UConn Assistant Coach Luke Murray Praises Liam McNeeley: 'That Was Really Special'
The first half of UConn’s Tuesday night contest against Creighton was disastrous.
The Huskies struggled to generate points against the Blue Jays’ active half-court defense, appearing rattled on the road while facing a Top 25 opponent.
Fortunately, superstar freshman Liam McNeeley showed up to play from the start, notching 15 points and carrying the offensive load for the Huskies before halftime.
In half No. 2, McNeeley elevated his play to new heights and willed the Huskies to an exhilarating 70-66 victory over the Blue Jays, finishing the game with 38 points and 10 rebounds on 54.5% field goal shooting and 50% three-point shooting.
After McNeeley's offensive masterclass, UConn assistant coach Luke Murray praised the future lottery pick for stepping up when the Huskies needed a boost.
“That was really special,” Murray said.“That’s probably the best freshman performance that I’ve seen, given the circumstances, being on the road, in a hostile environment, a place we’ve struggled to win the last couple of years.”
“And honestly, just how the game started. We didn’t really have our footing for the majority of the first half, and Liam was really the one guy from the outset that was super aggressive and played really well to give us some confidence.”
McNeeley doesn’t exhibit the flashiest game in college basketball, but he gets the job done more often than not.
After an inefficient 18-point outing against St. John’s on Feb. 7, the 6-foot-7 forward returned to the basics against Creighton and enjoyed the most productive game of the year.
From hitting rhythm threes after a few passes to being patient when putting the ball on the hardwood, McNeeley took what Creighton gave him on the offensive end.
Hopefully, McNeeley builds on his remarkable 38-point showing and guides the Huskies to a road win over Seton Hall this Saturday.
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Caleb Hightower is a graduate of Hofstra University and can write about any sport, but he has a particular passion for basketball – specifically college and NBA. He has written for publications such as FanBuzz and Busting Brackets since graduating. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "UConn Huskies On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org Twitter: https://x.com/CalebHightower1