UConn’s men’s basketball squad just rolled over Michigan State 78-70 on Tuesday night in East Lansing. Yeah, it was *just* exhibition two for both teams, but if you saw the packed Breslin Center and the way these guys were throwing down, you’d swear it was March Madness already. The intensity was off the charts, totally physical, and even though it didn’t count, it sure felt like it did.
Huskies’ Offense Already Dialed In For March
Man, these Huskies came out firing, especially in the second half. They were zipping passes around the perimeter for threes and hitting cutters with perfect dimes for easy layups. They shot a scorching 57 percent from the floor in the final 20 minutes, going 16-for-28, and they were lights out from deep, hitting 6-for-12 from beyond the arc. The assists? Absurd. They had 13 dimes on those 16 second-half field goals and racked up 21 assists on 27 makes for the whole game. Nik Khamenis was a beast, dropping 19 points, including a slick spinning, teardrop jumper with just over a minute left that basically sealed the deal. Silas Demary Jr. added a huge 16 points, and freshman Colben Landrew showed up big with 13 points and five boards. Na’jai Hines, back in the starting lineup after sitting the Syracuse exhibition, chipped in eight points before fouling out, and Nils Machowski had seven points off the bench.
Defense Stifles Sparty, But Free Throws Are a Vibe Killer
While the offense was cooking, the Huskies defense was straight up suffocating. They held Sparty to just 40 percent shooting overall from the field and an abysmal 3-for-20 from three, which is a measly 15 percent. Michigan State’s All-American candidate, Jeremy Fears Jr., led all scorers with 23 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome that D. Now, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. The Huskies only hit 14 of 22 from the foul line, which is never gonna cut it. And, for the second game in a row, their starting center fouled out. That’s a trend that’s gotta stop, like, yesterday. But honestly, despite those few hiccups, it was hard not to be seriously impressed with how UConn played overall.
Even if this game meant nothing on paper, it said an awful lot about what’s coming. These guys are playing like a seasoned squad already, and with their offense looking this sharp and their defense locking down, you gotta wonder what they’re gonna look like when the games actually count. Keep an eye on those free throws and that foul trouble for the big men, but for now, this team looks ready to make some noise.
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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