UConn Keeps Winning, But Can the Huskies Find That Next Gear?
The UConn Huskies touched down in Omaha with an impressive résumé and a question still lingering: Can they start winning the tough ones easily?
At 20-1 overall, riding a 16-game win streak and sitting atop the Big East with a perfect 10-0 conference record, UConn has the look of a powerhouse. Ranked No. 2 in the country, they’re firmly in the conversation for a No. 1 seed come March.
On paper, they’ve checked almost every box. But if you’ve been watching closely, you know it hasn’t always felt dominant.
A lot of their wins? Too close for comfort.
And while “just win, baby” might be the mantra in March, we’re not there yet. This is the stretch of the season where elite teams start to separate - not just in the standings, but in how they control games, how they put opponents away.
That’s the part still missing from UConn’s game.
“Multiple things can be true,” head coach Dan Hurley said Friday. “It’s not about where we are.
It’s about where we need to get to. We’re clearly not there yet.”
Hurley’s been candid about it. After a gritty comeback win over Villanova and a narrow escape against a struggling Providence team, the message hasn’t changed: the Huskies are winning, but not in a way that screams “top-five team in the country.” That elusive killer instinct - the ability to turn an eight-point lead into a 20-point blowout - hasn’t consistently shown up.
“There are all these moments in games,” Hurley said, “where you have a chance to break a team. And we haven’t done that. We’ve been winning, but we haven’t been playing at that championship level.”
To be fair, the résumé still holds up. Wins over Illinois, Florida, BYU, and Kansas - all top-20 teams - are nothing to scoff at.
But in the NCAA’s Net Rankings, UConn sits at No. 8.
In KenPom’s metrics, they’re No. 13 - behind both Illinois and Florida. That’s the kind of discrepancy that raises eyebrows when you’re trying to lock down a No. 1 seed.
Hurley isn’t shying away from the truth.
“We’re not good at blowing out bad-to-average teams,” he admitted. “But we’ve proven we can beat the best.”
Now comes another test - a road trip to Creighton. Historically, Omaha hasn’t been kind to UConn.
Even the title-winning squads struggled there. Last year, they finally broke through, thanks in large part to a 38-point outburst from Liam McNeeley.
This year’s Bluejays are in a bit of a rebuild at 12-9 overall and 6-4 in the Big East, fresh off a 24-point loss to Marquette. Still, Creighton at home is never a gimme.
The good news for UConn? The bench is starting to show signs of life.
Malachi Smith and Eric Reibe gave the team a much-needed spark in the tight win over Providence. It’s unclear whether Braylon Mullins - out since Jan. 24 in concussion protocol - will be available, but the rotation is starting to round into form.
And that’s key, because depth becomes a difference-maker in February and March.
Hurley, for his part, is shifting his mindset. He’s done comparing this team to the 2023 or 2024 squads that went deep in the tournament.
“That’s a mistake,” he said. “Going to the Final Four is hard.
Winning two more after that is the ultimate. This team has a lot of improving to do.”
And while the Huskies haven’t suffered any major injuries, they’ve dealt with enough bumps and bruises to keep them from ever being fully whole. That lack of continuity has made it tough to evaluate just how good they can be when everything clicks.
Still, here they are - 20-1, leading the Big East, and winning games that could easily have gone the other way. There’s toughness in that.
There’s resilience. But there’s also a fine line between being battle-tested and being vulnerable.
And with 10 games left in the regular season, UConn is walking that line.
“Playing close games is going to help us be comfortable in those situations,” Hurley said. “But you’re also playing with fire.”
That fire? It’s the difference between a deep run in March and an early exit.
UConn has the will to win - that much is clear. But do they have the edge, the nastiness, the ability to break an opponent’s spirit and step on the gas when it matters most?
That’s the question that still hangs over this team. And the answer may define their season.