CHICAGO (AP) — Alex Karaban scored 21 points and No. 5 UConn beat DePaul 72-54 on Sunday.
UConn (12-1, 2-0 Big East) has won eight straight without a single goal. The record against DePaul also improved to 22-1.
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The Huskies held the Blue Devils to 36.4 percent shooting. They also had a 40-28 advantage on the boards, led by Tarris Reed Jr.’s 11 rebounds.
Ball is out with a minor injury. The young guard scored a career-high 26 points in Tuesday night’s 79-60 victory over Butler and is averaging a team-high 15.4 points per game.
Huskies guard Silas Demary Jr. ran off the field after getting sick early in the second half. But he came back with 14:28 left. He finished with 13 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds.
Redden Bullock scored 11 points for DePaul (8-5, 0-2), which lost 79-66 to No. 22 St. John’s in Tuesday night’s Big East opener. Cruz McClure scored 10 points.
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With 3:53 left in the game, Bullock scored on a layup to bring the Blue Devils to 62-52. But Reed scored as the shot clock expired and Braylon Mullins hit two 3-pointers to help the Huskies pull away.
With 1:30 left in the first half, Karaban hit a three-pointer to help UConn lead 33-30 at halftime.
UConn carried the momentum into the second half. Malachi Smith drove for a layup and Jaylin Stewart’s athletic counterattack made it 44-34 with 14:32 left.
Next
University of Connecticut: Dec. 31 at Xavier.
DePaul: Dec. 31 at Villanova.
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