11. Connecticut (11-3)
It’s a bit too dramatic to say we’ve seen the rise and fall of UConn hoops this season, but the team that finished 8th place at the Maui Invitational isn’t the same one we’ve seen ever since. The Huskies won impressive games over Baylor, Texas, and Gonzaga to begin December and have gotten Big East play off to a similarly successful start.
After two wins before Christmas break, the Huskies were back on the court on Wednesday night and secured another road win. This time they were in Chicago and played well enough to leave town with an 81-68 victory against DePaul. Solo Ball starred with 22 points and 6 rebounds, making seven 3-pointers and leading a fierce offensive performance for this unit. Alex Karaban also had 18 points and 7 rebounds.
Since Big East play began, Connecticut is shooting the ball about as great as they have all this season. This is an elite offensive team that faltered in Maui due to poor defensive play. They know how to take care of business against their league rivals and should be one of the favorites to take home the Big East crown, though their defense almost cost them against Xavier a few weeks ago. After Sunday’s home date with Providence, the Huskies have a pair of interesting road games at Villanova and Georgetown and it’ll be interesting to see if they can keep avoiding letdowns.