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Nov 3, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley watches from the sideline as they take on the New Haven Chargers at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images David Butler II-Imagn Images

Analyst Details UConn’s Surprising BYU Lessons

Originally posted on UConn Huskies on SI
By Shivani Menon | Last updated Nov 18, 2025 8:31 AM ET

The UConn Huskies walked out of Boston at 4-0, still unbeaten, still unbothered, and very much looking like a team that hasn’t remotely tapped into its ceiling yet. While the win over No. 7 BYU wasn’t perfect, it gave the Husky nation a glimpse of a team preparing for another long season.

With the Huskies shooting 56.6 percent from the field and surviving a frantic late push to win 86-84, the night felt less like a test and more like a warning. And that is exactly why national analyst Jon Rothstein couldn’t take his eyes off what's brewing in Storrs.

Rothstein’s breakdown of the game did not begin with a discussion of the MVPs or key moments. Instead, it started with what UConn expected from third-year guard Solo Ball entering the season.

As Rothstein put it, “the focal point for me coming into the season with Dan Hurley’s squad was the belief that Solo Ball had a chance to become one of the best guards in college basketball this year. It didn’t happen against BYU, but with that said, other people came to the forefront.”

Ball had 99 three-pointers last season, so no doubt, expectations were high going into this season. Instead of meeting expectations, against BYU, his numbers were muted. He had 8 points, five rebounds, and two assists. However, his steadiness late helped UConn hold off the Cougars' charge. That’s where the intrigue begins because with Ball slowing, another player took charge.

“Silas ‘The Virus’ Demary… made a statement and, for the first time, looked like he could give UConn at point guard what the Huskies had a couple of years ago when Tristen Newton was running the show," he said.

Demary’s 21 points, seven assists, and clutch late-game buckets mapped perfectly onto that assessment. And if Demary is anything like Newton, who led the Huskies to their sixth Final Four in school history and later to UConn's fifth NCAA championship, then the opponents in March should be worried. Interesting, Demary is not the only one redefining expectations.

Rothstein shifted next to UConn’s rapidly rising interior anchor.

“I also saw Tarris Reed… look again like he’s going to be one of the best big men in the sport this season. Reed could be an All-American in 2025–26. He has made monumental strides since last season, when he was sharing the five spot with Samson Johnson, and he very quietly looks like a 20-10 guy so far out of the gate for UConn.”

Reed’s numbers back the claim. He had 21 points, a game-high eight rebounds, two blocks, and an absurd 8-for-10 shooting night against a frontcourt loaded with size. Considering Reed is coming off a hamstring injury and has only played three games, averaging 20 points and nine rebounds, says everything.

However, it was neither Reed nor Demary who got Rothenstein’s biggest kudos.

“The one storyline I felt wasn’t getting enough attention after the BYU game was Alex Karaban…the guy who has been the constant presence for the Huskies over the last four years, is unequivocally playing the best basketball of his career. I was at a UConn practice before the season and talked to him because he looked noticeably bigger and noticeably stronger. He really hit the weights hard in the offseason, but he’s playing like a guy who knows the hourglass is running out on his college career and that he’s got one shot left to do something historical: go to a Final Four and win a national championship for the third time in four seasons,” Rothenstein said.

Karaban’s 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting and a perfect 4-for-4 from deep against BYU is only part of the story. This season, he has averaged over 18 points while shooting 57 percent from three. He had a 21-point outing in Boston and a 10-rebound effort against New Haven. Each night, he’s delivering exactly what UConn needs.

And with all of that shaping the narrative after BYU, only one question naturally follows.

Is UConn Built for Another Statement vs. Arizona? One CBS Analyst Thinks So

Now the Huskies head home for a matchup with Arizona. The Huskies have beaten the Wildcats five times in seven tries, but one they haven’t seen since 2018. UConn’s history against the Wildcats includes everything from a 100–98 overtime classic in Tucson to a 65–63 win in the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

UConn’s offense is humming, its stars are emerging, and its veterans are playing with intent. And as Gary Parrish of CBS Sports puts it, “They look the part. I don’t know if they’ll win a third national championship in a four-year span, but they clearly look like one of the handful of teams that has the goods to do it. And we’re getting a lot of interesting gameplay, not necessarily surprising results. UConn hasn’t lost yet, and they’ve been playing well, reinforcing my thinking, and many others’, including GP, that this team should be in that top-five conversation overall.”

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