UConn stunned at home in 91-84 upset to Bluejays

Creighton pulls off surprise victory over No. 5 Huskies at Gampel Pavilion

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The No. 5 UConn men's basketball team suffered a surprising 91-84 home loss to the Creighton Bluejays on Wednesday night. Despite a strong performance from Tarris Reed Jr. and Braylon Mullins, the Huskies struggled with rebounding and foul trouble, allowing Creighton to pull off the upset at Gampel Pavilion.

Why it matters

This loss is a setback for UConn, which was looking to build momentum after a narrow win over Georgetown. The Huskies will need to regroup quickly as they prepare to visit Villanova this Saturday. The upset also raises questions about UConn's defensive discipline and ability to control the boards against tough opponents.

The details

UConn got off to a slow start, committing fouls and allowing Creighton to build an early lead. The Bluejays were led by Nik Graves, who scored 12 points in the first half. While UConn's Tarris Reed Jr. and Jayden Ross kept the Huskies in the game, Braylon Mullins provided a late spark to tie it at 45-45 at halftime. In the second half, Creighton's Josh Dix and Blake Harper took over, as the Bluejays outrebounded UConn and went 17-of-18 from the free-throw line to secure the victory.

  • The game took place on Wednesday, February 19, 2026.
  • UConn had previously defeated Georgetown 79-75 in their last game.

The players

Emeka Okafor

A UConn legend who had his No. 50 jersey retired during the game. Okafor was the 2004 Final Four Most Outstanding Player and the Huskies' all-time blocks leader.

Tarris Reed Jr.

The UConn big man had a strong first half, scoring 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and grabbing 6 rebounds.

Jayden Ross

The UConn bench player provided a valuable defensive spark, playing excellent help defense and clamping down on his assignments.

Braylon Mullins

The UConn freshman scored 8 points in the final 37 seconds of the first half to tie the game at 45-45, and led the team with 17 second-half points.

Josh Dix

The Creighton player led the way in the second half, scoring 13 points and grabbing 4 rebounds to help the Bluejays pull off the upset.

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What they’re saying

“I think [Ross] is a lengthy defender that we need, and I think he came in and impacted the game. I think he was on the [offensive] boards and the defensive boards. [Ross] is giving everything he can, and he's got to continue, when he gets in, [to] just keep giving that spark defensively.”

— Silas Demary Jr., UConn Player (on3.com)

“We screwed up more things from the scouting standpoint, places that we weren't supposed to switch, and both guys leave Dix [open], and he hits a [three]. Things that we don't do typically, that we did.”

— Dan Hurley, UConn Head Coach (on3.com)

What’s next

The Huskies will look to bounce back on Saturday when they visit the Villanova Wildcats in Philadelphia.

The takeaway

This upset loss at home raises concerns about UConn's defensive discipline and rebounding, which will need to be addressed as the Huskies aim to regain their footing in the final stretch of the season.