Super sub: Malachi Smith shines in long-awaited NCAA Tournament debut

By Jake Copestick (@JakeCopestick)

PHILADELPHIA — It’s been a long road for UConn’s Malachi Smith to finally take the court in the NCAA Tournament.

Smith, who missed 50 games at Dayton due to injury, not only appeared in March Madness for the first time Friday night, but was called into the starting lineup due to an ankle injury to Silas Demary, Jr. 

Smith filled in admirably in relief of Demary, recording seven assists to just one turnover, while helping limit Furman’s freshman sensation Alex Wilkins to just six points in the second half as the Huskies defeated Furman, 82-71 in a first-round East Region battle.

The experience was worth the wait for Smith, who was robbed of getting to experience the NCAA Tournament during the 2023-2024 season with the Flyers, who bowed out in the tournament in the round of 32, after a knee injury cut his season short after just one game.

“I just wanted to make sure I embraced the moment and attacked what was going on,” said Smith following the Huskies’ victory. “I wanted to stay in the moment and embrace it.”

Smith, who has 77 college starts under his belt, made his first start for UConn Friday night. He’s got plenty of experience at the college level, but had to wait five years to grace college basketball’s biggest stage. Demary may have been relegated to being a spectator with his ankle injury, but he was confident that the veteran Smith would get the job done in his relief. 

“He’s a veteran guy,” Demary said of his backup. “He has experience, it’s just his first time playing in the tournament. He’s been around the game long enough to know what he needs to do, picking and choosing his spots.”

The platform of playing in March Madness may have been new for Smith, but the role of a distributor was not. He played the part UConn needed with Demary sidelined, the only blemish in the box score on his seven assists being an over-the-top pass that was snatched out of the air by Wilkins late in the second half. 

‘Facilitating, that’s just what I do,” Smith explained. “I’ve been doing it since I was young. I’ve been in college for five years, (so) I’ve got a good feel of what’s going on.”

Smith’s night was made a lot easier by the Huskies’ big man, Tarris Reed, Jr., who put up a seismic 31-point, 27-rebound performance in the win. Reed delivered a performance that the Big Dance hadn’t seen in nearly 60 years, becoming the first player to put up 30 points and 25 rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game since Elvin Hayes had 39 and 25 against TCU in 1968 to send Houston to the Final Four. In Hayes’ next game, his Cougars lost to UCLA, who UConn will face on Sunday.

That Bruins team was led by John Wooden and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who still went by Lew Alcindor at the time. UCLA went on to win the national championship that season, the second in a run of seven straight titles by Wooden.

When Smith can throw it inside to a guy like Reed, it makes it easier for him to then work the perimeter and get shots for the Huskies’ other weapons.

“It makes it way easier, playing inside out, knowing that I could give our shooters some open shots,” said Smith. “Tarris showed some big dominance in his game today. Then I could get some shots going for (Alex Karaban) and our shooters.”

Reed and Smith are roommates back in Storrs. This is Reed’s second go-round in the NCAA Tournament, something that’s been a topic of discussion in their residence. He’s not only happy for the performance that Smith turned in Friday night, but that he finally got to experience playing in March Madness.

“Mali’s my roommate. We talk about that all the time, about how fun it is to go out there and play in March Madness,” Reed shared. “Knowing that, he had to step up tonight, and he really did his job. All credit to my guy.”

On the defensive side, Smith spent the second half guarding Wilkins, who scored 15 points and made three triples in the first half, leading the way for Furman, who trailed by just four points at halftime. Smith picked him up full-court in the second half, and chased him around, denying him catches. Wilkins scored just six points on six shots in the latter half with Smith his primary defender. Demary has seen Smith make strides on the defensive end this season, and was happy to see that growth on display in a big spot.

“I feel like (Smith) has grown as a defender throughout the year,” a proud Demary said. “For him to shut down a guy like Wilkins, who’s capable of giving you 30 points a game, hats off to Malachi. I want to see him continue to grow.”

“Wilkins is a great player,” Smith conceded. “He’s got good size and length for his position. Running the point, he’s tall, lanky. I knew I had to get under him. That was a big key to the game plan. He got hot and hit some shots early, but I was glad that I could cut his water off.”

