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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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The UConn Huskies had to fight for an 82-71 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and did so without the help of their starting point guard, Silas Demary Jr., who was out with an injury.
They defeated a pesky Furman Paladins team, as the No. 15 seed refused to give up, making big plays and free throws to keep themselves within single digits through most of the game. However, a monster performance from big man Taris Reed Jr. led the way, and additional scoring help from Alex Karaban helped UConn advance to the second round.
Reed recorded a double-double that hadn't been seen since the late 1960s with 31 points and 27 rebounds. He also shot 80 percent for field goals, which, along with the double-double, was a first-ever achievement for a player in the NCAA Tournament.
Read More on NCAA
They'll now face a dangerous UCLA Bruins team capable of taking down a team like UConn, and especially if Silas Demary Jr. is not in the Huskies' lineup. After the win over Furman, head coach Dan Hurley spoke about the looming injury situation for his squad.
Read more: NCAA Announces Historic Taris Reed Jr. Tournament Performance in UConn Win
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After his team's win, Hurley spoke about UConn's hard-fought win and Reed's incredible game, which led the way to a first-round win. He also spoke about Demary and reserve Jaylin Stewart, who were both out for Friday night's game.
"I don't want to make any more predictions. The information that I shared in New York was the information I was provided with. It was close, he tried. Just couldn't get himself to the point where he felt like he could go. He's got two more days, and same with Jaylin Stewart. We'll see how it goes," Hurley said postgame, per David Borges.
Demary averages 10.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game, making his loss concerning for more than one game. He had originally been listed as questionable due to his ankle injury suffered in the team's loss to St. John's at the Big East Tournament final.
About an hour or so before the game, an update arrived that both Demary and Stewart would be out for the game against Furman. Stewart has been out for a significant stretch of games due to a knee injury.
Most of the talk just before the Furman matchup involved what UConn would need to do without Demary in the lineup due to him being a key ingredient in their offense. While Malachi Smith and Alec Millender filled in as backups, having Demary is crucial to defeating the likes of UCLA in the Big Dance.
"We gotta figure out what our health is. Hopefully one or both of those guys is available," Hurley also said during his postgame remarks about Demary and Stewart.
They'll take on UCLA on Sunday night in a highly anticipated second-round matchup of the NCAA Tournament.
Read more: Did Bill Murray Attend UConn? Why He Was at March Madness Game
For more about the NCAA Tournament, visit Newsweek Sports.
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