Uconn Vs Villanova: Dominant Second Half Sends No. 5 UConn Past Villanova 73-63 as Rivalry Sparks Continue
Uconn Vs Villanova produced two distinct chapters this week: No. 5 UConn used a dominant second half to defeat Villanova 73-63 on Saturday night in Philadelphia, while an earlier meeting between UConn and Villanova’s women’s team revived flashbacks of the ‘old-school Big East. ’ The men’s game featured a late surge that decided the contest, and the women’s game offered a tense first half that briefly flipped the script.
Uconn Vs Villanova — Game recap and turning points
In the Saturday night contest in Philadelphia, Alex Karaban scored 12 points and Tarris Reed Jr. added 11 as No. 5 UConn pulled away after intermission to beat Villanova 73-63. Braylon Mullins contributed 10 points for the Huskies, who were listed at 25-2, 15-2 in Big East play in that account. Tyler Perkins had 15 points and Matt Hodge scored 13 for Villanova, which finished the game with the 63 points total.
The teams were tied at the break in a competitive first half, but Villanova went without a field goal in the opening 5: 25 of the second half, and UConn opened with a 13-2 run after the intermission. The Huskies extended the margin later in the half — the lead reached as many as 21 on a spin move and finish by Reed — sealing a second-half advantage that decided the game. Villanova struggled from long range across the contest, finishing 6 for 24 from beyond the arc.
Pre-game setup at Xfinity Mobile Arena and betting snapshot
Pre-game materials had shown Villanova Wildcats 21-5 (12-3) facing #5 Connecticut Huskies 24-3 (14-2) at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, PA, with a betting line that listed Villanova at +2. 5 (subject to change). The pre-game notes also included net rankings placing Villanova at 29 and Connecticut at 10 in Quad 1. The event was promoted as a white out in South Philly with a 5: 30 PM start time local (5: 30 PM ET). Fans were directed to listen on a local Villanova radio network for coverage.
Women’s clash: a flashback to the ‘old-school Big East’
Earlier in the week at Finneran Pavilion, Villanova women’s basketball hosted No. 1 UConn and produced a moment that reminded observers of old conference intensity. The crowd at Finneran Pavilion was described as the loudest it had been all season for Villanova women’s basketball. Villanova led the previously undefeated Huskies by three points at halftime — the first time all season UConn trailed at the half — but UConn pulled away in the third quarter and held a double-digit lead to secure an 83-69 win.
Jasmine Bascoe was a focal point in that game: after being limited to eight points in the January matchup, the sophomore guard scored 26 on Wednesday, with 18 of those points coming in the first half. Bascoe also recorded nine rebounds and seven assists while playing the full 40 minutes. Villanova coach Denise Dillon praised the atmosphere and the crowd impact around the game.
Historical context, records and recent trends
The women’s coverage noted that UConn’s coach reflected on the rivalry and used the phrase ‘old-school Big East. ’ The historical ledger cited an all-time record favoring UConn at 49-7. It was noted that UConn rejoined the Big East in 2000 after a seven-year stint in the American Conference, and that the coach grew up in Norristown. In conference standings presented in the women’s coverage, UConn was listed at 28-0, 17-0 Big East and Villanova at 21-6, 14-4, holding the top two places in the league with a persistent gap between the programs.
On the men’s side, the Saturday result was UConn’s eighth win in the last nine meetings between the programs. Villanova had been riding a six-game win streak prior to the loss; that streak followed an earlier overtime defeat to UConn on Jan. 24 that ended 75-67 in overtime in the teams’ first meeting of the season. The Huskies were also identified as the 2023 and ’24 national champions and were described as pushing for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
What’s next and items to watch
Villanova’s remaining schedule was noted: the Wildcats have four regular-season games left in the window described. Separately, Villanova was set to return to Finneran Pavilion on Sunday to host Marquette at 3: 30 p. m. One coaching milestone was flagged: first-year Villanova coach Kevin Willard was almost certain to pass Jack Kraft for the most wins by a first-year coach; Kraft went 21-7 in 1961–62. Readers can sign up for poll alerts and Top 25 updates for continued coverage of the standings and postseason positioning.
Additional roster and player notes
In recounting Villanova personnel, the coverage mentioned Denae Carter as a graduate forward who joined the Wildcats in 2023-24 as a Mississi— unclear in the provided context. The sequence of games this week underscored contrasting narratives: a women’s game that briefly revived a classic-feeling rivalry and a men’s game decided by a UConn second-half surge.