UConn head coach Dan Hurley commended Smith’s effort, which came on the heels of a hard fall in practice leaving him less than 100 percent on a night where the Huskies were already shorthanded at the point guard spot. The 31 minutes Smith logged were a season-high. Hurley attributed his attitude and toughness as to how he was able gut it out in Friday’s game, which ended well past midnight in South Philadelphia.

“(Smith) got tackled right before we left (for Philadelphia), so he was at like 80 percent tonight,” Hurley said of the Bronx native. “We thought he hurt his knee in a catastrophe on Wednesday at the end of practice. He was banged up out there playing 31 minutes. The guy’s a warrior and showed that New York toughness today.”

“He’s such a good guy with such a great spirit. He’s probably a guy that will be on our coaching staff at some point when his professional career ends.”

Mick Cronin’s UCLA Bruins await Smith and the Huskies Sunday night, with a chance to reach the Sweet 16 on the line. Smith is not familiar with them as of now, but he’ll learn about them after Hurley lets him and his team sleep in Saturday morning. From there, he'll have to stay on call with Demary’s availability up in the air, but all that matters is getting the opportunity to play in Washington, D.C. next weekend in the East Regional.

‘We’ll just make sure that we stay ready,” Smith said. “Anything can happen in March. All you have to do now is get to a win.”

Reed’s record night proves UConn’s power when its big bear is uncaged

PHILADELPHIA — On numerous occasions the past several weeks, Dan Hurley has highlighted the value of Tarris Reed, Jr. by reiterating that his senior center would be the difference in how far UConn would be able to go this postseason as it seeks a third national championship in four seasons.

The aggression the Huskies’ head coach has long clamored for from the 6-foot-11 “big bear” came to a head Friday, in a record-setting performance.

Reed outrebounded 15th-seeded Furman on his own, racking up 19 points and 16 boards at halftime en route to a dominating 31 points and 27 rebounds as No. 2 seed UConn shook off the gritty Paladins and pulled away to an 82-71 victory in its first-round NCAA Tournament matchup.

“He’s a top two or three center in the country,” Hurley restated as UConn (30-5) advanced to meet UCLA on Sunday in a second-round East Region matchup. “When he plays like that, we can win any game against any team in the tournament when we’re healthy. We can’t afford when Tarris just plays like a Top 10 or Top 15 center in the country. Then we’re not an elite team. It doesn’t have to be historic numbers, but he’s a guy that we need 20 and 10 from on a nightly basis.”

Reed logged the most caroms in a single NCAA Tournament game since 1973, outpacing Furman by a 27-23 count. The Michigan transfer is just the third player in tournament history to post an outing with at least 30 points and 25 rebounds, joining a pair of luminaries in Elvin Hayes and Jerry Lucas, and even leaving his teammates in disbelief at what they had just seen.

“Absolutely not,” Braylon Mullins said when asked if he had ever observed a performance of that caliber. “I’ve always seen it in like, highlights or something, and it’s unbelievable. That’s a crazy performance. He deserves all the flowers.”

But for Reed, the motivation came from two sources, one being last Saturday’s Big East tournament championship loss.

“That St. John’s game broke me,” he admitted. “It was tough to recover from it for a little bit. It was a second championship in a week’s span that we lost, and then we got blown out in one of the biggest games of the season for the Big East tournament championship. I felt like I went out there and I failed, so knowing what that was for us and coming to this game this week, it just meant a lot more.”

The other chip on his broad shoulders? The prospect of coming up empty in his final NCAA Tournament, something that is also motivating his fellow outgoing teammate, Alex Karaban.

“It just meant a lot more,” Reed said of the win-or-go-home stakes that added to Friday’s matchup, and will be paired with every other game UConn contests down the stretch. “I just really wanted to make that run, that push and march. The championship is there. I feel like we can win the natty if we just lock in on that defensive end.”

As Furman pushed the Huskies deep into the second half, Reed’s desire became stronger and more conspicuous, as he climbed the ladder to grab multiple boards on single possessions to help seal a victory. The big man did concede he was aware of the stats he had accumulated, but ultimately cared more about coming away victorious than of any superlatives that may have ensued.

“You’re aware, but you also want to win,” Reed said. “You’re like, ‘oh yeah, I’m playing and dominating, but I want to win.’ So really, like I said, just keep on dominating, keeping that foot on the gas for me.”

