After coming up a game short of the Big East regular season title on Saturday, the UConn men’s basketball team saw historic returns as the all-conference teams were announced on Sunday.
UConn became the first men’s team in league history to have three players selected first-team All-Big East by the league’s coaches with Silas Demary Jr., Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr. each earning the honor. Solo Ball landed a second tram spot for the second year in a row, while Braylon Mullins was unanimously selected to the freshman team. Demary was also named all defense.
The Huskies, No. 4 in the AP Top 25 rankings prior to Saturday’s loss at Marquette, finished the regular season at 27-4 overall and 17-3 in league play, which was good for a second-place finish. St. John’s claimed the league title outright after going 18-2 for the second year in a row.
UConn’s five all-conference honorees are the most of any team in the Big East this year and the most for the program since it had six players recognized after the 2005-06 season.
The Huskies have had 10 first-team selections in the last six seasons since they returned to the league.
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One of the best transfers in the country, Demary has been a revelation in his first year with the Huskies. He led the Big East in assists at 7.4 per game and started in all 20 conference games as he directed the Huskies’ offense to the second-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the league. He added 12.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting a career-high 45.8% from the floor, 47.3% from 3 and 81.5% from the free throw line.
On the defensive end, Demary was credited as the “head of the snake” as UConn’s defense went from No. 75 nationally last season to No. 11 this year. UConn led the Big East in field goal percentage defense (42.1%) and finished second in the conference in scoring defense, allowing 67.1 points per game. Demary’s 51 steals were fifth-most among Big East players this season.
Karaban was named to the first team for the first time in his career after landing a spot on the second team last season and the freshman team in 2022-23. The Huskies’ captain averaged 12.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists while starting all 20 Big East games. Karaban shot 45.8% from the field, 37.8% from beyond the arc and 84.8% from the free throw line in league play as he led the Huskies in minutes at 33.8 per game. He finished his four-year playing career with a 62-18 (.775) record in regular season league games, which is the best career mark for any player in the conference.
Reed followed up his sixth man of the year season in 2024-25 with a first-team nod in his second season with the Huskies after beginning his career at Michigan. Stepping in as UConn’s starting center, Reed averaged 13.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and a league-best 2.1 blocks in 26.8 minutes per game in Big East play. He had eight double-doubles in 20 conference games and shot a league-best 63.5% from the field.
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Ball led the Huskies in scoring over the course of the regular season and matched Reed with 13.6 points per game in league play, adding 3.4 rebounds. His 42 made 3-pointers were the fourth-most in the league this season and his 84.7% mark from the free throw line was fifth in the league and best on the team.
The preseason freshman of the year, Mullins’ freshman team selection makes six years in a row that the Huskies had a representative on the list. A projected first-round pick in the June NBA Draft, the 6-foot-6 wing stayed within the flow of UConn’s balanced offense to average 12.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in league play, adding 24 steals and 15 blocked shots. He shot 37.6% on a league-leading 50 made 3-pointers.
The Big East will announce its defensive player of the year, most improved, sixth man and sportsmanship awards on Monday.
The Big East Player of the Year, Coach of the Year and Scholar-Athlete will be honored at a press conference at Madison Square Garden before the conference tournament begins Wednesday.
2025-26 Big East All-Conference Teams
First team: Michael Ajayi, Butler; Silas Demary Jr., UConn; Alex Karaban, UConn; Tarris Reed Jr., UConn; Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s; Tre Carroll, Xavier
Second team: Solo Ball, UConn; Jaylin Sellers, Providence; Bryce Hopkins, St. John’s; Budd Clark, Seton Hall; Acaden Lewis, Villanova
Third team: Finley Bizjack, Butler; KJ Lewis, Georgetown; Nigel James Jr., Marquette; Dillon Mitchell, St. John’s; Duke Brennan, Villanova; Tyler Perkins, Villanova
Freshman team: Braylon Mullins, UConn; Nigel James Jr., Marquette; Jamier Jones, Providence; Stefan Vaaks, Providence; Acaden Lewis, Villanova
Defensive team: Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s; Budd Clark, Seton Hall; Dillon Mitchell, St. John’s; Silas Demary Jr., UConn; Chase Ross, Marquette
