Despite a strong first half, visiting DePaul wasn’t able to hang on against No. 25 UConn in a 72-61 loss.
Layden Blocker had 18 points and five rebounds and CJ Gunn added 14 points for the Blue Demons (10-12, 1-10 Big East) against the Huskies (15-6, 7-3), who rallied from a 14-point deficit. Solo Ball scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half for UConn.
Tarris Reed Jr. had 16 points and eight rebounds for the Huskies (15-6, 7-3 Big East). Jaylin Stewart finished with 15 points before leaving following an awkward fall under DePaul’s basket with 3:34 to play.
DePaul, which has lost 42 of its last 43 regular-season Big East games, led by as many as 14 points in the first half as the Blue Demons scored at will against the Huskies early.
But UConn outscored DePaul 43-24 in the second half to avoid the upset.
DePaul took a 37-29 lead into halftime, but UConn cut the lead to two on three-pointers by Ball and Stewart in the first 2:08 of the second half.
UConn freshman Liam McNeeley missed his seventh straight game because of an ankle injury. Freshman guard Ahmad Nowell also sat with an ankle injury. DePaul was without forward David Skogman, who has started in 14 of the 18 games he played this season.