The determination to remain on the accelerator added up to a much-needed victory for UConn, who will look to boost its confidence in other areas as it now sets its sights on former rival Mick Cronin and his UCLA Bruins. But for now, the impact that the man in the middle provides when he is at the top of his game again emphasizes just how integral he is to the primary objective.

“We’re a completely different team when Tarris is going out there and playing the way he’s playing,” Karaban said of Reed. “Just the dominance that he has inside and the way that he just draws so much attention when he’s playing like that, just drawing doubles, kicking out to shooters, and really creating more opportunities for us on the offensive end, he was outstanding. I’ve never seen a performance like that, really. I thought he was awesome.”

Furman arrives in NCAA Tournament battle-hardened, undaunted as Paladins take on UConn

By Justin Mathis (@J_Math23)

PHILADELPHIA — Furman enters its NCAA Tournament matchup with UConn Friday night as more than just an underdog – it arrives as a team shaped by adversity and strengthened through it.

 

Injuries defined much of the Paladins’ season, at one point leaving them with only six healthy players available for practice. That reality forced Furman to adapt quickly, simplifying its approach while building a deep sense of trust and accountability. Players stepped into expanded roles, practices became tests of endurance, and every possession in games carried added weight. That experience has helped create a team that plays with composure and confidence, qualities that are essential in the high-pressure environment of March Madness.

 

That sense of perspective was reinforced when Furman practiced at The Palestra, the historic venue where the program earned its first NCAA Tournament victory back in 1974. For a team that has already overcome so much this season, stepping onto that court provided a meaningful connection to the program’s past and a reminder of what’s possible. Moments like that can fuel belief, especially for a group that has spent months proving it can persevere through difficult circumstances.

 

“It was really neat. I haven’t been in there before,” said Furman head coach Bob Richey. “That was my first time in The Palestra and really nice of Penn to host us there. It was just a reminder to me just how good the game’s been to me individually and to our program and to our players, and you just see all the history there and just to realize that you’re part of it, it’s those moments that you just want to soak it in. And we had a pretty spirited practice.”

 

That resilience now becomes one of Furman’s greatest assets against a UConn team known for its depth, size, and physicality. The Huskies present major challenges across the floor, particularly with versatile players like Alex Karaban, who can stretch defenses with his shooting while still contributing inside. Furman will need to be disciplined in its defensive rotations, closing out under control while also avoiding mismatches. Even more daunting is UConn’s presence in the post, where its size often leads to second-chance opportunities. Limiting touches in the paint and controlling the boards will be critical if Furman hopes to stay competitive.

 

Even UConn head coach Dan Hurley has acknowledged the challenge Furman presents, noting the Paladins’ discipline, shooting ability, and overall toughness – a reflection of the respect they’ve earned despite their underdog status from national pundits.

 

“The SoCon is an underrated league,” Hurley stated. “I was surprised to see (Furman) as a 15. Obviously, everyone comes in here and is going to talk up their opponent. But I think just watching that league, I watched 10 of their games. I went back to earlier in non-conference and watched some. I think I watched the last seven games they played, and you just see a tough league, a lot of good teams that kind of beat the heck out of each other. There was a lot of balance, not much difference between East Tennessee State, who won the league, and the seventh-place team in terms of record. So, it’s a really good league, and they've got really good players. They’ve got an excellent coach. We’ve got to be at our best on Friday.”

 

For Furman, the path to success lies in leaning into the identity it has built through hardship. Efficient ball movement, strong perimeter shooting, and careful possession management will be key in offsetting UConn’s advantages in terms of physicality. One could also state that the Paladins’ experience playing shorthanded has prepared them to handle fatigue, pressure, and in-game adjustments without losing their focus. If it can dictate tempo and maintain their composure, Furman has the potential to keep the game close and challenge UConn down the stretch.

 

Furman, making just its eighth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, has embraced the opportunity with a sense of gratitude and purpose – and by all accounts, expects to be ready when the moment arrives.

 

“We’re clearly aware of the challenge in front of us,” remarked Richey. “We know that we have to go out there and we have to play very, very well tomorrow, and we’re going to prepare in a way to do that. We’re going to focus on our details, but at the same time, these things are hard to get to.”

