CINCINNATI (Interstat) — The Connecticut Huskies delivered a dominant New Year’s Eve statement, overwhelming the Xavier Musketeers from the opening tip and cruising to a 90-67 victory in a Big East Conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at a sold-out Cintas Center.

The Huskies, improving to 13-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play, never trailed and built a commanding 43-28 halftime lead. They extended that advantage throughout the second half, leading by as many as 30 points before settling into the 23-point final margin. Xavier fell to 9-5 and 1-1 in the Big East.

The most important part of the game was Connecticut’s immediate and sustained offensive execution, which dismantled Xavier’s defense. The Huskies opened the contest with a clinical 14-2 run over the first five minutes, setting a tone of precision and physicality that the Musketeers could never counter. Silas Demary Jr. ignited the surge with a three-pointer, and the Huskies capitalized on early Xavier misses and turnovers to build an insurmountable cushion before the first media timeout. That initial burst effectively decided the contest, as Xavier spent the remaining 35 minutes fighting an uphill battle against a superior opponent operating at peak efficiency.

Connecticut’s offensive performance was a model of efficiency. The Huskies shot 53.2% from the field and a blistering 46.4% from three-point range, connecting on 13 of 28 attempts. They scored 90 points on just 73 possessions, an elite offensive rating of 123.9. In contrast, Xavier managed only 67 points on 72 possessions, shooting 42.9% overall and a frigid 4 of 18 from beyond the arc.

Alex Karaban led a balanced and potent Connecticut attack, scoring 19 points while adding seven rebounds, four assists, a block and two steals. The forward from Southborough, Massachusetts, was instrumental in the early onslaught and continued to be a steadying force. He was complemented by backcourt mates Braylon Mullins and Solo Ball, who each scored 17 points. Mullins, a freshman from Greenfield, Indiana, hit five three-pointers, while Ball added four assists. Tarris Reed provided a strong interior presence with 10 points and eight rebounds.

Xavier was led by a standout performance from Filip Borovicanin. The junior from Belgrade, Serbia, recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, along with six assists. Malik Messina-Moore added 16 points and four assists, and Roddie Anderson chipped in 15 points. However, their efforts were insufficient against Connecticut’s relentless pressure and shot-making.

The Huskies controlled the glass, outrebounding Xavier 38-27, and matched the Musketeers with eight steals, converting Xavier’s 11 turnovers into easy transition opportunities. Connecticut’s defense held Xavier to just 28 first-half points, a season-low for a half for the Musketeers at home.

The victory extends Connecticut’s winning streak to six games since their only loss to Arizona in November. They have won their first two Big East games by an average of 25.5 points. Xavier, coming off a road win at Georgetown, saw its two-game win streak snapped in emphatic fashion.

According to the Interstat ELO system, Connecticut entered with a 78.9% probability to win. The total score of 157 points went over the betting over/under line of 144. The announced attendance was 9,825.

Connecticut next hosts Marquette on Sunday. Xavier travels to face DePaul on Saturday.