Technical knockout UConn suffers first loss, falls to Xavier

CINCINNATI — And this is how the UConn men’s basketball team’s perfect start to the season comes to an end.

Some questionable foul calls, sure, and a big discrepancy in free throw attempts. But ultimately, a technical foul on coach Dan Hurley with 2 minutes to play that was truly crippling. With 2:25 remaining and UConn trailing by two, Tristen Newton was called for a foul on Xavier’s Zach Freemantle. Freemantle hit the first foul shot, but Hurley continued voicing his disagreement with the officials and was hit with a technical.

Souley Boum hit both technical free throws, Freemantle returned to the line to hit his second, and suddenly Xavier’s lead was six.

The Musketeers held on for an 83-73 win that marked the second-ranked Huskies’ first loss in 15 games this season.

UConn (14-1) trailed by its biggest margin of the season, 34-24, with 6:21 left in the first half. But the

Huskies, faced with ingame adversity so rarely this season, rallied back and avoided their first halftime deficit of the season on a Naheim Alleyne 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 42-41 edge.

And when Andre Jackson, disrespected by Xavier’s defense with wide-open 3-pointers all night, stepped back and hit a trey, followed by a Sanogo bucket just over two minutes into the latter half, UConn was up seven and seemed to have the momentum to cruise to the finish line.

Xavier had other ideas.The Musketeers tied it at 58 on a Jack Nunge dunk, then went ahead on a Boum layup. UConn fell behind by five but rallied back again, on a Jackson 3-pointer, followed by his steal and

layup to tie the game at 71.

But Colby Jones hit a reverse layup, and Freemantle was then fouled on the call that led to Hurley’s

technical.

RIM RATTLINGS

⏩ Reid Ducharme, a Class of 2023 commit to Xavier whose sister Caroline plays for the UConn women’s team, was introduced to the sellout crowd on the videoboard

during a timeout and received a loud ovation. Ducharme had received minimal recruiting interest from the Huskies.

Jeff Dean / Associated Press Xavier forward Jerome Hunter (2) fights for a loose ball against UConn’s Tristen Newton, right, during the first half on Saturday in Cincinnati.

Dylan Buell / Getty Images UConn’s Adama Sanogo dribbles the ball while being guarded by Xavier’s Colby Jones at the Cintas Center on Saturday in Cincinnati, Ohio.