The Connecticut Huskies entered the season as one of the most feared college basketball programs in the country.
They’re the reigning back-to-back national champions and have only lost 11 games since the start of the 2022-23 season.
In the last 72 hours, No. 2 UConn has lost three consecutive matchups and looked like anything but a national title-winning program.
On Wednesday, the Dayton Flyers downed the Huskies, 85-67, in the consolation bracket of the Maui Invitational, an early season tournament viewed as UConn’s first shot at additional silverware.
In the previous two days, UConn also suffered losses to unranked Colorado and Memphis. Both contests were decided by a combined four points and within the final minute of regulation.
However, the Huskies fell to Dayton by 18, which suggests an even bigger problem may be surrounding the program.
The team is averaging 84.4 points per game but has only hit that mark once in its last four games played.
Head coach Dan Hurley lost three starters from last season’s title-winning squad, but pundits hailed his recruiting and transfer portal additions as an improvement to the roster.
So far, at 4-3, it appears the new squad still has some adjustments to make and could be suffering from a back-to-back championship hangover.
Perhaps Hurley’s tactics have become predictable after too much time in the national spotlight. Whatever it is, he must adjust quickly because the team’s schedule is only going to get tougher from here on out.
After what should be a “get-right” game at home against Maryland Eastern Shore (Nov. 30), UConn has three major power conference opponents before Big East play gets underway.
The Huskies will host No. 17 Baylor (Dec. 4) before hitting the road to face Texas (Dec. 8) in Austin and then a marquee matchup against No. 3 Gonzaga (Dec. 14) at Madison Square Garden.
