University of Connecticut Athletics
University of Connecticut
Butler
#5 UConn Hosts Butler For BIG EAST Opener
12/15/2025 4:55:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HARTFORD – The No. 5 UConn men's basketball team (10-1, 0-0 BIG EAST) opens its 40th season of BIG EAST conference play on Tuesday night when it welcomes Butler (8-2, 1-0 BIG EAST) to PeoplesBank Arena. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. airing on Peacock and NBCSN with Justin Kutcher and Donny Marshall on the call.
UConn has won or shared 11 regular season titles and eight tournament titles over its 39 years in the BIG EAST, joining as a charter member in 1979 and returning in 2020 after a seven-year absence. The Huskies lead the league in both regular season and tournament titles, last winning both in 2024. Since returning to the league for 2020-21, UConn's 69-27 regular season BIG EAST record is good for the best winning percentage (.719) in the league over that span.
The Huskies begin league play after taking on one of the most daunting non-league slates in America and going 10-1 against the gauntlet. UConn has four Quad 1 wins thus far in 2025-26, tied with four other programs for most in the country.
UConn and Butler have a series dating back to the 2011 national title game, a 53-41 win for Connecticut to secure the program's third championship. They began to meet regularly when UConn returned to the BIG EAST for 2020-21 after Butler joined the conference in 2013-14. The Huskies have swept the regular season series in each of the last five seasons and are 11-0 all-time against the Bulldogs. Last season the Huskies nabbed a 78-74 win at Hinkle Fieldhouse on 12/21/24 before taking an overtime affair, 80-78, on 1/21/25 in Hartford.
The Huskies are coming off a 71-63 triumph over Texas on Friday night in Hartford. It was UConn's 22nd-straight win in Hartford. Alex Karaban led four Huskies in double-figures with 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while Tarris Reed Jr. stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots. Both Braylon Mullins and Jaylin Stewart scored 10 and the Huskies shot 54.7 percent as a team to lead the Longhorns nearly wire-to-wire.
Solo Ball leads UConn's qualified scorers in points this season, averaging 14.5 per game and grabbing 3.4 rebounds a night. Karaban follows closely with 13.8 points per contest and adds 5.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.0 'stocks' while posting a 51.4/44.0/84.2 shooting line. Reed Jr. has missed five games but averages 14.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in in 24.0 minutes per game when suiting up.
Butler is coming off the league's opener on Saturday, downing Providence 113-110 in a double overtime thriller. The Bulldogs are 8-2 on the year and own impressive non-league wins over South Carolina and Virginia. Michael Ajayi has been one of the league's best players this season with 17.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, while Finley Bizjack leads BU with 18.8 points per game.
Following the league opener on Tuesday the Huskies head to Chicago to take on DePaul on Sunday, Dec. 21.
