The last 11 games have been chaotic for UConn men’s basketball fans. Not even Dan Hurley could ignore the roller coaster that’s been Big East play for his Huskies. Over the last 11 games, the Huskies, which are back-to-back defending NCAA champions, are just 6-5.
Dan Hurley following the close win over Villanova 😂
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) February 19, 2025
"This run of games we've had... I can't imagine what our fans have gone through. I know what my nerves are like. My f***ing oura ring is ready to explode"pic.twitter.com/EsbiQxERqh
It’s not necessarily time to panic as a UConn fan about what if the Huskies will reach the NCAA Tournament by any means. When they won the title back in the 2022-23 season, they had seven conference losses and didn’t even win the Big East tournament.
This is unfamiliar territory for the Huskies, though. Because Hurley has managed to put together one of the strongest programs over the last few years, fans may be ready to hit the panic button. UConn had to erase a 14-point deficit to beat unranked Villanova.
This came after a disappointing loss to Seton Hall over the weekend and before that, the Huskies had to erase another double-digit deficit to take down DePaul. UConn won’t have an easy road to winning a third-straight national championship.
Are UConn’s struggles in conference play cause for concern ahead of NCAA Tournament?
Hurley is right to put a spotlight on the ups and downs of the season lately for the Huskies. But is it overzealous to say UConn’s struggles are a sign they are in for a rough NCAA Tournament?
UConn will ultimately end up in the NCAA Tournament, albeit a lower seed than it has been the last couple of years. That could be both a good and bad thing. The good thing is they shouldn’t be rewarded with a favorable road to the championship this year.
That said, it also means they could run into a team that would halt their tourney run earlier than they expect. Last year, UConn entered the tournament as one of the strongest teams in the field.
The SEC has been overwhelmingly better than every other league in college basketball. If the Huskies have to face any team out of the SEC, it could very well be the end of the road for them. And because they Huskies have struggled, it’s safe to say they won’t have the same dominance in this year’s tournament.
Hurley has been one of the best coaches in college basketball lately, which makes his team dangerous, even when they’re flying under the radar. The Maui Invitational was a wake-up call to Hurley’s squad.
But the good thing about the NCAA Tournament is that seeds rarely matter when the game starts. Whoever plays well on game day usually wins and all Hurley’s squad has to worry about is showing up to play. It’s what makes them a dangerous team, even if they have an unconventional path of getting back to the Big Dance.