Jahmyl Telfort, who scored nine of the Bulldogs’ 10 points in the second half, cut their deficit to two with 10 seconds to go but his game-winning attempt hit off the top of the backboard as the final buzzer sounded.

The 80-78 victory helped the No. 19 Huskies improve to 14-5 on the year and 6-2 in Big East play. It was their ninth game this season decided by five points or less, and their fifth victory in such games.

UConn is now 11-0 in its all-time series against Butler (8-11, 1-7 Big East).

Ball, who made a 3-pointer that felt like a knockout blow with 1:39 on the clock in overtime and then missed the front end of a one-and-one to give Telfort another shot at the end, finished with a career-high 23 points on 8 of 14 shooting. Alex Karaban scored five of his 19 points in overtime and added seven rebounds, six assists and three blocks.

Centers Samson Johnson and Reed scored 14 points a piece.

Five minutes in, Reed, who was challenged by Dan Hurley after a stretch of rough outings, ripped away an offensive rebound and scored a layup, igniting the crowd and elating his coach, who ran over and embraced Aidan Mahaney at the scorer’s table. On the defensive end, Karaban swatted a 3-point attempt from Patrick McCaffery and passed ahead to Ball for a layup in transition, prompting Hurley to smack the scorer’s table in celebration.

That series, which put the Huskies up by nine less than six minutes in, set the tone for most of the first half.

Ball scored 15 points in the opening period, knocking down 3 of 7 attempts from beyond the arc. He rebounded a couple of his own misses and was able to salvage those possessions with points, as well. UConn continued to show off its transition offense, forcing three turnovers in a two-minute span and capitalizing to grow the lead to 15 with four and a half minutes until the break.

The Huskies didn’t make another field goal for the rest of the half and allowed a 9-0 Butler run, but Ball got to the line after a second-chance layup attempt to send UConn into the break with a 39-31 advantage.

In an inspired defensive effort early, UConn blocked seven shots in the first half and held the Bulldogs to 40.7% shooting from the field.

Butler’s Jahmyl Telfort denied any opportunity for the Huskies to pull away through much of the second half, powering to the rim as he scored 10 points after the break. He cut UConn’s lead to four around the eight-minute mark, but Jayden Ross finished a tough layup through contact and Ball nailed his fourth 3-pointer of the night to bring the Huskies’ advantage back to nine.

But UConn’s defense slipped from the first half. In another three-minute offensive slump, the Huskies got sloppy and let Butler back into it again. The Bulldogs took advantage of the miscues and put together an 11-1 scoring run, giving them their first lead of the game after a 3-pointer and a layup from Finley Bizjack (17 points) with four minutes to go.

The Bulldogs didn’t make another shot from the field in regulation but got enough from the free throw line to have the score tied in the final seconds. Hassan Diarra, who missed a desperation shot on what appeared to be UConn’s final possession, stole Butler’s inbound pass with 2.5 seconds left in regulation and came inches away from nailing a half court heave for the win.

UConn is back on the road this weekend, meeting Xavier in Cincinnati for an 8 p.m. tip on Saturday. The Musketeers took the Huskies to overtime at the XL Center when they met on Dec. 18, a 94-89 UConn win.

The Manchester Fire Department responded to a report of a serious motor vehicle collision at the intersection of West Center and Cooper Streets on Tuesday afternoon, according to a post on social media.

Fire officials said two people were ejected and located under one of the cars. According to fire officials, they were quickly rescued without having to lift the vehicle.

Four people in total were transported to local hospitals by fire department paramedics, fire officials said. Three of the victims were suffering from potentially life-threatening injuries, according to fire officials. Their statuses were unknown.

No further information was available at this time.

Peeler’s crimes horrified the state.

He was convicted of shooting to death 8-year old Leroy “B.J.” Brown and his mother Karen Clarke in January 1999 on orders from his older brother Russell Peeler, his partner in their Bridgeport drug gang. Prosecutors said the brothers wanted to eliminate B.J. as a witness against Russell, who was about to be tried for killing Clarke’s boyfriend, a rival Bridgeport drug dealer Rudolf Snead.

