NEW YORK CITY – Liam McNeeley scored 26 points for No. 18 UConn, which fended off a series of rallies by No. 8 Gonzaga to earn a 77-71 win in a Hall of Fame Series matchup at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.
 
Tarris Reed Jr. scored 12 points and Jaylin Stewart added 10 for two-time defending national champion UConn (8-3) for coach Dan Hurley's 300th win.
 
Khalif Battle had 21 points, Ryan Nembhard finished with 16 points and Michael Ajayi added 14 points for Gonzaga (7-3).
 
UConn opened the game on a 13-2 run and led 43-40 at the half. Gonzaga tied the game at 55 on back-to-back 3-pointers by Battle and Nembhard before the Huskies scored the next 10 points.
 
The Bulldogs got within 73-70 on an old-fashioned 3-point play by Ajayi with 3:25 left, before Alex Karaban hit a layup as the shot clock expired with a minute left.
 
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UConn opens Big East play Wednesday by hosting Xavier in Hartford. Gonzaga also returns home Wednesday, when the Bulldogs play Nicholls State.