How Tarris Reed Jr. UConn’s upset of Furman to avoid a March Madness upset
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Connecticut forward Tarris Reed Jr.
The 6-foot-11 forward became the first player since Houston’s Elvin Hayes in 1968 to finish with at least 30 points and 25 rebounds in an NCAA Tournament game, as he finished with a video game high of 31 points and 27 rebounds.
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“That’s as good as you’re going to see,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said of Reed’s performance after his team’s 82-71 win over Furman to a press conference outside the Huskies’ locker room.
The No. 2-seeded Huskies needed every point and rebound from Reed to avoid a possible first-round upset over the No. 15-seeded Paladins, as UConn nearly blew an 11-point lead late in the second half.
The night the Huskies got from Reed saved Hurley’s program from being added to the wrong end of March Madness history at the Wells Fargo Center. Going into the night, the 15-seed pulled off an upset two of the last three times when the Men’s NCAA Tournament came to Philadelphia. The first came in 2013 when 15-seed Florida Gulf Coast University upset 2-seed Georgetown in the first round, and the other came in 2022 from that year’s Cinderella story with 15-seed St.
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It didn’t take long for Reed to show his strength in front of a packed Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday, as at times the crowd wanted to get angry. He matched his season high of 16 rebounds at halftime to go with 19 points on a perfect 8-of-8 shooting from the field.
“Grizzly like,” Hurley is how Reed’s night was described.
Reed told USA TODAY Sports in the Huskies locker room that it was halftime when he realized it might be his last night.
“The mindset coming into this game was already strong, knowing it’s my last March (and) my days are numbered in college basketball,” Reed said of his mindset on the night. “We’ll just go out and give it everything I’ve got.”
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He added 12 points and 11 rebounds in the second half, three of which came in quick succession and proved huge as they helped the Huskies kill time and lead to an Alex Karaban 3-pointer to push the lead to 11 with 2:06 left.
A bear inside UConn’s defense, the Huskies’ path to a third title in four years, helped the Huskies finish with a 46-26 advantage in the paint. His 27 rebounds were 4 more than Furman had all night, at age 23.
REQUIRED READING: How UConn basketball’s defense returned the Huskies to national contender status
His night also continued a season-long theme where he looked more comfortable and effective in Hurley’s program this year than last season, when he moved from Michigan to the Big Ten.
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“This is absolutely no surprise to anyone,” Karaban said of his teammate’s big night.
He added: “He opens up everything and something else (for us). To have a big player who gets a lot of attention and just doubles up and helps us shooters get open. He makes our life a lot easier. … He’s really a game changer for us.”
As UConn point guard Silas Demary Jr. still working his way back from an ankle injury suffered in the Big East tournament and his status up in the air for Sunday’s second-round game against 7-seed UCLA, the Huskies will need Reed to be at his best Friday night again.
“He probably needs to get off social media now and focus on his meet and not be swimming in dopamine,” Hurley said of Reed going into Sunday’s second round. “And get ready for a formidable front court that will be tough against UCLA and a Big Ten team.”
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A reed will be ready for anything that is asked for.
“Keeping that momentum, the same energy that I did in the first half and the second half,” said Reed.
Tarris Reed Jr. Statistics today vs Furman in the NCAA tournament
Here’s a full breakdown of Reed’s stats in UConn’s win over Furman on Friday:
Who does Conn play next in March Madness?
The Huskies will face 7-seed UCLA in the second round of the NCAA Men’s Tournament at 8:45 pm ET on Sunday at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The winner will advance to the Sweet 16 of the Eastern Conference and face the winner of 3-seed Michigan State vs. 6-seed Louisville.
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This article first appeared in USA TODAY: Tarris Reed Jr. lists some worlds as UConn avoids a March Madness upset