 

“As cliche as it sounds, one of the most important things to get out there is to have the respect that’s necessary, but you also have to have the belief that’s required and you have to be able to play with that belief. You’ve got to be able to shoot with that belief and go out there and understand that at the end of the day, if we go out there with the burden of, ‘man, we have to do this or go do this,’ you just have to go play. You’re in the middle of a dream. This is what all these guys, for us at this level, to get to the NCAA Tournament, is the dream. When you’re a high-major and you’re expected to go to the Final Four, sometimes these early-round games, it’s not that it's not a big deal. But for a school like Furman, we have only been in this game eight times in our program’s history, and we only won two of them. For our guys, it’s really important that we realize that, hey, this is a fulfillment of the dream, and there’s a certain joy and excitement that we have to play with. And the way that UConn plays, they’re going to try to make that really hard and they’re going to try to make it as miserable as they can for us.”

 

Ultimately, this matchup is a test of contrast – depth and power versus resilience and execution. While UConn may hold the edge on paper, Furman’s journey through a season of obstacles has made the Paladins battle-tested and unshaken. In a tournament where unpredictability defines the moment, that kind of preparation could make all the difference.

FURMAN SCOUTING REPORT

Alex Wilkins – Freshman 

• Point guard

• Height: 6’5”

• Team-high 17.7 points per game

• Has started and played in all 34 games for the Paladins

• Leads team with 1,011 minutes played

• Shooting 45.8 percent from the field

• Team-high 161 assists

• Set or tied three Furman records with his 34-point outburst in the SoCon tournament semifinal win over UNC Greensboro.

• Will drive the lane or pull up from three point range.

• Has shown glimpses of being able to create and take over a game.

 

Cooper Bowser – Junior

• Height: 6’11”

• Has played in 24 games this season (21 starts); missed 10 games due to an injury at Manhattan on December 18

• Averages 14 points per game (second-highest on team)

• Has made 141 out of 183 field goal attempts this season (77 percent – highest on the team)

• 143 rebounds, third-highest total for the Paladins

• Is a force in the post, both offensively and defensively.

 

Asa Thomas – Redshirt Sophomore

• Previous school: Clemson

• Height: 6’7”

• Has played in 27 games (21 starts)

• Averages 27.7 minutes per game

• Leads the team in 3-pointers made (79) and attempted (209)

• 12.4 points per game (third-highest on team)

• Is one of the marksmen on the perimeter, but can attack with straight line drives

 

Charles Johnston – Senior

• Height: 6’11”

• Started in all 34 games for the Paladins this season

• Has shot 48 percent from the field this season (125-for-259)

• Is utilized heavily in the post, both offensively and defensively, but will step out to hit a three-pointer on occasion.

• Averages 9.8 points per game

• Team-high 308 rebounds this season

 

Tom House – Senior

• Height: 6’7”

• Averages 8.1 points per game

• Scored in double figures twice during the SoCon tournament (20 points vs. Samford, 12 points vs. ETSU)

• Has attempted 156 three-pointers on the season (third most on team)

• Has made 85 percent of free throw attempts

• Can drive and distribute

 

Ben Vander Wal – Senior

• Member of the 2023 Furman team that upset Virginia

• Height: 6’7”

• Swiss Army knife

• Can go grab 50-50 balls, rebounds, or make extra passes

• 75 assists this season (second-most on team)

• The “glue guy” for the Paladins

• Has shot 65 percent from the field this season

• Averages 7.3 points per game

 

Eddrin Bronson – Redshirt Sophomore

• Height: 6’4”

• Has played in 33 out of 34 games this season (6 starts)

• Serves as a secondary ball handler

• Averages 5.6 points per game

• Can create fastbreak opportunities

• Will step out and drain a three

 

Cole Bowser – Freshman

• Younger brother of Cooper

• Original plan was to be redshirted this season, but was forced into action due to numerous injuries.

• Played in 19 out of 34 games (6 starts)

• Has shot 45 percent from the field (33-for-73)

• From behind the arc, he is a 36 percent shooter (14-for-39)

• 5.1 points per game

 

Abijah Franklin – Freshman

• Referred to as “Baba” by Coach Richey

• Has played in 23 out of 34 games

• From the field, he is a 36 percent shooter (35-for-98)

• Has shot 14-of-47 from three-point land

 

TEAM STATS

• Average 76.5 points per game (scored 2,600 total on the season)

• 47.6 field goal percentage

o Opponent FG percentage: 42.5

• 33 percent from long distance

• 69 percent at the charity stripe

• 12.6 free throws per game

• 38 rebounds per game (outrebounding opponents by 5.8 RPG)

• 15.6 assists per game (532 total)

Motivation for Karaban, Huskies to make one last winning stand is raised as Huskies enter NCAA Tournament

Alex Karaban goes through open practice before starting final NCAA Tournament Friday when UConn plays Furman. (Photo by Jaden Daly/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

PHILADELPHIA — He has played in 145 games over his four years, won two national championships, and could very well be the last of a dying breed as it relates to four-year players who become legacies unto themselves by the time the book closes on their respective careers.

