Tarris Reed Jr. and the Connecticut Huskies had a remarkable season last year. In a memorable March Madness run that included an iconic shot by guard Braylon Mullins to defeat the No. 1 overall seed Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight, head coach Dan Hurley led UConn to its third national title game in the last four years (2023, 2024, 2026).
Reed played strongly against the Michigan Wolverines in the 2026 NCAA men’s championship game, contributing 13 points and 14 rebounds in the 69-63 loss. The 6-foot-11 big man was phenomenal for Connecticut all season, averaging 14.7 points per game and 9.0 rebounds per game while shooting 60.7% from the field.
One conference opponent that gave Reed and his Huskies fits last year was Owen Freeman and the Creighton Bluejays. In the Jan. 31 matchup against UConn, Freeman went a perfect 2-for-2 from the field and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line for seven points, to go along with two rebounds in an 85-58 loss. Creighton beat Connecticut 91-84 in a Feb. 18 rematch.
Freeman spent two seasons with the Iowa Hawkeyes before transferring to the Bluejays for his junior year. The Moline High School graduate averaged 5.0 points per game, 4.0 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in only 11.9 minutes per game. The 6-foot-10 center entered the 2026 NCAA transfer portal following his one-year stint in Omaha.
On Monday, Freeman went to social media to announce that he is joining Steven Pearl and the Auburn Tigers for the 2026 men’s college basketball season. On his Instagram page, he posted an image of himself with the words “committed” in front of and behind him. Reed appeared to respect Freeman’s game, replying underneath with a GIF of Mike Tomlin, former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach, nodding in approval.
“WAR EAGLE,” Freeman wrote in the caption. “🦅 #AGTG #committed”
Bruce Pearl retired after 30 seasons in college basketball, with his son now the successor as Tigers head coach.
Related: Alex Karaban Reacts To UConn Career Decision
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the College section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.