Uconn to face Marquette in marquee contest

The top-ranked Uconn men’s basketball team plays host to No. 4 Marquette on Saturday in what is the program’s first top-five matchup at home since February 16, 2009.

Uconn, hoping to reverse its fortune from what was a 76-68 loss to No. 1 Pittsburgh that day in Hartford, carries the nation’s longest active winning streak (13 games) into Saturday’s matchup. Marquette, which moved into the top five of the AP rankings this week, has won eight in a row.

Saturday’s game is also the third top five matchup between Big East teams since the conference realigned in 2013-14.

Uconn, unbeaten at home this year, holds a 2 ½-game lead over the reigning Big East dual champion Golden Eagles in the conference standings as it looks for its first Big East regular-season title since the 2005-06 season. Marquette won two of three against the Huskies last year, including a thriller in the Big East Tournament semifinal that came down to the game’s final possession. Saturday’s matchup is the first of two between the two teams this regular season.

Dan Hurley’s Huskies (23-2, 13-1 Big East) are 5-2 against Marquette since returning to the Big East for the 2020-21 season, including a 3-0 record at home. The Huskies enter Saturday’s matchup with the Big East’s best scoring offense (82.0 points per game) and scoring defense (64.1 points allowed per game), shooting a leaguebest 50.1% from the field and 36.7% from the 3-point line. Uconn also leads the league in rebounding margin (plus-8.36), blocked shots (5.48), assists (18.04) and assist/turnover ratio (1.78).

All five of Uconn’s starters are averaging in double figure scoring on the season, each with at least four rebounds per game and three with at least three assists per game. Cam Spencer is the Huskies’ leading scorer (15.2) and ranks fourth nationally in 3-point percentage (44.7%). Tristen Newton, a Midseason Finalist for Wooden Award and the Naismith Award, averages 15 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. Alex Karaban is Uconn’s third-leading scorer at 14.9 points per game while center Donovan Clingan averages 12.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks on 63.3% shooting from the field.