Legendary comedian Bill Murray watched intently in Philadelphia as the UConn Huskies secured a 73-57 victory over UCLA in the second round of March Madness. The No. 2 seed Huskies rallied from an early deficit against the resilient No. 7 seed Bruins, despite injuries plaguing both teams.
Family Pride on the Sidelines
Murray attended to support his son, Luke Murray, a top assistant coach for UConn and the architect of their offense. A two-time national champion, Luke has guided the Huskies to success, and Bill has frequently appeared at major games, including last year’s Final Four celebration.
Injury Challenges for Both Sides
UConn entered without starting point guard Silas Demary Jr. and forward Jaylin Stewart from the first round. Demary returned for tipoff, but Stewart suited up without playing. UCLA ruled out big man Tyler Bilodeau before the game.
Standout Performances Drive UConn Forward
Super senior Alex Karaban led UConn with a career-high 27 points and five rebounds, propelling the Huskies to their third Sweet 16 appearance in four seasons. Center Tarris Reed added 10 points and 13 rebounds, capping the tournament’s opening weekend with 41 points and 40 rebounds overall—the first 40-40 weekend since Tim Duncan in 1997.
UCLA relied on Xavier Booker’s 13 points and five rebounds, while guard Donovan Dent contributed 11 points, two rebounds, and nine assists.
Coaching Intensity Heats Up
Media buzz focused on the fiery styles of UCLA’s Mick Cronin and UConn’s Dan Hurley. Cronin drew a technical foul for sarcastically applauding an official during the matchup.
UConn now heads to Washington, D.C., to face No. 3 seed Michigan State in the Sweet 16—a rematch after defeating them in a preseason exhibition.
