The Connecticut Huskies entered the season as one of the feared school basketball applications within the nation.
They’re the reigning back-to-back nationwide champions and have solely misplaced 11 video games for the reason that begin of the 2022-23 season.
Within the final 72 hours, No. 2 UConn has misplaced three consecutive matchups and regarded like something however a nationwide title-winning program.
On Wednesday, the Dayton Flyers downed the Huskies, 85-67, within the comfort bracket of the Maui Invitational, an early season event seen as UConn’s first shot at extra silverware.
Within the earlier two days, UConn additionally suffered losses to unranked Colorado and Memphis. Each contests have been determined by a mixed 4 factors and inside the last minute of regulation.
Nonetheless, the Huskies fell to Dayton by 18, which suggests a good greater downside could also be surrounding this system.
The workforce is averaging 84.4 factors per sport however has solely hit that mark as soon as in its final 4 video games performed.
Head coach Dan Hurley misplaced three starters from final season’s title-winning squad, however pundits hailed his recruiting and switch portal additions as an enchancment to the roster.
To date, at 4-3, it seems the brand new squad nonetheless has some changes to make and may very well be affected by a back-to-back championship hangover.
Maybe Hurley’s ways have change into predictable after an excessive amount of time within the nationwide highlight. No matter it’s, he should alter rapidly as a result of the workforce’s schedule is simply going to get more durable from right here on out.
After what must be a “get-right” sport at dwelling in opposition to Maryland Japanese Shore (Nov. 30), UConn has three main energy convention opponents earlier than Massive East play will get underway.
The Huskies will host No. 17 Baylor (Dec. 4) earlier than hitting the street to face Texas (Dec. 8) in Austin after which a marquee matchup in opposition to No. 3 Gonzaga (Dec. 14) at Madison Sq. Backyard.