UConn basketball head coach Dan Hurley revealed how the comeback victory in opposition to Villanova provides him hope the Huskies can flip their season round. The 2-time defending champs had been in dire straits heading into this conflict with its Large East rival. UConn was coming off a brutal loss to convention backside dweller Seton Corridor in what was by far the worst defeat of the season.
For many of Tuesday, it seemed like this squad wouldn’t have the ability to overcome this setback, as Villanova was up 53-39 with 11:58 remaining on the Huskies’ house ground. Fortuitously, star freshman Liam McNeeley helped lead a livid comeback. UConn closed the sport on a 27-6 run to win 66-59. Hurley, inspired by his crew’s resilience on the finish, defined how essential this victory was for his program within the postgame press convention.
“I feel the season was hanging within the stability for us right this moment… That is positively going to impress us.”
UConn basketball nonetheless has time to salvage its season
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The Huskies’ quest for a three-peat actually has not gone in response to plan. Coming off the heels of a dominant nationwide title run, UConn entered the season because the No. 3 crew within the nation. Whereas Dan Hurley was shedding many gamers from final yr’s 37-3 squad, key members comparable to Alex Karaban and Hassan Diarra, together with a number of new additions had been arriving.
After a nightmare run on the Maui Invitational, the Huskies received eight straight video games, once more trying like a legit title contender. Nonetheless, throughout that streak, Liam McNeeley suffered a excessive ankle sprain that saved him out for over a month. UConn basketball struggled with out its celebrity freshman, going 5-3 over that span.
As McNeeley has gotten again into the fold, the Huskies have began to point out indicators of enchancment. However the loss to Seton Corridor actually hurts this crew’s resume heading into the NCAA Match. UConn is projected as a No. 8 seed in ESPN’s present bracket. That makes the following 5 video games essential for its possibilities of realistically competing for a nationwide title.
Two of UConn’s 5 final common season video games are in opposition to ranked opponents, together with a go to to No. 10 St. John’s on Sunday. In the end, the win in opposition to Villanova was an averted catastrophe for a crew making an attempt to not inch nearer to the bubble. Nonetheless, if the Huskies plan on displaying that they’ve turned a nook, profitable in opposition to a top-ten crew on their house ground can be a terrific strategy to set up that narrative and general perception.