UConn coach Dan Hurley didn’t sugarcoat his assessment after No. 3 UConn’s 71-67 loss to No. 4 Arizona on Wednesday night. The Huskies were dominated on the boards, outmatched in the paint and, in Hurley’s words, simply out-toughed.
“We got punked,” Hurley said. “It’s going to be a bad film session coming out of here. There’s a street fight going on in the paint and… you don’t stand on the periphery of the fight. We’ll see a lot of clips where guys were not in the fight with their teammates.”
Arizona (5-0) controlled the game physically, outrebounding UConn by 20 and limiting the Huskies to one field goal over the first five and a half minutes of the second half. Jaden Bradley led the Wildcats with 21 points, while Koa Peat added 16 points and 12 rebounds. Motiejus Krivas delivered the go-ahead basket with 1:12 remaining and finished with 14 boards.
"We blew a f---ing chance to beat one of the best teams."
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) November 20, 2025
Dan Hurley after No. 3 UConn's loss to No. 4 Arizona. Pic.twitter.com/O9fLsHhSPL
UConn (4-1), playing without injured starting center Tarris Reed Jr., still had chances late. Freshman Eric Reibe scored 15 points and tied the game on a late 3-pointer, but he missed two critical free throws with eight seconds left that would have evened the score.
Solo Ball added 14 points and Silas Demary Jr. Had 13 for the Huskies, who briefly took a 62-60 lead with just over three minutes left before Arizona’s size and physicality reasserted control.
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd praised his team’s toughness and identity as a rim-first, bruising unit. On the other end, Hurley promised that UConn’s response will start with accountability. But he also applauded the Wildcats.
"Krivas is an NBA player. Koa Peat's an NBA player. Jaden Bradley's an NBA player. [Brayden] Burries is an NBA player. I actually think [Anthony] Dell'Orso is going to make an NBA team... That guy is maybe the best bench player in the country," Hurley said. "I think these guys are legit contenders, like we are."