UConn Upset by Marquette
No. 4 UConn men's basketball was upset by Marquette in their season finale, a shocking result that could significantly impact the NCAA tournament bracket. The loss on the final day of the regular season comes at the worst possible time for the Huskies' seeding.
The 68-62 loss for UConn came at the hands of a Marquette team that entered the game with a record of 11-19. The Golden Eagles were led by freshman guard Nigel James Jr., who scored a game-high 19 points and added seven assists. For the Huskies, Silas Demary Jr. and Tarris Reed Jr. were the only players in double figures, with 17 and 16 points, respectively. UConn's offense struggled significantly throughout the contest, shooting just 35.6% from the field. Their performance from beyond the arc was particularly poor, as they converted only 3 of their 24 three-point attempts, a rate of 12.5%. This loss marked the first time this season that UConn was defeated after leading at halftime, having previously been 23-0 in such games. The defeat had significant consequences for the Huskies' championship aspirations, denying them what would have been a record 12th Big East regular-season title. Instead, St. John's claimed the top spot in the conference standings. As a result, UConn will enter the Big East Tournament as the No. 2 seed. The game ended in dramatic fashion, with UConn head coach Dan Hurley being ejected after receiving two technical fouls with just one second remaining on the clock. Hurley was incensed over a no-call on a potential game-tying layup attempt by Silas Demary Jr. Following the ejection, Marquette's Chase Ross sealed the victory by making four consecutive free throws.
