Raleigh, NC – The University of Connecticut Huskies men’s basketball team continued their remarkable NCAA Tournament dominance on Friday, March 21, 2025, defeating the Oklahoma Sooners 67-59 in a hard-fought first-round clash at the Lenovo Center. The victory marked UConn’s 13th consecutive win in March Madness, tying the 1991-93 Duke Blue Devils for the second-longest tournament winning streak since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985. With this triumph, the two-time defending national champions kept their dream of a historic three-peat alive, advancing to face top-seeded Florida in the Round of 32.
The No. 8-seeded Huskies (24-10) faced a resilient No. 9-seeded Oklahoma squad (20-14), which battled fiercely but couldn’t overcome UConn’s late-game poise. Trailing briefly in the second half, UConn relied on veteran Alex Karaban, who delivered a clutch 3-pointer with 3:40 remaining to secure a four-point lead, followed by a floater at the 2:18 mark that pushed the margin to 64-58. Karaban finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Solo Ball added 14 points and Tarris Reed Jr. contributed 12 points and seven boards despite foul trouble. Freshman standout Liam McNeeley struggled, shooting 2-for-13, but UConn’s depth and defense held firm.
Oklahoma’s freshman guard Jeremiah Fears led the Sooners with 20 points, showcasing his potential in what may have been his lone collegiate game, as speculation swirls about his next steps. The Sooners shot a dismal 32.1% from the field and 3-for-17 from beyond the arc, unable to capitalize on their elite free-throw shooting (79.4% entering the game). Despite rallying to make it a one-point game late, Oklahoma’s offensive woes proved their undoing against a UConn team accustomed to winning under pressure.
Coach Dan Hurley, whose animated sideline presence has become a March staple, praised his team’s resilience. “There’s a belief in the UConn jersey this time of year,” Hurley said postgame. “We’ve got a championship pedigree, and it showed tonight.” The win ended UConn’s streak of 12 consecutive NCAA Tournament victories by double digits—a record many thought untouchable—but the single-digit margin only underscored the Huskies’ ability to grind out results when brilliance alone wouldn’t suffice.
This year’s squad, unlike the juggernauts of 2023 and 2024 that steamrolled opponents by an average of 23.3 points, has faced adversity, including an 0-3 stumble in Maui earlier this season. Yet, their 13-game tournament streak matches Duke’s historic run and keeps them in elite company alongside Florida (2006-07) and UCLA (1967-73) as repeat champions. Fans on social media marveled at the achievement, with one calling it “one of the wildest streaks in sports.”
Next up, UConn faces a formidable Florida Gators team on Sunday, a matchup Hurley likened to facing a mirror image of his past rosters. For now, the Huskies savor another step in their storied March legacy, proving once again that in the NCAA Tournament, they remain a force to be reckoned with.
