Tarris Reed Jr. Leads UConn to Elite Eight Victory and Boosts Draft Stock UConn's Tarris Reed Jr. had a dominant performance in the Elite Eight, leading his team to victory over Duke and significantly improving his NBA draft prospects. Reed's impressive stats and strong tournament play have positioned him as a potential second-round steal, with his size, touch, and defensive abilities making him a valuable role player at the next level. From High Point’s upset of Wisconsin to Iowa defeating reigning national champion Florida, this year’s event hasn’t disappointed. In the Elite Eight, viewers were treated to another spectacular finish, as Connecticut erased a 19-point deficit to take down No. 1-seeded Duke. Freshman and potential lottery pick Braylon Mullins was the hero, hitting a deep 3-pointer with less than a second left on the clock to lift the Huskies to a victory, but senior big man Tarris Reed Jr. starred for UConn. Reed finished with 26 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks and 2 steals while shooting 10-of-16 from the field and 6-of-9 from the free throw line. The former Michigan transfer’s performance continued his strong NCAA Tournament run. In four contests, Reed is averaging 21.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 60% from the field. Behind Reed’s efforts, which included a pair of double-doubles, the Huskies are now two wins away from claiming a third national title in four years. In the process, Reed has significantly boosted his draft stock. While the 6-foot-11, 265-pounder likely won’t be a first-round pick, Reed has the potential to be a second-round steal. With good size and strength to complement solid touch and rebounding prowess around the rim, Reed could be a good rotation big man at the next level. He won’t be asked to score as much in the NBA, but Reed’s interior defense and motor should make him a valuable role player. The senior is averaging 14.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2 blocks per game while shooting 62.1% from the field this season. Reed will get another solid test in the Final Four against Illinois’ post players, which include Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic. If the Huskies can secure another win against the Fighting Illini, Reed will be matched up against Motiejus Krivas or Aday Mara, who both have a chance to be first-round picks this summer. If Reed performs well against Illinois and potentially in the national championship game, the veteran big man could raise his draft position even further. Reed spent the first two years of his NCAA career at Michigan, and has appeared in 134 college games with 65 starts, offering solid experience that could make the big man ready to contribute early in his NBA career.Randall Sweet is a 2022 Oklahoma University graduate who has formerly written for the Norman Transcript and OU Daily. Randall also serves as the Communications Coordinator at Visit OKC.