B.J. told police he and another boy were sitting in Snead’s car and he saw Russell Peeler shoot and wound Snead in a 1997 drive-by attack. Snead survived but was slain later.

Adrian Peeler was eventually sentenced to a total of 60 years in prison for his crimes, 25 years on state charges for conspiring to murder Clarke and her son and 35 on federal drug trafficking charges.

Russell Peeler was convicted of ordering the murders of Clarke and B.J. He was sentenced to death in state Superior Court. His death sentence was later commuted to life in prison without the possibility of release after the death sentence was abolished in Connecticut.

Adrian Peeler also faced a death sentence at one point for shooting B.J and his mother. But his jury convicted him of murder conspiracy and he was sentenced to a total of 25 years.

Local law enforcement officials were trying to obtain information about the commutation Tuesday. Normally, the White House or U.S. justice department notify local and federal prosecutors of such decisions in advance, giving them a chance to bring challenges.

No advance notifications were given in Adrian Peeler’s case nor in those of 13 other Connecticut criminals whose sentences Biden also commuted on Friday, the local officials said.

Adrian Peeler’s two sentences were ordered to be served concurrently. He completed the state murder conspiracy sentence in December 2021 and was transferred to federal custody. A month earlier, now retired U.S. District Judge Janet B. Arterton reduced Peeler’s federal sentence to 15 years from 35 years because of a sentencing reform law.

If not for the commutation, Adrian Peeler would not have been released until October 2033. Because of Biden’s order he is now scheduled for release on July 16.

The Peeler case sparked a number of state law enforcement reforms, including programs designed to protect witnesses in criminal cases.

Adrian Peeler and the other 13 Connecticut criminals were among 2,490 prison inmates whose sentences were commuted Friday by Biden. In a statement released Friday,. Biden said the commutations were made to correct unfair sentencing disparities.

“Today’s clemency action provides relief for individuals who received lengthy sentences based on discredited distinctions between crack and powder cocaine, as well as outdated sentencing enhancements for drug crimes,” Biden said in a statement. “This action is an important step toward righting historic wrongs, correcting sentencing disparities, and providing deserving individuals the opportunity to return to their families and communities after spending far too much time behind bars.”

No one from the prior administration could be reached to discuss the commutations late Tuesday.

Officers responded to a disturbance at Urban Air, located at 220 Hale Road, just after 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Manchester Police Department.

A parent of a 14-year-old called 911 and reported that her son was assaulted during an altercation and alleged that one of the individuals involved had a firearm, police said.

The parent told officers approximately six individuals were involved in the disturbance and fled the scene on foot, according to police.

Multiple officers were dispatched to locate the suspects. Based on witness descriptions, officers reportedly observed the suspects entering a vehicle.

Police immediately stopped the vehicle, which was being driven by an adult with juvenile passengers. According to police, some of the occupants were uncooperative and refused to get out of the car.

During the investigation, officers reportedly found a bag with a facsimile firearm in the vehicle. Police said the gun appeared to be painted black, including the original orange tip, to make it look real.

Additionally, officers reportedly discovered a discarded bag near the incident that contained a large knife and clothing that matched the description of one of the juveniles, according to police.

Two juveniles, ages 14 and 15 years old, were arrested and charged with carrying a facsimile firearm, second-degree breach of peace, second-degree threatening, reckless endangerment, third-degree assault and tampering with evidence.

Police said the juveniles were taken to juvenile detention on an order to detain.

The incident remains under investigation, according to police.

The Bridgeport Public Schools issued the guidelines a day after the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump, but had discussed the issue during the Jan. 13 Board of Education meeting, according to district officials.

During that meeting, Interim Superintendent Dr. Royce Avery “reported that the district’s immigration enforcement guidelines are in full effect and emphasized the importance of safeguarding students, regardless of their immigration status,” the district said in a statement.

