nbcsports
The UConn Huskies, ranked No. 4 in the preseason, are coming off a 34-6 campaign and a 17-3 mark in the Big East. They advanced to the NCAA Tournament championship game for the third time in four seasons before falling to Michigan. Now, head coach Dan Hurley faces the challenge of replacing significant production.
Gone are Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban, both selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. Additionally, Solo Ball is expected to miss the entire 2026-27 season after undergoing wrist surgery, leaving the Huskies without their top three scorers from a year ago.
Returning starters Braylon Mullins and Silas Demary Jr. will anchor the backcourt. Mullins, who might have been a late lottery pick in the NBA draft, opted to return, while Demary was named Big East preseason Player of the Year. Together, they form one of the nation's best backcourts.
The Huskies will also rely on a strong group of transfers and a talented freshman class. Najai Hines (from Seton Hall) and Nik Khamenia (from Duke) are expected to contribute immediately, while Colben Landrew could follow in the footsteps of recent freshmen like Stephon Castle, Liam McNeeley, and Mullins who made an instant impact.
Only three of the nine UConn players who averaged more than 10 minutes per game last season are back: Jayden Ross, Demary, and Mullins. Jaylin Stewart, who started 24 games over the previous two seasons, transferred to SMU, and Eric Reibe moved to USC. Incoming transfers also include Oskar Giltay and Nils Machowski, and freshman Junior County is expected to play significant minutes.
Key Analysis
UConn returns just 41% of its scoring, 26% of its rebounding, and 34% of its minutes played from last season, yet the Huskies were picked to finish first in the Big East preseason poll. The schedule is daunting: UConn will face the other three 2026 Final Four teams and seven teams ranked in the preseason AP Top 25. The season opens with a national championship rematch against No. 16 Michigan in Boston. A four-game stretch includes a trip to No. 5 Arizona, a matchup with No. 2 Duke in Las Vegas, and a game against No. 3 Illinois at the United Center in Chicago. The top on-campus non-conference game is Dec. 12 against No. 17 Kansas, and eight days later the Huskies face No. 9 Virginia at Madison Square Garden. UConn also meets No. 13 St. John's on Jan. 29 at MSG and March 2 in Hartford.
Off the court, assistant coach Luke Murray left to become the head coach at Boston College. For the first time in Dan Hurley's nine seasons at UConn, the roster will not feature a New England native. Despite these changes, the Huskies have enough talent to challenge for the Big East title and make another deep NCAA Tournament run.
Originally reported by nbcsports.