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Some of UConn's greatest March Madness runs have been defined by guard play, from Richard Hamilton and Ben Gordon to Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier. In the Dan Hurley era, an imposing big man is essential.
Adama Sanogo was a brutalizing force on the offensive end when the Huskies cut down the nets in 2023. A year later, Donovan Clingan's shot-blocking ability set the tone for UConn during one of the most dominant NCAA Tournament runs any team has ever had. The Huskies' fate this year is still to be determined in Indianapolis, but they once again have that key ingredient in senior Tarris Reed.
"We're gonna go as far as Tarris Reed takes us," UConn forward Jaylin Stewart told The Sporting News.
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A transfer addition from Michigan after Juwan Howard's firing broke up the Wolverines' worst team in 63 years, Reed has blossomed in his second season under Hurley. The St. Louis-born forward is averaging career-highs across the board, from scoring to shot-blocking, and he has come alive with the lights shining the brightest.
Braylon Mullins will justifiably go down as the hero for the Huskies in their thrilling Elite Eight win over Duke, but UConn isn't in position to potentially win the game without Reed plugging away and scoring when the shots weren't falling for the rest of the team. Reed scored 12 of the Huskies' first 16 points with Cameron Boozer all over him, and he added 14 more in the second half as he and his teammates completed one of the most memorable comebacks in college basketball history.
"I think the other teams kind of get scared of him because of the force that he is, how strong he is," Stewart told SN.
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Reed had an eye-popping performance in a closer-than-expected win over Furman in the first round, hanging 31 points and 27 rebounds on the Paladins, and he hasn't let up as the competition has gotten stiffer. Reed had 13 more rebounds against UCLA in the second round, and he was UConn's leading scorer in a narrow Sweet 16 win over Michigan State.
For his efforts, which included nine blocks across the Huskies' final three games, Reed received the East Region's Most Outstanding Player honor.
Before the Elite Eight, Reed told reporters that getting a second offseason under Hurley helped him morph from a role player into one of the most intimidating big men in the country.
"Familiarity was the biggest thing for me. My sophomore year to my junior year, you don't know anything. You're going in there like a deer in headlights, and then it just hits you," Reed said, explaining that he bought into Hurley's system more as he prepared for his senior season and finally felt ready to be a leader.
Stewart said Reed's difficulty adjusting last season was noticeable. "He knew his role, but he just didn't know how to assert himself," Stewart said. "This year, every chance he gets he's down low, fighting for positioning, fighting for rebounds."
Reed came off the bench in all but one game in his first season with the Huskies, splitting time with Samson Johnson in a step back from a starting role at Michigan. Hurley had two big men he trusted, but he didn't have a force in the frontcourt like he did in 2023 or 2024. UConn stumbled to an uncharacteristic 11 losses and didn't make it past the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
With the Huskies once again asserting themselves on the national stage, Reed credits Hurley with getting him in the mindset to play some of his best basketball at the biggest time of the year. "Coach told me multiple times, take everything we've taught you so far and go out and dominate," he told Sporting News.
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Reed's teammates said before the Elite Eight they have taken notice of a new level of conviction in the big man's game. "His confidence is through the roof," guard Solo Ball told SN. "This is his last go-round, so I know how hungry he is to win."
What Reed showed in March is something his teammates always knew he had in him. Guard Malachi Smith told SN that he's been telling the senior all year that he is a "mismatch" for opposing frontcourts. "When he's playing at his best, we're going to be a scary team," Smith said.
UConn is once again scary. The Huskies had their backs against the wall against the No. 1 overall seed Duke and didn't blink, defying the analytics that said they shouldn't have won that game.
Like Sanogo and Clingan, Reed has a chance to reach the pinnacle in a UConn uniform. The Huskies, in an unfamiliar position as underdogs in the Final Four, can't get there without more of the same from their leader in the frontcourt.
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