Big East play continues its first refrain with this matchup between Marquette and UConn. While these two teams have met in two of the last three Big East Tournaments in big battles, there will certainly be a different feel to this showdown, with one team in a significantly better position than the other.
Everything has gone wrong for Marquette (5-9), as the Golden Eagles have won just twice in the last six weeks. The offense is abysmal, the defense isn’t stopping teams, and a slow start to the season has turned into a full-tilt trainwreck, including an 0-3 start to Big East play. Are we ready to throw the towel in on this program and Shaka Smart?
No such woe can be lobbed at UConn (13-1), as this team’s only loss of the season was to Arizona, the current #1 team in the nation. The Huskies have looked the part of the Big East’s top program yet again in the earlygoing this season, stockpiling nice wins over BYU, Florida, Illinois, and Kansas. In their own 3-0 start to league play, all three wins have come by at least 18 points.
Marquette vs. UConn: When and Where
Date: Sunday, January 4, 2026, 2:00 pm ET
Location: Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut
Marquette vs. UConn: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch: NBC
Streaming: FuboTV
Marquette vs. UConn: Betting Odds
Spread: N/A
Moneyline: N/A
Total: N/A
Marquette vs. UConn: Series History
All-time series: UConn leads 13-8
Last meeting: UConn 72, Marquette 66 (March 5, 2025)
Projected Starting Lineups
Marquette Golden Eagles
Chase Ross (16.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg)
Nigel James Jr. (12.4 ppg, 3.8 apg)
Royce Parham (9.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
Adrien Stevens (5.6 ppg, 2.2 rpg)
Caedin Hamilton (4.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
Connecticut Huskies
Solo Ball (15.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
Alex Karaban (14.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg)
Tarris Reed Jr. (14.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg)
Silas Demary Jr. (8.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 5.9 apg)
Braylon Mullins (10.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
Does Marquette have a realistic shot in this game? On the surface, this matchup more looks like a chance for UConn to spread their wings and showcase their ability, especially coming off three impressive games to kick off league play. Everything is going wrong for the Golden Eagles but this is the exact kind of matchup that’ll tell us a lot about the state of basketball in Milwaukee. They could certainly surprise early on and show that there’s still fight in this team, or it could be ugly from beginning to end, especially if Karaban and Reed bully that defense.
Continuing a stretch of awful play in recent weeks, does Marquette find a way to stop the bleeding and realistically compete in this matchup? Will there be any struggles for a Huskies squad looking for their first win in 2026?