UConn Keeps Winning, But Drops in Rankings as Michigan Surges
The UConn men’s basketball team is doing just about everything right on the court. Winners of 17 straight, undefeated in Big East play at 11-0, and boasting a 21-1 overall record - with that lone loss coming against top-ranked Arizona - the Huskies are clearly one of the most consistent teams in college basketball this season.
And yet, somehow, that wasn’t enough to hold onto the No. 2 spot in the latest AP poll.
Michigan, previously ranked third, jumped ahead of UConn to claim the No. 2 ranking this week. The Wolverines (20-1, 10-1 Big Ten) made a strong case, knocking off then-No.
5 Nebraska in a gritty 75-72 win last Tuesday, before following it up with an 83-71 rivalry win over No. 7 Michigan State.
Those back-to-back statement victories gave Michigan the edge in the eyes of voters, while Nebraska slid to No. 9 after suffering its second straight loss, and the Spartans dropped to No. 10.
Meanwhile, UConn’s winning streak has been impressive, but not always dominant. The Huskies have been grinding through the Big East schedule, pulling out tight wins that haven’t always looked convincing on the scoreboard.
They needed overtime to survive at Providence. Then came a string of close calls - a 5-point win over Seton Hall, a 2-point squeaker against Georgetown, followed by 8- and 7-point victories over Villanova and Providence again.
It wasn’t until Saturday’s 85-58 blowout at Creighton that UConn looked like the team its record suggests - a dominant force capable of running teams off the floor.
Still, head coach Dan Hurley isn’t buying into the hype just yet. In fact, he’s been hesitant to celebrate the winning streak at all.
“I just think that we've been playing so uneven, so spurty, kind of sluggish, disappointing, that I haven't even talked about the streak,” Hurley said after the win at Creighton. “I just don't think we've played well enough for me to warrant talking about it.”
Hurley also owned up to what he sees as a misstep in setting expectations too high, too early.
“One of the biggest mistakes I've made publicly is comparing this team to national championship teams,” he said. “That was a mistake, so you won't hear that from me until we get much later in the season and we are actually playing at that level consistently.”
That’s classic Hurley - brutally honest, self-aware, and always pushing his team to be better. And it’s clear he sees more potential in this group than what they’ve shown so far, even with the wins piling up.
Next up, UConn hosts Xavier on Tuesday before heading to Madison Square Garden for a marquee matchup with St. John's on Friday. The Red Storm have quietly climbed the rankings themselves, now sitting at No. 22 after stringing together seven straight Big East wins.
For UConn, the road ahead offers a chance to not just keep winning, but to start winning in a way that demands national attention again. The Huskies are one of the best teams in the country - no question. But if they want to reclaim that No. 2 spot, or even challenge for No. 1, they’ll need to pair those wins with the kind of dominance we saw in Creighton.