Jayden Ross Finds His Groove - and UConn Just Got Even More Dangerous
Friday night at Madison Square Garden is shaping up to be more than just another Big East showdown. UConn’s depth is starting to flash in ways that should have the rest of the country paying close attention - especially when Jayden Ross is hitting shots the way he has lately.
We already know what Tarris Reed Jr. brings to the table. He’s been a force in the paint, controlling the glass and anchoring the Huskies on both ends.
Silas Demary Jr. continues to grow as a floor general, distributing the ball with poise and pace. But it’s Ross, the 6-foot-7 junior forward, who’s quietly becoming a game-changer off the bench - and that could be the X-factor for UConn’s postseason ceiling.
Ross has always brought energy and defensive tenacity. That’s never been in question.
What’s changed recently is his willingness to step into offensive opportunities - and knock them down. In UConn’s last two wins over Creighton and Xavier, Ross has gone 5-for-6 from beyond the arc.
That’s a sharp turnaround for a player who hadn’t connected on a three-pointer since the Huskies’ Big East opener against Butler back in mid-December.
His resurgence hasn’t gone unnoticed by head coach Dan Hurley.
“When you come in off the bench, you’ve got to assert yourself on the game,” Hurley said after Ross poured in 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting from deep against Xavier. “You can’t just occupy minutes and be passive offensively.”
Hurley’s message was loud and clear after UConn’s win over Providence on Jan. 27, a game where Ross and fellow bench contributor Jaylin Stewart combined for just four shot attempts in 30 minutes. That wasn’t going to cut it - not for a team with national title aspirations and a bench brimming with untapped potential.
The response? Immediate and emphatic.
Against Creighton, Stewart chipped in seven points on 3-of-4 shooting, while Ross added another seven, including two triples. Then came the Xavier game, where Ross nearly matched his season-high with 11 points, falling just two short of the 13 he dropped against Butler back in December.
But it wasn’t just the scoring - it was the confidence. The decisiveness.
The willingness to step into the moment.
Hurley explained that much of UConn’s offense isn’t built around set plays for bench players like Ross or Stewart. It’s about recognizing the moment when a play breaks down and making something happen - driving a closeout, cutting hard, or simply being ready to shoot. That’s the kind of offensive assertiveness he’s been demanding, and Ross is starting to deliver.
“He’s been practicing like that since he was a freshman,” said Alex Karaban. “He’s ultra-confident, and he knows it’s his time to step up.
He’s one of the best defenders on the team, and a really good shooter, too. He’s been awesome for us, and I want him to build on this.”
If he does, UConn’s already-potent rotation becomes even more dangerous. The Huskies’ starting five - Solo Ball, Demary Jr., Reed Jr., Karaban, and Braylon Mullins - are all averaging double figures, bringing a balanced attack that’s tough to scout and even tougher to stop.
But when the bench starts producing at that level too? That’s when you start talking about cutting down nets in April.
Friday night’s matchup against No. 22 St.
John’s is the first of two regular-season meetings between these teams, and UConn - currently ranked No. 3 - has a chance to make a statement. The Red Storm will bring their own firepower, but the Huskies are hitting their stride at the right time.
And if Ross continues to bring that scoring punch off the bench, UConn’s pursuit of a third national championship in four seasons just got a whole lot more real.
UConn at St. John’s
- When: Friday, 8 p.m. ET
- TV: FOX
- Radio: UConn Sports Network, Fox Sports Radio 97.9, WAVZ (1300 AM), WGCH (1490 AM), WICH (1310 AM, 94.5 FM), WILI (1400 AM, 95.3 FM)
Projected UConn Starters
- Solo Ball, G - 14.3 PPG
- Silas Demary Jr., G - 10.9 PPG
- Tarris Reed Jr., C - 14.1 PPG
- Alex Karaban, F - 13.3 PPG
- Braylon Mullins, F - 11.8 PPG
Projected St. John’s Starters
- Dillon Mitchell, F - 9.4 PPG
- Oziyah Sellers, G - 11.0 PPG
- Ian Jackson, G - 11.0 PPG
- Bryce Hopkins, F - 13.6 PPG
- Zuby Ejiofor, F - 15.7 PPG
It’s a heavyweight clash in the Garden, and UConn’s bench might just be the difference.