The UConn men’s basketball team came in at No. 5 in Monday’s AP Top 25 poll, dropping only two spots after suffering its first loss of the season to Arizona, which vaulted up to No. 2 with the best resume in the nation.
The Huskies nearly stole a shorthanded win over the Wildcats at Gampel Pavilion on Wednesday but couldn’t pull it off in the final minute. They followed the 71-67 loss with a 72-49 victory over Bryant on Sunday evening, a bit of a change of pace before ramping back up with another pair of high-profile matchups in nonconference play on the horizon.
It was a big week for freshman center Eric Reibe, thrust back into the starting lineup after the ankle injury to senior Tarris Reed Jr., and the rookie showed plenty of positive signs as the Huskies’ leading scorer in both games. Reibe earned his first Big East Freshman of the Week honor after a 15-point effort with four rebounds and two blocks in the loss to Arizona and a 16-point, six-rebound encore against Bryant.
Silas Demary Jr. records triple-double in 72-49 win for UConn men over Bryant
The 7-footer was on the receiving end of the assist that secured Silas Demary Jr.’s first-career triple-double against the Bulldogs, which helped land him a spot on the Big East’s Weekly Honor Roll. The Huskies’ point guard finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and four steals in Sunday’s win and averaged 11.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.0 steals over the course of the week.
Purdue held onto the top spot in Monday’s AP rankings, receiving 46 first-place votes to Arizona’s 11. Houston, which bumped down to No. 3, was first on four ballots and Duke came in just above the Huskies at No. 4.
UConn, 1-1 in ranked matchups so far, has another coming up next as it makes its first trip of the season to Madison Square Garden for a Black Friday matinee against No. 14 Illinois. The Huskies will travel to Kansas, which fell into the receiving votes category, on Dec. 2 and play two more high-major nonconference games against No. 10 Florida and Texas.
St. John’s, holding at No. 14, was the only other Big East team ranked, though Georgetown and Creighton each received votes.
AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll: Week 3
Purdue (46 first-place votes)
Arizona (11)
Houston (4)
Duke
UConn
Louisville
Michigan
Alabama
BYU
Florida
Michigan State
Gonzaga
Illinois
St. John’s
Iowa State
North Carolina
Tennessee
UCLA
Kentucky
Texas Tech
Auburn
Arkansas
NC State
Vanderbilt
Indiana
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