Storrs, CT — Tarris Reed Jr. made his minutes count. The UConn big man came off the bench all season, but his impact was impossible to ignore.
On Monday, March 10, the BIG EAST named him Sixth Man of the Year, marking the first conference honor of his career.
Reed played in all but one game as a reserve, yet he led UConn in rebounding.
He averaged 10.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, shooting 66.8% from the field. He also blocked 1.7 shots per game, ranking among the top five in the conference.
In BIG EAST play, his numbers stayed steady.
He posted 9.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, shooting 64.1% while averaging 20.3 minutes per game. He controlled the glass, leading the league in offensive rebound percentage (17.8) and defensive rebound percentage (25.3), according to KenPom. His 9.8% block rate was second-best in the conference.
His best game came on March 1 at Providence. He erupted for 24 points, 18 rebounds, and six blocks, setting career highs across the board. No other player in the NCAA this season has recorded a 24-18-6 stat line.
Throughout conference play, he notched four double-doubles. Three of those games included at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. Over the full season, seven of his eight double-doubles came as a reserve—the most by any bench player in the nation.
Reed follows Hassan Diarra, who won the award last season. Tyler Polley (2021) is the only other UConn player to claim the honor since its 2007 introduction.
The Huskies return to action Thursday night in the BIG EAST Quarterfinals. Reed won’t start, but he’ll be ready when called.
