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UConn Basketball: 3 reasons why Huskies have been struggling as of late

By Josh Mullenix

Dec 1, 2022; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley coaches his players at a break during the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 1, 2022; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley coaches his players at a break during the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jordan Hawkins UConn Basketball (Photo by Porter Binks)
Jordan Hawkins UConn Basketball (Photo by Porter Binks) /

1) The guard play has simply not been good enough

Andrew Jackson, Jordan Hawkins, and Tristen Newton started together for the first time on Dec. 1. Before Connecticut’s first loss of the season on Dec. 31, only once did those three starting guards fail to combine for 30 points – and it was against Butler in a 22-point victory. But through the first half of Big East play, perimeter play has not been consistent enough.

There were signs of potential offensive struggles against Villanova on Dec. 28. The Wildcats dared someone not named Adama Sanogo to beat them and it almost worked. Sanogo had just seven points and six field goal attempts. The Huskies escaped with a victory but their three starting guards were a combined 9-of-27 from the field. In their first loss at Xavier. Hawkins, Jackson, and Newton finished with a total of 31 points, but it took 28 shots to get there.

A week later, the Huskies were held to their lowest point total this season in a 73-61 loss to the Providence Friars. Sanogo was relatively efficient at 5-of-9 from the field but his 11 points couldn’t make up for perimeter struggles. The backcourt was a far cry from efficient going 9-of-32 from the field.

That’s 18-of-59 from the field across Connecticut’s first two losses. It wasn’t all that much better in a home win against Creighton, but Sanogo saved the day with 26 points and nine rebounds. The reality of the situation in Storrs right now is that Dan Hurley’s perimeter players are putting far too much pressure on Sanogo.

Against Marquette on Jan. 11, Sanogo and Donavan Clingan combined for 30 points on 13-of-18 shooting – 20 of those points came from the freshman Clingan. But Jackson, Hawkins and Newton finished with 24 points on 8-of-23 shooting.

Again, not good enough against the best the Big East has to offer.

Then, Jordan Hawkins struck gold against St. John’s, going off for 31 and getting to the line nine times. But Jackson and Newton had zero field goals and two points between the two of them. The Huskies have one of, if not the, best players in the conference. Sanogo looks as unstoppable as anyone in the country on certain nights. But when he doesn’t, the Husky guards have not been there to fill in the gaps.