UConn Freshman Star Lands Massive Big East Honor

As the Uconn Huskies are preparing for the Big East Conference Tournament, the awards are beginning to pile up for head coach Dan Hurley's squad.

Huskies' star freshman Liam McNeeley was recently announced as the Big East Conference Freshman of the Year on Wednesday after turning heads in his first year with the program.

Liam McNeeley is YOUR @BIGEASTMBB Freshman of the Year 📞📞 pic.twitter.com/xZOBVXd5Yp
— UConn Men's Basketball (@UConnMBB) March 12, 2025

The freshman forward from Richardson, TX, played a key role in Hurley's lineup this season, averaging 14.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. He finished the regular season with four double-doubles, including his heroic effort against the Creighton Bluejays on Feb 11. McNeeley managed to score a career-high 38 points while grabbing 10 rebounds in the team's upset victory, 70-66.

UConn freshman Liam McNeeley GOES OFF on the road against Creighton 🔥
The freshman scored more than half of his team's points in a win 😳

38 PTS | 12-22 FG | 5-10 3PT | 10 REB pic.twitter.com/sfIOQNuwwT
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) February 12, 2025

McNeeley becomes the seventh freshman in program history and the second-consecutive Uconn player to win the prestigious award, as Stephon Castle took home the honors in 2024. He now joins a list of multiple Huskies' greats that features Rudy Gay in 2005 and Khalid El-Amin in 1998.

The former highly-touted recruit in the 2024 class is projected to be a first-round pick in this year's NBA Draft due to his rare combination of size and shooting ability. However, McNeeley and his teammates must focus on the upcoming Big East Conference tournament and NCAA Tournament.

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