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Trump Monday signed an order under which he intends to end the constitutional provision giving “birthright citizenship” to anyone born in the U.S. regardless of the immigration status of their parents. He has previously also promised mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.

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Connecticut’s attorney general, William Tong filed suit, with the attorneys general of 17 other states, the District of Columbia and the City of San Francisco against Trump in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, “challenging the lawless executive order ending birthright citizenship, eviscerating clear constitutional rights to which all children born in the U.S. are entitled.”

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The Bridgeport Public Schools district said it acted out of concerns about “potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement” actions and to reaffirm its “commitment to protecting the safety and privacy of all students and families.”

“Under these guidelines, no ICE agents or government officials are permitted to enter school buildings, buses, or attend school events without prior written authorization from the superintendent,” Bridgeport Public Schools district statement said.

The statement by the schools came as the Trump administration threw out policies limiting where ICE arrests could happen.

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Avery said that the district is “dedicated to protecting all students, regardless of their immigration status.

“We will not tolerate any threats to the safety or dignity of our students,” he said, in a statement. “Every student in Bridgeport, regardless of their immigration status, has the right to feel secure and supported in our schools. I became an educator to advocate for all students, and I will ensure their rights and privacy are upheld. Our schools will remain a safe space where all students can learn, grow, and succeed without fear or discrimination.”

Guidelines, per the district:

Visitor Protocol: All visitors must report to the main office, provide valid identification, and state a legitimate purpose for their visit. Unauthorized individuals will not be granted access.

Immigration Enforcement Restrictions: Federal immigration activities are strictly prohibited on Bridgeport Public Schools property, transportation routes, or during school activities without prior approval from the Superintendent. No ICE agents or government officials can enter school buildings, buses, or attend school events without prior authorization.

Student Privacy Protections: Bridgeport Public Schools does not collect or store information regarding immigration status to ensure student privacy and safety.

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Steps to Follow if an ICE Officer Arrives, per the district:

Secure the Premises: Use the intercom to communicate with the official. If necessary, lock all exterior doors to prevent unauthorized entry and ensure the safety of students and staff.

Meet the Officer at the Entrance: Always meet the ICE officer at the school entrance, where all visitors are screened for entry.

Request Officer Information: Ask for the ICE officer’s name, badge/ID number, and the reason for the visit during school hours.

Contact the Superintendent’s Office: Immediately notify the Superintendent’s office to ensure they are informed and can take the necessary action.

Do Not Physically Interfere: If the ICE officer does not comply with district protocols, do not attempt to physically intervene. Instead, gather as much information as possible and notify district security supervisors and the Superintendent’s office.

The district said it is “actively working with key community partners, including the Connecticut Institute for Refugees & Immigrants, CT Students For A Dream, and others, to host a series of community forums and trainings in the coming weeks. The forums are designed to ensure the Bridgeport community receives the vital resources and information needed to navigate concerns related to student safety and immigration.”

West Hartford Public Safety Dispatch received a report of an exterior gutter on fire outside of a multifamily residence on Newington Road in West Hartford around 2:36 p.m. on Tuesday, according to Chief Greg H. Priest of the West Hartford Fire Department. Members of the West Hartford Fire and Police Departments were immediately dispatched to the scene.

A fire department paramedic unit arrived first at the scene and reported smoke from the top of the roof.

“Based on this report, the shift commander (deputy fire chief) transmitted a working fire, which added additional fire resources to the response and brought area fire departments into town to provide coverage while West Hartford fire units were committed to the scene,” Priest said.

First responders learned that an adult occupant and an animal had evacuated from the house before their arrival, according to Priest.

Multiple West Hartford companies entered the building, finding a fire that extended from the exterior ground floor up into the attic. “Fire suppression was initiated,” Priest said, “and the structure was confirmed to be cleared of occupants.”

The bulk of the fire was reported as “knocked down” at 3:02 p.m., according to Priest.

