HARTFORD, Conn. (Interstat) — In a high-stakes Big East clash that lived up to its billing, the Connecticut Huskies narrowly escaped a ferocious upset bid by the Georgetown Hoyas, securing a 79-75 victory before a crowd of 10,244 at XL Center on Saturday, February 14, 2026. The win extended Connecticut’s dominant season record to 24-2, while Georgetown, showing significant grit, fell to 13-12.

The game’s defining sequence, a frantic final 30 seconds, encapsulated the entire contest’s tension. Trailing 77-75, Georgetown’s KJ Lewis, who finished with a game-high 24 points, stole the ball from Connecticut’s Alex Karaban with 14 seconds remaining, giving the Hoyas a chance to tie or take the lead. Georgetown called a full timeout to advance the ball and set up a final play.

Out of the timeout, Georgetown’s Malik Mack found Lewis for a contested 3-point attempt from the wing that would have given the Hoyas the lead. The shot missed, but Kayvaun Mulready was fouled by Connecticut’s Braylon Mullins on the rebound attempt with 11 seconds left. Mulready, who had 15 points, made the first free throw to cut the deficit to 77-76 but missed the second. Connecticut’s Silas Demary secured the critical defensive rebound and was immediately fouled.

Demary, who orchestrated the Huskies’ offense with 15 points and 9 assists, calmly sank both free throws to push the lead back to three points with 10 seconds to go. Georgetown’s last-gasp attempt, another 3-pointer from Mulready, missed, and Demary grabbed the final rebound as time expired, sealing the four-point victory.

The dramatic finish was a product of a game characterized by Connecticut’s efficient offense and Georgetown’s resilient, scrappy defense. The Huskies operated with precision, scoring 79 points on just 65 possessions for an offensive rating of 121.8, overcoming a subpar 11-of-34 shooting performance from 3-point range by dominating inside with 26 points in the paint and converting 18 of 25 free throws.

Georgetown, meanwhile, stayed in the fight through sheer determination and opportunistic play. The Hoyas forced 10 Connecticut turnovers, converting them into 13 points, and outshot the Huskies from beyond the arc, hitting 12 of 28 attempts. Lewis was the catalyst, adding three assists and three steals to his scoring output, while 7-foot-1 center Vincent Iwuchukwu provided a major interior presence with 16 points on efficient shooting.

Connecticut established control early, leveraging a 12-3 run to build a 41-33 halftime lead. The Huskies’ balance was on display as Solo Ball scored 20 points and Alex Karaban added 18, including several clutch baskets down the stretch. Karaban’s 3-pointer with 2:54 left gave Connecticut a 72-69 lead, and his two free throws with 10 seconds left provided the final margin.

Georgetown refused to wilt in the second half, chipping away at the deficit behind Lewis and Iwuchukwu. A driving layup by Lewis with 8:25 remaining brought the Hoyas within 61-60, and the game became a possession-by-possession battle from that point forward, featuring six ties and seven lead changes in the second half alone.

The statistical sheet highlighted the contrasting styles. Connecticut’s assist-to-turnover ratio was hampered by just 4 assists against 10 turnovers, but they compensated with superior rebounding, collecting 10 offensive boards. Georgetown, with 7 assists and 11 turnovers, stayed close by winning the 3-point battle and generating 7 steals.

The victory marked Connecticut’s second close win over Georgetown this season, following a 64-62 result on January 17. For the Hoyas, the performance, though a loss, signaled a competitive level against the conference’s elite, building on recent wins over Creighton and Butler. Connecticut continues its pursuit of a top seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament, while Georgetown looks to harness this narrow defeat into momentum for its postseason aspirations.

Both teams return to Big East action on Wednesday. Connecticut will host Creighton, while Georgetown welcomes Butler to Washington.