LAHAINA, Hawaii — It was Maui magic. An instant classic.
But at the end of 45 back-and-forth minutes — which featured an 18-5 UConn run to end regulation; a buzzer-beating 3 by Solo Ball to force overtime; offsetting technical fouls due to a shoving match in overtime; a technical foul on Huskies coach Dan Hurley for calling officials a “f—ing joke”; Memphis making seven of its eight free throws, six by PJ Carter; and UConn airballing its desperation 3-point heave as time expired — Memphis outlasted No. 2 UConn 99-97 to snap the longest winning streak in Division I at 17 games, dealing the two-time defending national champs their first loss since Feb. 20.
And that was all before lunchtime locally. Turns out the Maui Invitational did miss the Lahaina Civic Center. The tournament’s triumphant return to its longtime home, after moving to Honolulu last year in the wake of the August 2023 wildfires, more than delivered.
Tyrese Hunter led Memphis with 26 points, tying a career high with seven 3-pointers, but Carter was the late star, saving Memphis by canning all six of his overtime free throws after Hurley’s late technical. Ball, whose 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in regulation capped a frantic UConn comeback attempt, finished with 10 points but fouled out in overtime, one of three Huskies who ended the game stuck to the pine. Tarris Reed Jr., who set a new season high with 22 points, led UConn in scoring, while Alex Karaban’s four 3-pointers were critical to the game even making it past regulation.
When Hunter hit his seventh 3 with 8:35 left, putting Memphis up 10, it seemed like the Huskies would lose their first nonconference game since last season’s epic against Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse. But the Huskies never withered, with Karaban and Liam McNeeley’s 3-point shooting pulling them back into it. Memphis, meanwhile, didn’t make a field goal over the final four minutes of regulation. And as if this game needed any more theatrics, the reason UConn got one last look to send the game to extra time? Because Memphis was called for a 10-second violation with 14.2 seconds left, setting up Ball’s big-time 3.
In overtime, both teams traded baskets to start, but hoops eventually gave way to hysteria when Memphis bigs Moussa Cisse and Dain Dainja got into an altercation with UConn big Samson Johnson, bringing both benches to the brink of clearing. Even Hurley and Hardaway got involved, with Memphis assistant Nolan Smith trying to play peacemaker. Eventually Dainja and Samson were both assessed technical fouls, but it was Samson’s fifth, leaving UConn without a viable big man for the game’s final few minutes. Meanwhile, Memphis star PJ Haggerty — who finished with 22 points, 11 of which came at the free-throw line — had fouled out in the final 30 seconds of regulation trying to go for a game-sealing defensive rebound.
But the deciding factor Monday afternoon was when Hurley, whose bench was assessed an early technical for complaining to officials after UConn picked up six personal fouls in the game’s first five minutes, blew his top with 40 seconds left after McNeeley was called for an over-the-back foul trying to grab an offensive rebound. Hurley had to be restrained by assistant Luke Murray, but the damage was done. His technical gave Memphis two more shots in addition to the two it earned from McNeeley’s foul. Carter sank all four, giving Memphis the margin it ultimately needed to ride out the rest of the game.
Memphis will now play the winner of Michigan State and Colorado in the semifinals on Tuesday, while UConn will take on the loser in the consolation bracket.
(Photo: Darryl Oumi / Getty Images)
