THE COLLEGE basketball action continued over the holiday period, with 2025 already seeing some exciting clashes take place as March Madness approaches at a rapid pace.

Monday saw the Providence Friars take on the UConn Huskies in a highly anticipated matchup that certainly lived up to the hype. The Huskies were the favourites coming into the match given how strongly they had performed throughout the season, but the Friars had strung together some impressive wins of late. Both teams were missing key players, with UConn without Liam McNeeley, who has accounted for the second-most points per game for a Huskies player, while the Friars were missing leading-scorer Bryce Hopkins.

The Huskies looked in trouble on the eve of half time, with Providence recording the final nine points of the term, while inaccuracy struck for UConn as it missed nine of its final 10 shots of the half. However, a 16-2 run proved match-defining after the main break, as the Huskies held on for a three-point win to remain unbeaten in the Big East.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be casting an eye over how the key players performed in the match, as some of the NCAAM’s best and brightest display their craft on a nightly basis.

Providence Friars (84) def. by UConn Huskies (87)

Providence

#0 Wesley Cardet Jr.

One of several Providence players that can hold their head high despite not being able to follow through with the potential upset, Cardet Jr. did as much as he could to get the Friars past the Huskies. With several of his fellow starters in foul trouble the senior guard stepped up on the offensive end and showed his shot-making ability when his side needed some scoring. He posted 18 points on 7/13 shooting and was a key factor in the Friars being in a winning position in the first place.

#1 Jayden Pierre

The leading scorer for the match, Pierre was unstoppable at times for the Friars and helped build a big lead in the first half. Playing 37 of a possible 40 minutes, the Junior guard was electric and was finding the bottom of the net with ease in a season-best performance. He shot 50 per cent from the field (8/16 FG) en route to 24 points for the match in a near match-winning performance. Although the defence put more time into shutting him down as the game went on, he still popped up for some timely makes down the stretch to keep his team alive.

UConn

#5 Tarris Reed Jr.

Although some of his teammates may have posted better numbers, there were few players that had a bigger impact than Reed Jr. when the game was there to be won. All 10 of his points came in the decisive second half, leading a comeback that proved match-winning. In the 16-2 run that dragged UConn back into the match, the center accounted for six of those points and made the most of his 18 minutes of court time to post five rebounds, two assists and three blocks as well.

#10 Hassan Dierra

One player that stood out in a balanced team performance from the Huskies was Dierra, who excelled on the scoring front and had ice in his veins down the stretch. He was the most productive player for UConn with 19 points and eight assists in a tremendous performance from the guard, knowing exactly what type of play his team needed to get their offence going. When the game became a free throw battle, Dierra was ice cold with the match on the line. From the charity stripe, he was near-perfect with 10 made shots from 11 attempts and was a huge reason why his side rallied from 14 points down to win.