UConn has continued to make strides under Dan Hurley, but was disappointing in its return to the NCAA tournament last year. Is this the season the Huskies become a true brand name again in college basketball? Is this team a true threat to Villanova?
UConn suffered a mild upset to Maryland in the first round of the NCAA tournament, but Isaiah Whaley is among the Huskies' talented returning players. Nikos Frazier/Indy Star via USA TODAY Sports
Borzello: I think there's a gap between No. 1 and No. 2 in the Big East this season -- but if Villanova stumbles due to some of the concerns mentioned above, UConn is best-positioned to push the Wildcats at the top of the standings. I went back and forth about the Huskies for much of the offseason, simply because of the way they struggled when James Bouknight was injured last season and the fact that Bouknight is now playing for the Charlotte Hornets. But I'm back on the bandwagon.
UConn brings back most of the roster besides Bouknight, the Huskies are going to be one of the best defensive teams in the country and they bring in four ESPN 100 freshmen. Replacing Bouknight's scoring won't fall to one player, but
R.J. Cole has proven he can put up points,
Andre Jackson should take a step forward now that he's healthy and freshman Jordan Hawkins has reportedly looked very good in early practices. Hurley will figure it out.
Gasaway: In the big picture, these are the best of times for UConn. The Huskies are back in the Big East, they're coming off an NCAA tournament appearance (however fleeting it may have been) and they are ranked in the AP preseason top 25 for the first time in five years. So, yes, replacing Bouknight is going to be a challenge, but that task is being addressed in an overall context of good news and great defense. Frankly, I thought Cole would carry a bit more of the load on offense last season than he did after transferring in from Howard. Instead, the attack was built around Bouknight as something of a Kemba Walker-like figure. Cole will surely have an opportunity to show what he can do as a senior.
Lunardi: Not sure I would categorize UConn's return to the NCAA tournament as disappointing. The program had only one other appearance since its last national championship in 2014, along with more than a little upheaval off the court. The Huskies did lose to Maryland in the first round, but it was a 50/50 game and hardly embarrassing.
A third-place (11-6) return to the Big East seems pretty good to me, and the Huskies continue to climb that ladder. Another NCAA bid is almost certain, and it says here that UConn -- maybe this season, maybe not -- will be the program to eventually dethrone Villanova.
Medcalf: I think UConn moved forward last season despite the quick postseason exit. But it's difficult to envision UConn as a national brand again until it is a consistent threat in the Big East again. If the Huskies can battle Villanova this season for that top spot, we'll certainly hear a lot of the "UConn is back" talk. The floor in the Big East, however, is always so low. Since the 2014-15 season, only one team -- Villanova, 2016-17 -- has won the league title by more than two games. There is always room to fall short of expectations because of the depth in the conference. Still, if Cole and
Tyrese Martin can build on last season's effort -- and that has to include a more consistent season for Martin -- this can be a team that battles Villanova.
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