Dec 2, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; UConn Huskies guard Solo Ball (1) celebrates after scoring against the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half of the game at Allen Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Denny Medley-Imagn Images

UConn Channels Arizona Pain to Outmuscle Kansas

Originally posted on UConn Huskies on SI
By Shivani Menon | Last updated Dec 3, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The UConn Huskies walked into Allen Fieldhouse carrying the sting of the Arizona loss like fuel. Dan Hurley made sure of it. The Huskies’ lone loss this season came at the hands of the Wildcats. The Huskies lost 71–67, breaking UConn’s 36-game home non-conference streak.

The Huskies were outrebounded by 20, dominated in the paint, and forced to come back from a 13-point deficit. However, Hurley and his team have not forgotten it. In fact, after the Kansas game, he had something to say about the early loss.

And Hurley puts it, “Just the pain of the Arizona game, you know. Just that. Because it was the same team and, you know, maybe Arizona's got a little bit more size, maybe slightly more size than these guys. So I just think it was the pain and the realization that we lost that game in large part because we got outrebounded by 20 and got crushed with paint points.”

That pain needed a response, and it found one.

When UConn arrived in Lawrence, they looked ready. Kansas hit early threes, tried to spread UConn out, and tested the very same paint vulnerabilities Arizona had exposed. Yet the Huskies kept swinging.

“And I think you could see the growth with the team today. We knew, even though they made some early threes, that they were a team that hurt you in the paint. So to keep them to 20 paint points and five second-chance points is why we won the game,” added Hurley.

And they proved it emphatically in the second half. The Huskies were down nine on the glass at halftime. However, UConn turned that into a +15 advantage after one of the most dramatic in-game turnarounds of the Hurley era.

Braylon Mullins.

HUSKY. pic.twitter.com/birPOmQffX
— UConn Men's Basketball (@UConnMBB) December 3, 2025

Freshman Braylon Mullins erupted for 17 points off the bench, Eric Reibe powered through the interior with eight rebounds, and Solo Ball and Alex Karaban owned every crucial moment late. Kansas shot just 25 percent in the second half as the Huskies’ defense tightened.

By the time Mullins stepped to the free-throw line with under 10 seconds left, a five-point win within reach, the entire night felt like a statement carved from that earlier disappointment. The Huskies beat Kansas, and they also beat the version of themselves that faltered against Arizona.

And now that they’ve shown the growth Hurley demanded, the road ahead gets even more compelling.

What Lies Ahead For UConn and Dan Hurley?

The win in Lawrence is the start of a season-defining stretch. Next, UConn will return home for East Texas A&M, a tune-up before the schedule spikes again. After that comes a Jimmy V Classic showdown with Florida at Madison Square Garden, where UConn will look to take down the Gators after the loss earlier this March.

UConn has historically led the matchup against Florida, sitting at 5-2. Last season, UConn won the regular-season matchup against the Gators and then lost 77–75 in March. It’s the type of game that tests a team’s maturity and tests whether Kansas truly marked a shift.

This huge win on the road against #Kansas, without starting Center Tarris Reed Jr., brings #UConn to 7-1 on the year, with 3 Wins vs. Ranked Opponents (BYU, Illinois, Kansas).

The #Huskies will be back on the court in Storrs on Friday to face East Texas A&M. @WFSBnews @UConnMBB https://t.co/vZBdpEhu4N
— Dan Booth (@DanBoothTV) December 3, 2025

Then comes Texas in Hartford, another high-powered non-conference opponent capable of pushing UConn’s depth. Butler follows, a disciplined, grind-it-out test before the gauntlet of BIG EAST play begins. The Huskies face DePaul in Chicago, Xavier on the road, and Marquette looming as the calendar flips.

If the Huskies really did turn pain into power, the upcoming month will reveal just how far that transformation goes and how dangerous UConn can become when it learns from the games that hurt the most.

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