Huskies Report

UConn Gets Major Praise from Marquette HC

Marquette’s head coach breaks down what makes the UConn Huskies’ top players so dangerous and why they’re already drawing national attention.
Shivani Menon|
Mar 21, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles head coach Shaka Smart reacts in the first half against the New Mexico Lobos during the NCAA Tournament First Round at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Mar 21, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; Marquette Golden Eagles head coach Shaka Smart reacts in the first half against the New Mexico Lobos during the NCAA Tournament First Round at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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UConn Huskies

Shaka Smart has seen a lot in his coaching career, but the UConn Huskies' top guys still make him sit up. At Big East Media Day, the Marquette coach singled out three Huskies already on the Preseason First Team, calling them ultimate winners who can take over a game anytime.

Smart started off by praising Alex Karaban.

“Karaban's a winner. I mean, he's just the ultimate winner to me. He does whatever it takes to win. He's a guy that, of all the people here today, you could ask any coach and they would say, you know, that guy right there, he affects winning,” Smart said.

Karaban’s recent Boston College exhibition gameplay alone backs that up. Karaban led the Huskies with a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. The Huskies took down BC 71-52. UConn’s defense was suffocating, forcing 20 turnovers and holding the Eagles to under 32 percent from the field. Karaban’s gameplay, however, is not news to Smart.

Karaban, after all, played against Marquette last year. In the last matchup, he scored seven straight points in the final minutes, including a game-sealing three-pointer, turning a three-point deficit into a seven-point lead. Smart did not stop there.

What Did Shaka Smart Say About Terris Reed Jr. and Solo Ball?

Smart went on to talk about Terris Reed, who didn’t play in the BC exhibition due to a hamstring injury. Despite the absence, there is no doubting Reed.

"We played against him in a scrimmage when he was at Michigan, and he's always had a great combination of brute strength and physicality, but also touch around the basket and the ability to make a read and make a play," he said.

Perhaps Reed’s last season at UConn was a glimpse of that “brute strength”. Last season, Reed, coming off the bench, averaged 9.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks. He even had a 24 points, 18 rebounds, and six blocks game against Providence, making it the lone 24-18-6 game in 2024-25 across Division-1.

Then there’s Solo Ball, whose shooting and defensive prowess have evolved into elite-level skills.

“He shoots the heck out of it. He's gotten really, really good at shooting on the move and making decisions, and he's tough to deal with coming off screening actions. Also, a heck of a defender,” Smart said.

Ball’s 2024-25 season saw him average 14.4 points per game and rank first in the conference with a 41.4 percent mark from three. Together with Karaban and Reed, UConn’s core of “winning guys” could potentially mean a deep run in March, and even Smart can’t help but notice before his own team faces them.

When Will Shaka Smart’s Team Take On UConn’s ‘Winning Guys’ Next?

UConn will host Marquette at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion on January 4 at 2 p.m., with NBC coverage and a radio broadcast on FOX Sports 97.9 FM. For Smart, it’ll be another chance to see his “winning guys” in action and maybe find ways to slow them down.

The two teams have a history of tight contests. UConn leads the series 13-8, including a 10-2 edge under Dan Hurley. Their last meeting, March 5, 2025, saw Huskies win 72-66. Although UConn has the upper hand historically, Marquette is never an easy out.

With UConn’s veterans at the peak of their game and Smart’s squad ready to test them again, fans can expect quite the match in Storrs. And if the BC exhibition was any indication, the Huskies’ “winning guys” are ready to keep the spotlight on them.

Don't forget to bookmark UConn Huskies on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!

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Shivani Menon
SHIVANI MENON

Shivani Menon is a sports journalist with a background in Mass Communication and a passion for storytelling. She has written for EssentiallySports, College Sports Network, and PFSN, covering Olympic sports like track and field, gymnastics, and alpine skiing, as well as college football, basketball, March Madness, and the NBL Draft. When she's not reporting, she's either on the road chasing sunsets or getting lost in the rhythms of electronic soundscapes.

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