The West Hartford Fire Marshal’s office is investigating the incident with “a particular focus on the possibility that there were de-icing efforts with an open flame earlier near the gutter which was initially reported on fire,” Priest said.

The West Hartford Building Official’s Office was evaluating the structure to determine if any portion of the residence could be re-occupied on Tuesday night, but Priest said it was expected to be deemed “uninhabitable” due to fire, smoke and water damage.

The Red Cross was dispatched to assist the residents.

“West Hartford Fire would like to thank our dispatchers, the (West Hartford) Police Department and our mutual aid partners who assisted by covering the town while our units were committed to the fire,” Priest said.

The Bobcats have won the festival of top-tier state teams three years in a row, and have proven that Connecticut’s answer to Boston’s Beanpot can be a springboard for bigger things.

“I love the time of year that we do it,” Quinnipiac coach Rand Pecknold said. “You’ve got your team set, you’re getting ready. You’re not fully into playoff mode but you’re getting there, and any time you can play for a trophy, better that it’s late in the year, it is a great springboard to get us ready for an ECAC run and hopefully for all four of us, an NCAA run.”

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The Bobcats knocked off UConn in 2023 and carried that momentum all the way to the Frozen Four, where their will to survive and advance culminated in a national championship. They knocked off the Huskies again last January at the XL Center to skate back to Hamden with the trophy, and again played deep into the NCAA Tournament.

This fifth staging of CT Ice, rotating to Fairfield and Sacred Heart’s lavish new Martire Family Arena this weekend, finds all four teams with varying degrees of tournament hope. UConn and Quinnipiac start off at 4 p.m. Friday, with Yale vs. Sacred Heart to follow.  The winners meet Saturday night. The $70 million arena has 3,600 seats and a full house, or near to it, is expected.

For UConn, getting over the in-state hump could be the springboard to a breakthrough to the national stage. The Huskies have had a productive start to the second half, sweeping New Hampshire at home Jan. 11-12 and getting a win and a tie, four of six points, in a weekend series at Maine last week. They are No.9 in the all-important PairWise ratings, which is well into at-large territory for the NCAA Tournament. With Hockey East stacked with five of the top nine teams, none of its contenders would want to have to win the conference tournament to move on to the big one.

The NCAA Tournament has eluded UConn since it joined Hockey East in 2014, as has the CT Ice trophy.

“I have always said, from my years of coaching in the Beanpot (while at Boston College) and this tournament, I think it’s a great dress rehearsal for what’s to come,” UConn coach Mike Cavanaugh said. “When you’re playing in a game where there’s a trophy on the line, it’s single elimination, it prepares your team to play a little bit differently. It’s different from the following weekend, we play Providence and if you lose the first, it doesn’t mean your chances of winning anything are gone.”

Quinnipiac (14-7-2), at No. 14 in PairWise, could push itself back up onto familiar territory with another Connecticut crown, or at least better position itself for the ECAC Tournament. Yale (5-11-1) beat Boston University on Dec. 29, indicating the Bulldogs can be a dangerous underdog. Sacred Heart (14-8-4), which snatched the first CT Ice title in 2021, is in first place in its conference, Atlantic Hockey America, and has impressive out of conference wins over Cornell and UMass.

“We’ve played some really good teams during the year and have had some ups and downs,” Pioneers coach C.J. Marottolo said. “But you pull experiences. We’ve come from behind, we’ve had good third periods, we’ve had good starts. There are a lot of things that create experiences for your team. On any given night, any team can beat anybody. The three teams in this tournament, it’s unbelievable competition.”

UConn has risen on the shoulders of veterans Hudson Schandor, who has more than 100 career points, and John Spetz, who returned for a fifth season. Heroics have been coming from a variety of players. Joey Muldowney scored four goals in the win at Maine last Friday and Avon’s Jake Percival came up with a goal late in the third period to force OT in the second game.

