UConn Huskies Stun Opponent in Thrilling Upset to Keep Perfect Season Alive

STORRS, Conn. — The University of Connecticut is bracing for a blockbuster weekend that could define the Huskies’ spring sports narrative. Men’s basketball: Dan Hurley’s No. 6 Huskies welcome Seton Hall for Saturday’s sold-out Senior Day matinee at Gampel Pavilion, where Alex Karaban, Hassan Diarra and Samson Johnson will be honored before tip-off. UConn can clinch at least a share of first place in the Big East with a victory, while the Pirates need a résumé-boosting road win to solidify their NCAA Tournament hopes. Women’s basketball: Geno Auriemma added a marquee non-conference series on Friday, announcing that UConn and Duke have agreed to a three-year home-and-home beginning next season. The matchup will double as a North Carolina homecoming for No. 1 recruit Sarah Strong and increases the national spotlight on sharpshooter Azzi Fudd as March approaches. Ice hockey: Fresh off a program-best regular season, the sixth-seeded UConn women host Maine in the Hockey East quarterfinal tonight at the Toscano Family Ice Forum. A win would send Chris MacKenzie’s squad to its first league semifinal since 2023. Why it matters: • Saturday’s clash with Seton Hall is UConn’s final home game before a daunting road swing to Marquette and Creighton, making momentum critical for a potential No. 1 seed on Selection Sunday. • The Duke agreement restores a blue-blood rivalry that last captivated women’s basketball fans in the early 2010s, boosting UConn’s strength of schedule for future NET calculations. • A deep Hockey East run would bolster UConn’s case for an at-large NCAA bid, giving the university a rare chance to send three high-profile programs into postseason play simultaneously. Key numbers: • 19-1 — UConn men’s record at Gampel Pavilion under Dan Hurley since last February. • 2 — National titles Auriemma’s Huskies have won since last playing Duke in 2021. • 7 — Straight wins for UConn women’s hockey entering tonight’s quarterfinal. What’s next: • Men’s basketball vs. Seton Hall, Saturday noon ET (Fox). • Women’s hockey vs. Maine, Friday 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+). • Big East women’s hoops tournament begins March 7 at Mohegan Sun Arena, where UConn is the projected No. 1 seed. With three nationally ranked teams taking center stage, Storrs could become the epicenter of college sports headlines all weekend long.