Seven months after watching Michigan celebrate a national championship, UConn finally had an opportunity to face the Wolverines again. The circumstances were different, the rosters had changed and the stakes were nowhere near those of April's title game. Still, Friday night's meeting at TD Garden provided an opportunity for Dan Hurley's program to make an early statement about its intentions for another college basketball season.
The fourth-ranked Huskies delivered with an 85–77 win over No. 16 Michigan, improving to 2–0 and demonstrating that their latest roster already possesses several important ingredients for another deep NCAA Tournament run. Braylon Mullins scored 23 points, Silas Demary Jr. contributed 21 and freshman Colben Landrew added 14 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Michigan made a second-half push, but UConn had built enough of an advantage to withstand it.
WELCOME TO THE DOG HOUSE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/u3wr5nlJLj
— UConn Men's Basketball (@UConnMBB) November 7, 2026
A different outcome with a familiar championship atmosphere
Michigan defeated UConn 69–63 in April, capturing its first national championship since 1989. Friday's rematch represented only the 11th time since 1996 that the previous season's national championship participants met again during the following regular season. That unusual scheduling opportunity brought considerable attention to Boston, where the Huskies immediately demonstrated a more effective offensive approach than they displayed in the championship defeat.
UConn led 43–30 at halftime after a decisive closing stretch, with Demary scoring 17 of his 21 points before the break. The Huskies eventually extended their advantage to 18 points, forcing Michigan to spend much of the second half attempting to recover. UConn wasn't flawless, particularly during an extended offensive drought, but its ability to establish control against a nationally ranked opponent was encouraging.
Mullins and Demary give Hurley a dangerous combination
Mullins provided the scoring production UConn needed, finishing with 23 points while making 10 of his 11 free-throw attempts. Demary added seven rebounds and four assists to his 21 points, demonstrating the kind of all-around influence that can become particularly valuable against elite opponents. Landrew's contribution off the bench offered another encouraging sign about the Huskies' depth.
The difference at the free-throw line was substantial. UConn converted 30 of 36 attempts, compared with Michigan's 18 makes on 23 attempts. The Huskies also made nine three-pointers while the Wolverines connected on seven, giving UConn enough offensive advantages to overcome a relatively modest 41.8% shooting performance from the field.
Michigan's response showed the rematch wasn't finished early
Michigan deserves credit for refusing to disappear after falling behind by double digits. Trey McKenney scored a career-high 22 points, all during the second half, while J.P. Estrella contributed 19 points and nine rebounds. Roddy Gayle Jr. added 18 points, helping the Wolverines outscore UConn 47–42 after halftime.
The problem was that Michigan couldn't consistently produce enough defensive stops to erase the earlier deficit. The Wolverines shot 25% from three-point range, connecting on seven of 28 attempts, and struggled to match UConn's production at the free-throw line. Those shortcomings created too much ground to recover against a team with the Huskies' offensive options.
The national championship conversation already has another contender
November results don't guarantee March success, and UConn still has significant work ahead. The Huskies must improve their offensive consistency and avoid the prolonged scoring droughts that allowed Michigan to remain competitive. Nevertheless, defeating the defending national champions in the opening week provides a meaningful early indication of what this roster might accomplish.
UConn didn't reclaim the championship it lost in April, but it accomplished something valuable Friday. Hurley's team demonstrated that its latest collection of players can handle a nationally ranked opponent, perform under considerable attention and close out a significant game. That combination should make the Huskies one of the most interesting championship contenders to follow throughout the season.
Add us as a preferred source on Google