“Maine’s a very tough  place to play,” Cavanaugh said, “one of the best atmospheres in college hockey, a tough place to get points. I was proud of the team’s effort, but there’s a long way to go. From week to week, it can change very quickly. In tournaments like this, we’re going to have to play our very best. Quinnipiac’s a three-time champion and they’ve got a lot of pedigree.”

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Quinnipiac has lost four of five games earlier in the season against Hockey East opponents Maine, New Hampshire and Northeastern, but is unbeaten in its last five games. Sophomore Mason Marcellus (five goals, 18 assists) leads the team in scoring, and has 59 points in 62 college games. Senior Jack Ricketts leads the Bobcats with 10 goals.

Junior Felix Trudeau, with 13 goals and 14 assists, leads Sacred Heart with 27 points in 26 games.

Ronan O’Donnell, a first-year player from Fairfield, leads Yale with nine goals and five assists. The Bulldogs’ captain is senior Will Dineen, from the famous hockey family, including his father, Kevin, the Whalers captain in the 1990s, and grandfather Bill, who coached the Whalers in the 1970s.

“I came into the year expecting a lot,” Yale coach Keith Allain said. “We had a good, big freshman class, our seniors are great. We’ve been pretty banged up all through the fall. So I went into Christmas break not really sure what we had, but we’re getting healthier and since we’ve come back we’ve played well. We’re a better hockey team than we were Dec. 1, that’s for sure, and we’d like to use a tournament like this to make sure we’re a better team Feb. 1 than we are right now.”

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Over the past several months, the Community Impact Unit of the Wallingford Police Department has received numerous anonymous complaints regarding an alleged prostitution ring operating on South Elm Street, according to Chief John Ventura of the Wallingford Police Department.

According to Ventura, the location is associated with 41-year-old Erica Waller, who was previously arrested on a prostitution charge in October 2024.

Investigating officers allege that Waller continued to use a website to offer a “menu” of sexual services to potential clients, Ventura said.

Undercover officers reportedly engaged with Waller on the website and arranged a meeting on Jan. 10, according to Ventura. The meeting led to her arrest after she allegedly agreed to perform sexual acts in exchange for money, Ventura said.

Waller was charged with third-degree promoting prostitution. She was released on a $7,500 non-surety bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Friday in Meriden.

Officers were patrolling the area of Willow Street and Hillside Avenue around 8:33 p.m. on Sunday when they allegedly observed a 2019 Nissan Altima reported stolen from Manchester parked on Willow Street with an occupant inside, according to Lt. Ryan Bessette of the Waterbury Police Department.

Officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and identified the driver as George Johnson, 61, of Hartford, Bessette said.

According to Bessette, Johnson was arrested and charged with larceny of a motor vehicle (first offense) and illegal operation of a motor vehicle under suspension.

Johnson was released on a promise to appear pending a court arraignment on Jan. 30, Bessette said.

But Dan Hurley, increasingly frustrated with his team’s lack of will and intensity, remains optimistic that the return of the star freshman can bandage some of his team’s exposed wounds.

Hurley said he saw hints of “vintage UConn basketball” in the game against Georgetown on Jan. 11, where defensive stops and transition offense helped build a lead of as many as 23 points in the second half. But that lead dissipated and the Huskies didn’t show the same fight when they returned home after a week without games and lost to Creighton.

“We haven’t been able to get there just because of the defensive end of the court and your ability to, across the board, rebound the ball,” Hurley said Monday night. “I think that’s why it’s so frustrating. Because it’s such a big season for us, too, and to not be where you want to be because you didn’t play with the life or death urgency that you need to in such an important year, it’s frustrating.”

The buzz before the year, part of the reason both Hurley and captain Alex Karaban turned down the NBA to stay in Storrs, surrounded the unique opportunity to compete for a third national championship in a row.

The word “three-peat” hasn’t been used very much lately.

