STORRS, Conn. — The two-time reigning national champions, UConn, have emerged from January with great relief as the month is now behind them. Throughout January, the Huskies not only finished the month with a perfect record but also managed to avoid trailing by double digits in any of their eight games. This marks a significant achievement compared to the previous season, where they faced considerable challenges.
Last season, the No. 19 Huskies struggled, grappling with the loss of four starters who were selected in the 2024 NBA Draft, coupled with an injury that kept promising freshman Liam McNeeley on the sidelines. This forced UConn to engage in tough battles for each matchup in January. They required overtime to secure a home victory over Butler, a team that had only one Big East win. Shortly after that, in a game against DePaul, which had recently ended a significant losing streak, UConn found itself needing to overcome a 14-point deficit before ultimately securing an 11-point win.
This stretch of games included instances where the Huskies fell behind by 10 points or more four times. Even the five games they did win were not easy. Coach Dan Hurley admitted that the pressure of playing for UConn is palpable. He noted that players like Alex Karaban, Samson Johnson, and others were not accustomed to dealing with such heightened pressure, as they were familiar with a more dominant style of play. Even newcomers like Tarris Reed Jr. and Aidan Mahaney had to adjust to the demands of representing a storied program like UConn.
A pivotal moment for the team occurred during the January 29 matchup against DePaul, particularly in the last segments of both halves. The momentum gained from this game helped spark a performance that reflected their reputation as preseason favorites for the national title, culminating in a win against Marquette a few days afterward. Ball emphasized the importance of teamwork during this period, noting the turnaround in loss to victory despite facing a significant deficit.
This competitive spirit was further showcased during an impressive upset win over a top-10 Marquette team at the beginning of February. Nevertheless, this game also highlighted some of the team’s weaknesses, with the Huskies committing 25 turnovers and allowing 17 offensive rebounds. Ball had a standout performance, scoring a career-high of 25 points, and the team demonstrated effective shooting, hitting 59% from the floor and 63% from beyond the arc to achieve a 77-69 victory.
Hurley commented on the shooter’s performances, recognizing that while the offense was commendable, the team often lacked the urgency and intensity displayed by past UConn squads. He acknowledged feeling a level of struggle following the significant departures of key players but admitted that the issues faced this season were more challenging than anticipated.
The encouraging news for UConn fans is the potential return of McNeeley for the upcoming game against No. 12 St. John’s on Friday night. Hurley pointed out that when McNeeley was part of the lineup, the team operated at a top-12 caliber. His absence has created considerable challenges that the team is striving to navigate until they regain full strength.
With nearly a week between games, players like Diarra and McNeeley will benefit from this time to recuperate. Last season, UConn turned around a similar situation after a rough January, ultimately clinching the national championship. It remains to be seen if they can replicate that success once more.
