![\"Syndication:](\"https:\/\/images.deadspin.com\/tr:w-900\/27911662.jpg\")
UConn Huskies guard Solo Ball (1) dunks as Xavier Musketeers forward Filip Borovicanin (4) and others look on in the first half of the NCAA basketball game at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati on Dec. 31, 2025. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\nAlex Karaban scored 19 points and had seven rebounds to lead No. 4 UConn to a 90-67 Big East win over Xavier on Wednesday in Cincinnati, Ohio.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Braylon Mullins also has 17 points, six rebounds and four assists for the Huskies (13-1, 3-0).<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Malik Messina-Moore led the Musketeers (9-5, 1-2) with 16 points.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Solo Ball came back after missing one game with a wrist injury for to score 17 points for the Huskies, who outshot the Musketeers 53.2% (33-of-62) to 42.9% (24-of-56).<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The Huskies dominated from the 3-point line hitting 13-of-28 from beyond the arc. The Musketeers struggled from long distance all night and were just 4-of-18 on 3-pointers.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Xavier was able to get within 13 early in the second half when Roddie Anderson III laid in two of his 15 points to make it 53-40.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n UConn answered with a 13-2 run with Ball hitting a 3-pointer to start the run and finishing it with a three-point play off a layup for a 66-42 UConn lead with 12:21 left.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The Huskies used a 17-2 run midway through the first half to build a 43-28 lead at the break.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n <\/p>\n UConn led 16-6 when Mullins hit a 3-pointer and Karaban scored five straight points with a layup and then a three-point play off a layup for a 24-6 lead with 12:39 left.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Tarris Reed Jr. went on an eight-point run of his own two minutes later with a three-point play off a dunk and a layup on the next possession to make it 30-6.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n After Pape N’Diaye scored on a layup to stop the scoreless drought, Reed collected a second three-point play off a dunk for a 33-8 UConn lead.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n Xavier had five of seven first-half turnovers during the run.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The Musketeers were able to outscore the Huskies 14-10 the rest of the way with Anderson scoring nine of points.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n UConn was in command at that point, however, hitting 48.4% of its first-half shots (15-of-31), including 6-of-16 from the 3-point line.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The Musketeers only shot 37.5% from the floor (12-of-32) and missed all 10 of the 3-point shots they took.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n UConn outrebounded Xavier 24-15 in the first half.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n The Huskies jumped in front right away, hitting 6 of 12 shots to start the game. An early 7-0 run gave the Huskies a quick 12-point lead.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n