No. 5 Connecticut's defensive pressure limited Butler to 30-percent shooting as the Huskies took a 79-60 win Tuesday night in Hartford.
 
With the win, UConn is now 11-1 on the season, while Butler falls to 8-3. Tuesday night was the BIG EAST opener for the Huskies while the Bulldogs are now 1-1 in conference play.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Butler opened the game by scoring 11 of the first 15 points.
• UConn fought back into the game and then utilized a 12-0 run to take a 30-17 lead with 5:36 remaining in the first half.
• The Huskies held a 39-25 halftime advantage, Butler's lowest output in a half this season. Butler made only one of 12 three-point attempts over the first 20 minutes.
• UConn was able to build its lead to 23 (52-29) with 14:17 remaining. At that point in the contest, Solo Ball had 22 of UConn's total.
• Butler would not go away, using a three three-pointers and a 12-3 run to cut the advantage to 55-41 with 12:05 remaining.
• Another spurt pulled the Bulldogs within 11 at 62-51 at the 8:35 mark but three straight UConn scores alongside three consecutive empty possessions by Butler put the game out of reach.

 
TIP-INS:

• Solo Ball led UConn with 26 points. Tarris Reed Jr. added 16 points.
• UConn shot 51 percent for the game.
• The Huskies' defense had 13 blocks on the night.
• Butler had out-rebounded eight of its nine opponents this season, but UConn held a 47-29 advantage on the boards.
• Butler shot only 30 percent in the contest, making only five of their 24 attempts from behind the arc.
• Drayton Jones had 13 points (including hitting all seven of his free throw attempts); the scoring output was his high in a Butler uniform.
• Azavier Robinson and Evan Haywood each scored 10 points for the Bulldogs. 
• Finley Bizjack, Michael Ajayi and Jamie Kaiser Jr. combined for 19 points on the night after entering the game averaging a combined 47 per game.
• Butler was 19-for-24 from the free throw line.

 
UP NEXT: The Bulldogs take a break from BIG EAST play to close out the non-conference portion of their schedule. Butler and Northwestern will tip Saturday afternoon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis as part of the Indy Classic. Butler then hosts NJIT at Hinkle Fieldhouse Monday (Dec. 22).