UConn Men’s Basketball is Back
The UConn Huskies are one of the most storied programs in college basketball. The women’s team won a record eleven National Championships, all since 1995. The men’s team had some success of their own, winning five national championships in that time frame.
But the men’s team had fallen on some recent struggles. Since their last national championship victory in 2014, the Huskies haven’t made it back to the Sweet Sixteen. The Huskies had a long line of disappointments and plain struggles. In 2018, the NCAA investigated the recruitment of multiple UConn basketball players for possible recruiting violations. All of the UConn wins were vacated from the 2017-18 season due to NCAA sanctions.
Last season, the Huskies got off to a strong start and peaked at No. 15 in the AP Poll. But after entering Big East play, the Huskies fell to Providence and No. 24 Seton Hall at the start. The Huskies seemed to get back on track by having five-straight Big East wins, but they hit a rough patch by losing to Creighton, No. 12 Villanova, No. 25 Xavier.
UConn headed into the Big East tournament with a lot of momentum, especially after taking down No. 8 Villanova. After taking down Seton Hall, UConn entered the Semifinals, but fell to Villanova in a close 63-60 matchup. After being the 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Huskies were one-and-done, falling to New Mexico State 70-63.
UConn This Season
This year, things have been different for the Huskies. UConn made light work of their early opponents. Facing stiffer competition further in November, including against No. 18 Alabama, UConn didn’t flinch and took home the Phil Knight Invitational Championship. Now entering Big East play at 12-0, the Huskies are ranked No. 3 in the AP Poll and have a golden opportunity to continue strong.
None of the Big East teams are currently ranked in the AP Poll. Typical powerhouse Villanova, who made the Final Four last season, has struggled mightily, starting 2-5. The Huskies are in the driver’s seat to make a deep run in this year’s tournament, ultimately with a legitimate chance to make the Final Four.
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