Cam Spencer leads UConn men's basketball team over North Carolina in Jimmy V Classic – CT Insider

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 5: Cam Spencer #12 of the Connecticut Huskies attempts a shot as Harrison Ingram #55 of the North Carolina Tar Heels defends during the first half of a game in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden on December 5, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
North Carolina guard RJ Davis defends UConn guard Tristen Newton during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)
UConn guard Stephon Castle shoots at the basket over North Carolina forward Jalen Washington (13) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)
UConn guard Tristen Newton (2) shoots during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)
UConn forward Samson Johnson (35) dunks the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)
UConn forward Samson Johnson (35) hangs on the rim after dunking the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)
UConn head coach Dan Hurley gives instructions to his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)
NEW YORK — It must have been the shoes.
Sporting a new pair of black Nike sneakers after battling injuries on both feet Friday night at Kansas, Cam Spencer put on a show at the World’s Most Famous Arena.
Spencer scored 23 points, grabbed seven rebounds, doled out six assists and even picked up a technical foul for taunting, leading the UConn men’s basketball team to an 87-76 win over North Carolina in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night.
Not bad, considering he had been limited in practice after limping to a season-low six points, including a missed game-winning 3-pointer, four days earlier at Kansas.
“I put a lot of that (Kansas loss) on myself,” Spencer noted. “I definitely came in with a lot of motivation and anger to help the team the best way I could. I thought we raised out intensity level from that Kansas game.”
Spencer certainly did. The grad transfer from Rutgers scored 16 points in the first half to keep fifth-ranked UConn (8-1) afloat while the Huskies clanged 12 of 16 3-point attempts.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 5: Cam Cam Spencer #12 of the Connecticut Huskies reacts to getting called for a technical foul against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half of a game in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden on December 5, 2023 in New York City. Connecticut defeated North carolina 87-76. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
UConn hit its first four 3-pointers of the latter half to open up a double-digit lead despite both big men (Donovan Clingan, Samson Johnson) landing in foul trouble. Spencer canned one of those treys, then was hit with a “T” for taunting UNC big man Armando Bacot.
“That was my bad,” Spencer confessed. “Sometimes, you get lost in the game and the adrenaline kicks in. I won’t try to do that again.”
He noted that it was the first technical he’s received in college.
“He gets (a lot) of them in practice,” Hurley chipped in.
As for the new shoes …
“The other ones weren’t working out for me,” Spencer reported. “It’s not to blame (for the injuries), but they weren’t working for my toes, so …”
No. 9 UNC (7-2) would get to within five, but an 8-0 run that began with a Tristen Newton transition layup off an Alex Karaban steal and assist and was capped by a Clingan layup put UConn up 17.
This is the fifth time the Huskies have played in the Jimmy V and the first time they’ve won a game. It’s also only the second time in seven meetings UConn has defeated UNC. The Huskies’ only previous win came on Jan. 19, 2002, an 86-54 romp at Gampel Pavilion. The Tar Heels won the other five meetings between 1990 and 2005. 
Karaban added 18 points despite continuing his shooting woes (2-for-9 from 3), and added nine rebounds and five assists. Newton scored 14 and freshman Solo Ball netted 13.
UConn forward Alex Karaban (11) shoots the ball over North Carolina guard Elliot Cadeau (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)
“He was, by far, the best freshman on the court,” Hurley said of Ball.
This was the third of what will be at least five and as many as eight games that UConn plays inside Madison Square Garden this season. The Huskies beat Indiana and No. 12 Texas on back-to-back nights (Nov. 19, 20) in the Saatva Empire Classic. They will play St. John’s at MSG on Feb. 3, then play as little as one and as many as four games at the Garden in the Big East Tournament March 13-16.
Coupled with UConn’s 69-65 loss Friday night at No. 2 Kansas, it’s the first time the Huskies have played top-10 teams in consecutive, nonconference games since November, 2010, when they beat No. 2 Michigan State and No. 8 Kentucky.
“We got everything that we wanted to get out of this, when we put this on the schedule,” Hurley said. “The atmosphere was awesome, the opponent is one of the best teams in the country. It was just such a great test, coming off the disappointment in the Kansas loss, on the road, and playing an opponent like this, coming in with a couple of guys banged up. Just to put that type of impressive performance speaks to the group that we have this year.”
After a quick “respite” on Saturday in Storrs against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, UConn travels to Seattle to face No. 7 Gonzaga on Dec. 15.
UConn guard Solomon Ball (1) and teammates celebrate during the second half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina in New York, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. UConn won, 87-76. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)
UConn led for most of the first half behind the shooting of Spencer and Newton (10 points). The Huskies took a 42-32 lead after Hassan Diarra knocked down a 3-pointer, then grabbed a rebound and took it the length of the floor for a layup with 1:40 left in the half. The normally stoic Spencer punched the air in celebration while goading the strong UConn contingent to get loud.
“I love that,” Ball said. “I’m an energy guy, too. Whenever I see people get hyped, it makes me take off, too. I’m the same way.”
UNC would get to within five (44-39) at halftime, however, after Harrison Ingram hit a 3-pointer in the waning seconds. UConn shot a mere 25 percent (4-for-16) from 3 in the opening half, but managed to get off 35 shots overall, thanks in part to seven offensive rebounds.
• Freshman guard Stephon Castle made his return to the floor after missing the past six games with a knee issue. Castle came off the bench for the first time this season, checking in at the 12:30 mark of the first half to a loud ovation from the sizeable, pro-UConn contingent. Understandably, it took a while for Castle to make his mark, but he played well during one stretch midway through the latter half, blocking a Bacot shot, and grabbing an offensive rebound that led to his own baseline driving layup.
“He had no shot to play (well) today,” Hurley said of Castle, a potential 2024 NBA lottery pick. “I told (associate head coach Kimani Young) before the game, this could go bad for him. You get dumped in a game like this, he had two days of live reps … When we get this guy the reps, a couple of more games under his belt, with the shooting that he’s going to have around him and the center play, he’s going to be awesome this year.”
Castle finished with three points, four rebounds, an assist, a block and a turnover in 11 minutes of action.
• UConn national champion Emeka Okafor and UNC Hall of Fame ex-coach Roy Williams were in the crowd.
• Illinois outscored Florida Atlantic 98-89 in Tuesday’s Jimmy V opener. Former UConn guard Jalen Gaffney had 10 points and seven assists in a losing effort for the Owls.
• Playing in the Jimmy V, which raises money for cancer research in the name of former NC State coach Jim Valvano, was special to Spencer.
“I think we all grew up watching these tournaments, seeing Jimmy V and his speech and how powerful it was, how many people it inspired. We’ve had people on the team lose some family members and friends to cancer, so it’s just awesome what we can raise money for a great cause and, hopefully, help a lot of people.”
UConn men’s basketball beat writer

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