final six points of the first half as UConn (2-0) took a 35-24 advantage into the break. The only returning starter for the two-time defending national champions had a pair of early 3-pointers in the second half to give UConn some breathing room against the Wildcats.

Solo Ball finished with 14 points for UConn. Tarris Reed Jr. had 11 points and seven rebounds and Liam McNeeley had 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Sophomore forward Jayden Ross missed UConn’s season-opening win over Sacred Heart with an ankle injury. He had 14 points in 22 minutes.

Anthony McComb III led New Hampshire (1-2) with 17 points. Sami Pissis had 15 points and Trey Woodyard added 11 points for the Wildcats.

Takeaways

New Hampshire: The Wildcats finished with just five bench points compared 40 points off the bench from UConn as the Wildcats lost to the Huskies for the 13th time in a row.

UConn The Huskies struggled to make shots in the first half but made 13 of their first 18 shots in the second half. UConn was 4 of 8 from 3-point range during that stretch and only missed one of its first shots inside the 3-point line.

Key moment

UConn was trailing New Hampshire 13-12 midway through the first half when Alex Karaban hit an open 3-pointer and set up a Jayden Ross basket for a fast-break layup to give UConn a four-point lead.

Up next

The Wildcats play Fairfield University on Tuesday. UConn is back at the XL Center to face LeMoyne on Wednesday.

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