It’s virtually impossible to make an argument that there’s been a more successful college basketball program over the last half-decade than these Huskies. Dan Hurley has been otherworldly at UConn, taking this program to back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024 while continuing to build on that success ever since.
His Huskies haven’t added a third title but they got really close last season. Even while finish second to St. John’s in the Big East regular season and tournament, UConn showed up when it mattered most and marched all the way to the national championship game before losing to Michigan. A 34-win season and another deep Tournament run only cements Hurley’s place among the best basketball coaches in today’s game.
This year’s squad has some important returning faces but some major holes to fill as well. Both Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed saw brilliant careers end, with Karaban in particular a major loss after his play these last four years. UConn will also be without star guard Solo Ball this season due to a wrist injury, but a deep transfer portal has this staff excited about the future once again.
UConn gets back two important starters in the backcourt and adds talent across the board in hopes of even more national success. Even when they didn’t have their way in the Big East, this program found a way to succeed on the biggest stage and we’ll soon see if this new crop of talent can keep building on that success.
Projected Starters
Guard – Silas Demary Jr. (Senior)
A significant part of last season’s success, Demary arrived in UConn after two seasons running the point down at Georgia. His scoring numbers were down from his time with the Bulldogs, but Demary led the Big East in assists, averaging 10.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists this past season. A fantastic facilitator and presence, Demary might be leaned on even more as a scorer, though he did make nearly 39% of his 3-pointers last season.
Guard – Braylon Mullins (Sophomore)
Regardless of how the rest of his career transpires, Mullins will forever be remembered for that game-winning shot over Duke in the Elite Eight. A 5-star guard who excelled as a freshman, Mullins put up 12.0 points and 3.5 rebounds last year and should be worth even more entering year two. The long-range numbers weren’t quite there but he’s an elite scoring threat many expect to even further hit his stride as a sophomore.
Forward – Jayden Ross (Senior)
These last three seasons have seen Ross in a bench role for the Huskies, but we’re expecting much more out of him in year four in this system. Ross put up 4.6 points and 2.5 rebounds off the bench for the Huskies last year but was actually very efficient, making 39% from outside the arc and 63% from inside. Additionally, he brings solid size at the wing and his defense really stands out at times.
Forward – Nikolas Khamenia (Sophomore)
Probably the most important of UConn’s transfer additions, Khamenia becomes a significant new weapon in this frontcourt. A 6-8 forward from Los Angeles, he was considered a 5-star prospect and showed great strides with Duke, averaging 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds last year. Now in a starting role for the Huskies, expect even more, with great versatility, ball skills, and even a knack for outside shooting.
Center – Najai Hines (Sophomore)
Another young and promising addition to the frontcourt, Hines is a 6-10 center with Big East experience, having spent his freshman year over at Seton Hall. He was the Pirates’ backup big man, putting up 6.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game, while actually leading the Big East in blocked shots. A defensive menace, Hurley and company are excited about his growth and potential though he’s already shown he can be one of the nation’s best rim protectors.
Key Reserves
Guard – Junior County (Freshman)
A 6-4 point guard out of Salt Lake City, County is a 4-star prospect with great intelligence and playmaking potential. There’s every reason to expect he can be a star guard for the Huskies in the very near future with his smart, aggressive, and unselfish play. He’ll become a great facilitator who can also score in bunches and likely will see minutes at both backcourt positions.
Forward – Colben Landrew (Freshman)
Another 4-star freshman entering the fold, Landrew is a 6-6 wing from Alabama considered a Top 30 prospect in the nation. Notable for his elite shooting beyond the arc, Landrew has great size and will also be a significant asset on defense. If he can find his edge and hit those outside shots then you can expect important minutes pretty quickly in his career.
Guard – Jaye Nash (Junior)
The numbers don’t jump out but Nash is another transfer addition who provides depth for the Huskies. He was a backup player at Tulsa before starting to hit his groove with Jacksonville State, averaging 5.1 points and 4.0 assists as a sophomore. Nash will play an important role as a backup point guard and is a pretty solid floor general even with his lack of experience.
Forward – Jacob Ross (Sophomore)
A former 3-star wing and the brother of the Huskies’ starting forward, Ross is hoping to make his mark on this program. We didn’t see him on the court at all last season, though there’s a role to be carve out in year two. Ross plays hard, shoots relatively well, and has positional versatility and just might see notable minutes without many frontcourt options off the bench.
Center – Oskar Giltay (Sophomore)
A 6-10 forward from Belgium, Giltay joins UConn after spending his freshman season out west at Stanford. Largely a bench weapon, Giltay put together a solid first year, averaging 3.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in that limited role. While it’s hard to foresee a ton of minutes here, Giltay is a solid rebounder and rim protector and fantastic addition to this depth.
Guard – Nils Machowski (Senior)
A 6-3 guard originally from Berlin, Machowski enters year four at the college level, spending a pair of seasons at UCF before really coming on at Wofford. That lone season with the Terriers saw him average 17.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in a significant role. Machowski brings veteran experience and shot-making ability off the bench, having made 38% of his 3-pointers last year.
Schedule Outlook
The season starts at home with Gardner-Webb but there’s a significant challenge early. The Huskies get a national championship rematch, heading to Boston to face Michigan as part of the Hall of Fame Series on November 6th. A ton of eyes will be on this early thriller, but this is only the beginning of a very tumultuous nonconference slate.
UConn is back in their home state for a few games, including Ohio State in Hartford, but then November ends with two significant challenges. They have a true road test at Arizona on November 18th before a highly-anticipated Tourney rematch against Duke in Las Vegas just one week later. Even without a holiday tournament, the Huskies will be tested plenty.
December is no picnic either, starting with their trip to Chicago and a bigtime showdown with Illinois on the 4th. They’ll be back home for the next few games, but that includes hosting Kansas on December 12th. The final nonconference test comes against a strong Virginia squad on the 20th right before Big East play begins.
With two looks at every Big East foe, there’s not a ton of craziness in this schedule, though the difficulty seems to be back loaded for the Huskies. Their matchups against St. John’s come January 29th on the road before the return game on March 2nd, while both games with Villanova come during February. It’s hard to know just who’ll stand out in the conference this year, though those are the games most fans will circle on this part of the calendar.
Season Outlook
We didn’t talk about him at length, but Ball averaged at least 12 points per game each of the last two seasons and his injury does limit the Huskies’ depth this season. However, Hurley and his staff are more than confident in what they’ve assembled and should have the talent all over the court to be nationally relevant once again.
Returning those two backcourt starters is clearly a significant story, especially with Mullins in particular riding high after that legendary March moment. Demary is a fantastic floor general and he’ll put Mullins and these other weapons in position for success once again. Beyond them, Machowski is an awesome grab from the portal and a reliable scorer and facilitator while there are certainly roles for County and Nash in this lineup.
The big change comes in the frontcourt with those massive departures in the offseason but UConn really nailed their replacements. Khamenia has incredible potential and now is thrown into a starting role in a system that should really showcase what he can do. Hines is a phenomenal post presence while Giltay might be just as great off the bench, and let’s not forget what someone like Landrew can do in his first taste of college ball.
We know exactly what the Huskies have and don’t have this season; there’s no waiting for eligibility or hoping things bounce their way. Hurley will get his players playing hard and ensure that this new crop of talent is up to speed on his system as the season progresses. With a rejuvenated frontcourt, talented backcourt, and shooting talent out the wazoo, could we see another deep postseason run from these Huskies?
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