No. 4 Connecticut defeated reigning champion Michigan 85-77 at TD Garden on Friday night in a rare opening-week rematch of the previous season's national title game. The matchup marked the earliest meeting between the previous year's finalists since 1999 and only the second such occurrence in the past 17 seasons, featuring teams that have claimed three of the last four NCAA championships.
The game was a foul-heavy affair with 48 fouls and 59 free throws, lasting nearly two and a half hours. Michigan, now coached by Mike Boynton after Dusty May left for the Dallas Mavericks, was led by sophomore Trey McKenney's 22 points, all scored in the second half. Boynton emphasized his team is building its own legacy rather than defending a title. The loss snapped Michigan's streak of season-opening 2-0 starts dating back to 2000-01.
For UConn, coach Dan Hurley signaled confidence in his squad despite a 41.8% shooting night. "I think we're one of the best teams in the country, kind of a game that you should win by 15 and you win by eight," Hurley said. The Huskies controlled the game with 9-of-22 three-point shooting (40.9%) and 30-of-36 free throws. The backcourt of Silas Demary Jr. and Braylon Mullins combined for 44 points, 11 rebounds, and three steals, outplaying Michigan's guards. Demary, who played through a severe ankle sprain in the title game, has 12 assists and zero turnovers through two games. "He's gonna do big things this year, and we need him for every single game," Mullins said.
Freshman Colben Landrew added eight rebounds in 22 minutes, drawing praise from Hurley for his physicality. UConn has now won 10 consecutive regular-season neutral-site games against ranked opponents. With a challenging non-conference schedule that includes Ohio State, Arizona, and Duke, and the expected return of guard Solo Ball from a broken wrist, the Huskies appear poised for another Final Four run.
