Connecticut defeated Michigan 85-77 on Friday night at TD Garden in Boston, marking the earliest rematch between the previous season's men's national championship game participants since Duke and UConn met in November 1999. The fourth-ranked Huskies defeated the 16th-ranked Wolverines in a game that featured 59 free throws and lasted nearly two and a half hours. It was only the second time in the past 17 seasons that the men's title game was replayed the following season.
UConn guard Silas Demary Jr. and Braylon Mullins combined for 44 points, 11 rebounds and three steals to lead the Huskies. Mullins scored a game-high 23 points, while Demary contributed 21 points and has 12 assists with zero turnovers through two games this season. Both players struggled in last season's championship game, with Demary scoring just two points while playing on a severely sprained ankle. Demary told CBS Sports he had not watched footage of that loss and had the rematch circled since the defeat.
Connecticut shot 40.9 percent from three-point range and made 30 of 36 free throws. Michigan was led by sophomore Trey McKenney, who scored all of his team-high 22 points in the second half, but the Wolverines shot just 7-for-28 from beyond the arc. The loss was Michigan's first game against a ranked opponent this early in a season since 1993, and the first time the Wolverines failed to start a season 2-0 since 2000-01. Michigan coach Mike Boynton is in his first season after Dusty May left to take the Dallas Mavericks job during the offseason.
UConn coach Dan Hurley said the victory was critical given the Huskies' challenging schedule ahead, which includes games against Ohio State, Arizona and Duke later this month. The win extended Connecticut's streak to 10 consecutive regular-season, neutral-site victories over ranked opponents. Freshman Colben Landrew added eight rebounds in 22 minutes, and shooting guard Solo Ball, initially expected to miss the season with a broken wrist, could return within the next month.