Yet for the all the times he has been there, done that, Alex Karaban is still treating this experience, his last in a University of Connecticut jersey, as if it were his first.

The final arc of the circle will be drawn Friday night, when UConn opens the NCAA Tournament as the No. 2 seed in the East Region against Southern Conference champion Furman. But for Karaban, who first tasted March Madness three years ago this week when UConn clubbed Iona on the way to its first of back-to-back national titles, this last go-round is no different than his first from a preparation standpoint.

“We’ve reached March Madness now, we’ve been blessed to be in this opportunity to play against a good team,” he said Thursday as the Huskies hope to regain their winning ways after a 20-point loss to St. John’s in the championship game of the Big East Conference tournament. “Now it’s just doing what we do best, controlling what we can control, never overlooking anybody. That was similar against Iona, and it’s the same right now with Furman. We’re just going out there and being the best versions of ourselves, being sharp and doing everything in our power that we can control.”

Champions of the SoCon despite a sixth-place finish in its league, Furman is by no means your typical No. 15 seed. The Paladins boast one of the tallest teams in the country, with a pair of versatile 6-foot-11 threats on the front line in Cooper Bowser and Charles Johnston. Freshman Alex Wilkins is perhaps the most multifaceted weapon in the arsenal, a point guard that UConn head coach Dan Hurley praised for impacting winning the same way two of his own floor generals have in Tristen Newton and Silas Demary, Jr.

Hurley is hoping to not only match Furman’s toughness, but also for his own team to assert more of its own on the heels of last week’s letdown, the second time in seven days that UConn had a chance to win a championship only to squander it.

“We got punked in terms of our effort, in terms of our will, in terms of our competitive character,” he said of the loss to St. John’s. “That’s not who we are as a program. Also, when you come up small in that championship moment, and it was the second time in about a 10-day span — with the Marquette loss on top of that — you have to rebuild the psyche a little bit. You have to remind this team, we’ve beaten a 1-seed (Florida), we’ve beaten a 3-seed (Illinois), we’ve beaten a 4-seed (Kansas), we’ve beaten a 5 (St. John’s). You have to build them up a little bit.”

On top of reiterating the body of work, there is also the prospect of playing for UConn’s seniors, each of whom attempt to win a championship for the final time in their careers. For Karaban, Tarris Reed, Jr., Malachi Smith, Dwayne Koroma and Alec Millender, there will be no subsequent opportunity to cut down a net at this level. The longest-tenured Husky acknowledged that in the wake of the Big East championship loss, and placed more of an onus upon himself for letting his teammates down, something he is taking the court in prevention of this weekend.

“This is added motivation,” Karaban said of the final chance to add to his illustrious resume. “As someone who has won a lot and played this much at UConn, I can’t do that. I’m gonna beat myself up about it, knowing that I showed up like this with the reputation that I have and I wasn’t there playing my best basketball for the team. Now, it’s just gonna be motivation carried forward, making sure that I can’t do that again. I’ve gotta lead this team to play at the capability we could play at.”

His coach took a more measured approach, refraining from some of his past comparisons to prior championship-winning outfits, but still expressing a desire to see some of the same qualities in the unit he leads onto the floor Friday.

“I would say you’re hoping that we’re able to turn (it around),” Hurley said. “We took a ’23 semifinal loss to Marquette (in the Big East tournament), we took a terrible January and we were able to dominate the NCAA Tournament two years in a row. I’m waiting to see the personality of those two teams. They’d take the court to shoot, and you’d see that UConn swagger. You want to see that UConn swagger on Friday night at 10:00. That’s what those teams had.”

“I didn’t have to talk them into winning games in this tournament, they were in the tournament to kick some serious you-know-what. I want to see that from the team.”