Liam McNeeley poured in a career-high 26 points on the brightest stage of his young career, igniting a pro-UConn crowd on a night when some of his more experienced teammates struggled.

Touted freshman Liam McNeeley scored 26 points to lead the UConn men’s basketball team to a 77-71 victory over No. 8 Gonzaga at Madison Square Garden Saturday night.

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.

On a night where UConn star Alex Karaban was ice-cold, freshman standout Liam McNeeley served as the Huskies’ alpha and looked like one of the best players in the sport.

Liam McNeeley driving in snow, knocking down 3-pointers as highly-touted freshman on UConn men's basketball team.

UConn freshman Liam McNeeley scored a career-best 26 points and led the Huskies to their third win over Gonzaga in the past 21 months.

Liam McNeeley scored a career-best 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds as No. 18 UConn recorded a 77-71 victory over No. 8 Gonzaga on Saturday night at New York. Tarris

Dan Hurley has gotten his squad turned around and the Huskies prevailed in a back-and-forth battle against Gonzaga on Saturday night.