Reed Jr.'s Herculean effort carries Huskies to tight victory over Furman

UConn used a historic 31-27 double-double from Tarris Reed Jr. to escape an upset at the hands of Furman, despite Wilkins' efforts

Mar. 21, 2026 at 7:18am

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In a tight NCAA tournament matchup, the 2-seed UConn Huskies narrowly defeated the 15-seed Furman Paladins 82-71 behind a dominant performance from Tarris Reed Jr., who recorded a 31-point, 27-rebound double-double. Furman's Alex Wilkins gave UConn all they could handle, scoring 11 of the Paladins' first 13 points, but the Huskies were able to pull away late with key contributions from Karaban and Mullins.

Why it matters

This game highlighted the unpredictability of the NCAA tournament, as 15-seeds have historically struggled against 2-seeds. Furman gave UConn all they could handle, showcasing their talent and competitiveness. The Huskies' narrow victory raises questions about their ability to make a deep tournament run, especially without key players like Silas Demary Jr. and Jaylin Stewart.

The details

Wilkins got Furman off to a hot start, scoring 11 of their first 13 points. UConn steadied the ship with an 8-0 run from Tarris Reed Jr., who finished the first half with a 19-point, 16-rebound double-double. Reed ended the game with 31 points and 27 rebounds, becoming the first player in over 60 years to record such a stat line in the NCAA tournament. Karaban added 22 points for the Huskies, including some key shots down the stretch to help seal the victory.

  • The game tipped off at 10:30 p.m. ET on Friday, March 21, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA.

The players

Tarris Reed Jr.

A dominant big man for UConn who recorded a historic 31-point, 27-rebound double-double in the victory over Furman.

Alex Wilkins

The standout freshman for Furman who scored 11 of the Paladins' first 13 points and kept them in the game throughout.

Adama Karaban

A key veteran for UConn who scored 22 points, including some important shots down the stretch to help the Huskies pull away.

Braylon Mullins

A freshman sharpshooter for UConn who struggled from the field but still contributed 12 points and 6 assists.

Dan Hurley

The head coach of UConn who guided his team to the narrow victory over the upset-minded Furman squad.

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What they’re saying

“We knew it was going to be a hard-fought game. We're missing a starting point guard who would have been, I think, a much better match-up for Wilkins because Silas has size and is a ball hawk and could have made it tougher on him.”

— Dan Hurley, Head Coach

“My mindset coming into the game is really just to be dominant. This is my last March Madness. My days are numbered in college basketball. Just giving all I got and having fun with the guys around me. We have a special team and special coaching staff. Really just have fun and enjoy the process and enjoy the journey.”

— Tarris Reed Jr.

“I'm always going to trust my teammates, but it's my job being the veteran guy on this team, having the most experience in college basketball. I can't go out like that personally and make sure I step up when my team needs me. That's something I wanted to do in this game. That's something I want to do the entire tournament, but I have so much trust and confidence in my teammates, too, knowing how we're going to respond and how Tarris is going to keep playing like this too.”

— Adama Karaban

What’s next

The Huskies look to advance to the Sweet 16 against 7-seed UCLA this Sunday at 8:45 p.m. ET.

The takeaway

This game showcased the incredible talent and resilience of both teams, with Furman nearly pulling off the upset and UConn needing a historic performance from Tarris Reed Jr. to escape. The Huskies will need to shore up their shooting and find more consistent contributions beyond Reed if they hope to make a deep tournament run.