“I got a lot going on in my mind right now. I’m thinking about a lot of things,” Hurley said, speaking candidly to local reporters before the team took over the press room at the XL Center for another film session before Tuesday’s game against Butler. “Has the success softened us? Has my intensity dropped? Have I lost my edge? Have we gotten soft with our success and feel entitled to it, and don’t have the will to earn it? We do have a lot of people though that haven’t won championships with us or weren’t integral parts of our championships, so I don’t know…”

Can a freshman be counted on to fix that? Can McNeeley be the magical sealant that, with one coat, can make a screen door float above water?

He will certainly help.

McNeeley was the Huskies’ second-leading scorer when he went down on New Year’s Day against DePaul. He was the team’s second-leading rebounder and was improving as a defender, two areas of which the team is in desperate need. McNeeley also played with a fire and an intensity, like Cam Spencer, that Hurley has been searching for.

The one-and-done type prospect “moved around” to test what movement felt like on his ankle during Monday’s practice, though his status hasn’t changed. Hurley’s initial hope was to have McNeeley back toward the end of January, before the team faces a February gauntlet with two games against both No. 10 Marquette and No. 20 St. John’s, as well as a road trip to Creighton, where the program has never won.

“His absence has affected multiple players negatively,” Hurley said.

A player like veteran point guard Hassan Diarra, who started the season coming off the bench, has logged too many minutes and has been drained by the end of games. Production from the center position has suffered, too, without a player like McNeeley drawing some of the attention in the paint and creating opportunities for easy buckets.

McNeeley’s absence takes away a lot of the lineup flexibility that had been so valuable to UConn’s last two national championship teams.

Solo Ball has been a tough player to take off the court with his offensive production, which has proven absolutely critical in keeping the Huskies among the top 10 most efficient offensive teams in the nation. But he’s been exposed, targeted, on the defensive end.

“With Liam in there, it would give you more flexibility to put in a defensive-minded guy if someone was struggling on the perimeter defensively. But with Liam out, obviously you need Solo’s offense, you need Alex’s offense and then obviously you need a point guard and yeah, you could afford to have another guy out there that maybe isn’t a great offensive player but brings intangibles and things like that with one of the centers,” Hurley said.

Ball, shooting 44.6% from beyond the arc, 19-for-36 (52.8%) since he made seven 3s at DePaul, entered Tuesday’s game ranked 18th among qualified Division I shooters in 3-point percentage.

“For guys like Jordan Hawkins, sophomore year I think as we got into like this point in the year, he really became sturdy defensively. I just think that Solo’s got great intentions, it’s not like one of those guys that’s like, ‘Hey, I’m a bucket and I’m one of the best shooters in the country, screw you guys.’ That’s not it with him,” Hurley said. “He feels the stress, the pressure to become a better defensive player for our team and it bothers him as much as any of the coach when he has defensive struggles. But it’s literally at every position. It’s well beyond Solo.”

UConn was projected as a No. 6 seed in Joe Lunardi’s early March Madness bracketology for ESPN, which was released Tuesday morning. In his projection, the Huskies would still have a favorable path of playing the first two rounds in Providence and then, should they advance to the second weekend, making another short trip to Newark, New Jersey.

Right now, the Huskies have a good enough offense to make a run. But the defensive end is what determines this team’s ceiling.

“I think just our defense, our rebounding and our overall toughness, we’ve become a finesse offensive team that runs a lot of good stuff on offense, but we’ve got to get our toughness back,” Hurley said.

How do you do that?

“That’s a tough one,” he said, stumped at the question that’s surely been asked dozens of times in coaches’ meetings.

“You do it with honesty, you do it with evidence, you do it with video. You’re told that with modern athletes or kids these days you have to be careful with how you talk to them, you know? But here, we go with honesty. We go with accountability. We go with, ‘Here’s what the film says, here’s what the numbers say. When you’re on the court with us, here’s your role in how we’re failing defensively,'” Hurley said. “Obviously you’ve spent a lot of time, too, trying to think if there’s a scheme change you could make defensively. But the way we’ve guarded has been really effective for a long time.”