UConn clapped back at Michigan, taking an 85-77 victory in Boston’s TD Garden, a full-circle moment after last season’s 69-63 national title game defeat to the Wolverines. This wasn’t just another early season game, it was a straight-up statement from the Huskies, who looked like the more assured squad, feeding off a super pro-UConn crowd that made that “neutral site” feel like a home court.
Not The Same Wolverines, But The Huskies Look Familiar
Okay, so this wasn’t *exactly* last season’s championship rematch. We saw two wildly different teams on the floor this time around. Michigan, the reigning champs, rolled out an almost entirely new roster. Coach Dusty May bounced to the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, with Mike Boynton Jr. now at the helm. And talk about a talent drain: stars Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr., and Aday Mara all took their talents to the pros, every single one of them a top 12 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. That’s a brutal hit!
UConn, on the other hand, while losing Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr., and with Solo Ball out for the season after wrist surgery, looked like they barely missed a beat. It was clear these Huskies knew their roles, while Michigan appeared to be in a full-blown identity crisis. Returning veterans were trying to lead, but the new guys just didn’t seem to have it all figured out yet.
Mullins and Demary Flex Hard For The Huskies
From the opening tip, both teams started hot. Michigan’s new center, Moustapha Thiam, slammed home a lob from Eliot Cadeau, but Braylon Mullins answered immediately with a three-pointer for UConn. That set the tone, and it was Mullins and Silas Demary Jr. who absolutely went off. Mullins led the Huskies with a massive 23 points, draining three long-range shots and hitting an insane 10 of 11 free throws. Demary wasn’t far behind, dropping 21 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, dishing out 4 assists, and snatching 2 steals. These two combined for just 13 points in the national title loss last year, so this was pure redemption energy.
UConn quickly built an early lead, with Mullins and Demary pouring in shots from beyond the arc. Michigan’s only consistent offense early on came from Cadeau. Demary kept his foot on the gas, scoring 5 points during a 10-6 surge that pushed UConn’s lead to 7. Later, Michigan had a golden chance to cut the lead to a single point when the UConn bench got hit with a technical foul after a protest over J.P. Estrella drawing a foul on an offensive rebound. But Trey McKinney choked on both technical free throws, and Estrella only made one of his two shots. You gotta be kidding me! The Huskies fans, sensing Michigan squandered a huge opportunity, absolutely erupted. UConn capitalized on that momentum, finishing the first half on an 11-2 run, capped by a Colton Landrew pull-up three that sent the Huskies into halftime with a commanding 43-30 advantage.
That lead stretched to 18 points just five minutes into the second half. Michigan’s Trey McKinney started to chip away with his three-point shooting, cutting UConn’s lead to 64-55 with 9:25 left. But the Huskies didn’t flinch, outscoring the Wolverines 11-6 over the next four minutes to rebuild their lead.
This early season game proved UConn is here to play, looking sharp and coordinated. Michigan has a lot of work to do to figure out their new squad. It’s a long season, but this is a big win for the Huskies to kick things off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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