Our staff takes a look at some of the best games on the Huskies’ schedule.
UConn men’s basketball’s quest for three-peat kicks off Wednesday night as Dan Hurley and the Huskies unveil banner No. 6 and welcome Sacred Heart to Gampel Pavilion. As we get even closer to tip off, we have put the finishing touches on a ton of quality content to preview this exciting season. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date all season long!
In this year’s two-part roundtable, our staff makes some predictions about the upcoming season — feel free to share your own thoughts, predictions and hot takes in the comments! For part two, we share the games we’re most excited about this season and how we think the team will fare in the Big East and NCAA tournament.
Favorite matchup (game you have circled on your calendar)
Shawn McGrath: I absolutely love basketball on campus. Unless it’s an MTE, every regular season should be on campus. If we wanted to take the students out of it, we could just watch the NBA. Baylor is the only premium non-conference game inside Gampel Pavilion this season and that will be a fun one.
Patrick Martin: UConn hasn’t won a conference opener since 2015-2016. Perry Ellis was still playing for Kansas! Dan Hurley was fresh off a 17-15 season at Rhode Island! Best believe Petty Officer Dan has this absurd streak circled on Dec. 18, when Xavier comes to town. The Muskies are loaded this year, and UConn will be fresh off three-straight tilts against (likely) ranked opponents. What a way to start Big East basketball.
Dan Madigan: There are a lot of good Feast Week MTEs nowadays, but there’s nothing like the Maui Invitational. It won’t be the same without Bill Walton, but I am excited to see the Huskies try for trophy No. 1 of the season. If UConn can get a matchup against Michigan State, Iowa State or North Carolina, it will serve as a good barometer for where this team is at compared to other top teams in the country.
Ryan Goodman: When No. 6 Baylor comes to Gampel on Dec. 4. Mark your calendars. I’m pretty high on the Bears this year, and I think this will be an incredible test for UConn. Will Johnson be able to keep Norchad Omier off the glass? How will Diarra fare against star point guard Jeremy Roach? There’s a few key matchups that UConn must win in this game for them to emerge victorious.
Best UConn win
McGrath: UConn dismantled Gonzaga last season in Seattle and the Bulldogs return nearly everyone, with a strong class coming in, between high school and the transfer portal. Now that the setting moves to midtown Manhattan, the Huskies will have the friendly crowd, albeit against a likely tougher team. If the Huskies complete the sweep, it will be one of the better wins in the country.
Martin: Sticking with streak snapping, UConn hasn’t won at Creighton, ever. That’s going to end this year on Feb. 11. The Bluejays are good but not as elite as last year, and UConn’s depth can overwhelm them. It may not even be a top 25 win, but its going to be another feather in Hurley’s cap.
Madigan: The Baylor game against Gampel is going to be a fun one, and I think UConn wins in resounding fashion in front of a rowdy crowd for nice resume-builder come March.
Goodman: Same as above. UConn beats Baylor by a few in front of a raucous crowd at Gampel Pavilion as part of a top-10 matchup.
Trap game/toughest game of the season
McGrath: The Big East schedule is obviously highly challenging, but lines up so that there aren’t any significant trap games. The Huskies aren’t going to be overlooking Texas, but with Gonzaga looming right after finals, that’s the one non-conference game where a loss makes the most sense, aside from the third day of the Maui Invitational.
Martin: Any team that scores at an elite clip is going to give UConn trouble until they find their defensive identity. Gonzaga has the KenPom No. 2 offense in the country as of this moment. Against a reloaded Zags team, UConn’s rotations may not be super crisp as the staff wants in December. As far as traps, falling asleep against a talented but under-coached Villanova team especially in The Finn this year, screams ‘its a trap!’
Madigan: Heading to Hinkle to take on Butler on Dec. 21 as the last game before the new year is as clear of a trap game as you can find. I think the toughest game the Huskies might play all season will be on the road against Creighton in Omaha though. Dollar beer night will make an already crazy arena an absolute madhouse.
Goodman: I think the Huskies will drop one at St. John’s. I think Rick Pitino can elevate the program to Big East regular season contender in Year 2. Memphis will also be extremely hot and cold this season so that one could be too close for comfort.
Big East finish/pick Big East champion
McGrath: The coaches voted UConn unanimously as the best team in the Big East. It proved it on the floor last year and while it lost a lot, absolutely reloaded and look like the favorite again this year. It’s hard to go against a unanimous pick.
Martin: While I think the Big East will send more than three (lol) teams to the NCAA tournament this year, its less top heavy this year; Creighton and Marquette don’t have as a high a ceiling. The Huskies may not be a number one seed in the Garden, but they’ll go back-to-back in the Big East, the first team to do so since Villanova.
Madigan: This year, it’s UConn’s conference to lose. I think the Huskies get it done, but I do expect Creighton (and maybe Marquette) to push this team to the limit.
Goodman: UConn takes the conference for a second year in a row but I have Creighton taking home the tournament title with the Huskies nearly completing another sweep.
Postseason fate
McGrath: The NCAA Tournament is the crapshoot of all crapshoots. One even ok night or bad matchup on the other side and a player or fan (or both) become a meme. Saying “Final Four or bust” is an awesome way to be disappointed. With that said, this team has as good of a chance as any to cut down the nets. The potential for first weekend games in Providence, followed by Newark, is tantalizing and would allow for a ton of UConn fans to attend. However, bowing out in the Sweet Sixteen or Elite Eight, especially to another top program, is far from a bad result.
Martin: Wise words from Shawn. Unlike last year’s team that had no weaknesses, the right draw — aka seeing Alabama again — could doom the Huskies. Doesn’t make them any less dangerous, just a little less invincible. But its a long season, and I think the swagger and defensive bite Hurley is looking for will be there come March, and UConn makes a third-straight Final 4, the first team to do so since UCLA from 2006-2008.
Madigan: It’s so insane that we even get to have this conversation of a team potentially making a third-straight Final Four. It’s a testament to the work Dan Hurley and the coaching staff have put in to make this a possibility. Like Shawn said, the NCAA tournament is incredibly hard! I do think the floor for this team is the second weekend of the Big Dance, and anything after that is icing on the cake.
Goodman: I really want to call it a three-peat but I think the 2025 National title will be claimed by either Houston, Duke, Alabama, or Kansas. The Huskies reach the Elite Eight but eventually bow out in a nailbiter to one of those aforementioned teams.