What Happened to UConn? Is Their Championship Run Over?
Anytime a team loses four of their five starters it’s going to have an effect. That might mean changing the play designs, the defensive schemes, and the team’s general tempo, all of which can go in either direction - good or bad. In the case of 2024 UConn, it’s been somewhat catastrophic. At least for Dan Hurley’s standards, sitting in fourth place in the Big East with a 6-3 conference record is considered horrific. It would tie his worst finish in the Big East Conference during his tenure with UConn. The team’s three losses outside conference play would be his worst since 2021 when his best player was probably Howard transfer RJ Cole. However, now in his seventh year as head coach, everyone on the roster is truly his player. It’s not working out the way he wants so far.
In a previous article, I discussed the importance of utilizing the transfer portal in the age of NIL. For coaches who’ve been around since before this era began, the urgency to attack the portal may feel less important. UConn added just one notable transfer this year, Junior forward Tarris Reed from Michigan. Three of the other UConn starters are returning players and one is a freshman. I’m not saying it’s impossible to be championship caliber with that formula, but it hasn’t been so far.
When looking at the team’s stat sheet for this year compared to last year, almost everywhere it has regressed. While assists are down, steals are down, and personal fouls are way up, what really stood out to me was two-point field goal percentage. Where last year UConn ranked fifth in the country with 59.1% from two-point land, the Huskies are shooting a shocking 48% this year, good for 277th in the country. It’s hard to tell exactly why this is, but it’s clear this squad of players just hasn’t fully jelled yet.
UConn looks to bounce back from their most recent loss this Wednesday, the 29th, in a home game against Depaul. The Blue Demons of Depaul are one of the country’s most improved programs, sitting with a 10-9 record following a campaign last year in which they finished just 3-29. The game will be at 8:00 p.m. EST, streaming on Peacock.
