“I think it was the best college team of all time and just to do what we did in the tournament and just how dominant we were,” Dan Hurley had said about the 2023-24 Huskies, which went all the way to the title with a 37-3 record. Because of their consecutive title wins, there were high expectations from them in the 2024-25 season.
Not because their roster was the best in the league, but because they were coached by Dan Hurley. The coaching prowess of Hurley needs no introduction, as he rejected a job at the Los Angeles Lakers last year to continue at UConn. That should tell you everything about him. He was determined to get the three-peat for UConn, but it was just not to be as they lost to Florida in a close second round game. Come 2025, they have assembled a respectable roster for the upcoming season, but according to this national analyst, there is still work to be done before they become the favorites.
Jeff Goodman said on the Field of 68: After Dark channel, “Hey, they are not number 1, but they are somewhere in that probably 5 and 15 range. I know that is a big gap. But you know what you are going to do is you are looking at that overall roster. And Alex Caraban coming back is huge from a culture standpoint; from an all-about-winning standpoint, he doesn’t care about his numbers. Obviously he had a down year for him last year.”
After the expansive statements from Hurley last season, their season looked more like a bust because of those statements. Now, the experts and the fans have evened out some of those expectations and are going with the face value of the roster rather than the name of Dan Hurley. Without Alex Caraban, this roster consisting of Silas Demary Jr. and Solo Ball was ranked 6th in the nation by ESPN. With Caraban back, it could probably move up a place.
Karaban had a decent 2024-25 season, averaging 14.3 points and 2.8 assists per game but went down a notch with fresher Liam McNeeley taking a more prominent role in the team. As a senior, Karaban was expected to step up, but it just didn’t happen as McNeeley took charge as soon as he arrived. He had 14.5 points, 6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, which led to Karaban playing second fiddle on a team that was supposed to be his.
As the lone returning starter from the back-to-back national championship teams, numerous experts had picked Karaban to be a preseason All-American. But he did not find the same level of success being the focal point of the attack, as he had been the fourth or fifth best scoring option. They have brought in various recruits so that Karaban can go back to his previous role, including a promising guard from the Bulldogs, Silas Demary Jr.
Goodman pinned his hopes on Silas Demary Jr. to come good for the upcoming season, saying, “The key is going to be Silas Demary. Is he going to be a star? Is he going to be their best player? Now again, Liam Mcneeley was their best player, but that didn’t translate into being a national title contender.”
In his two years at Georgia, he started almost every game and averaged 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game. No injury history and his ability to be malleable to defend multiple positions are appreciated by the coach. “Silas is the type of big guard we love at UConn and we can’t wait to get him in the mix,” head coach Dan Hurley said after getting him. “He can score from all three levels, play-make and use his length to guard multiple positions.”
Just depending on McNeeley was not getting them anywhere; they needed consistency all over the board. With him being a one-and-done player, Hurley will look to have more of a team effort. You can expect Karaban to really come into his own for this one, and they have five-star recruit Braylon Mullins coming in for more firepower. Consistency is key for UConn as they head into the 2025-26 season with realistic expectations but the hunger to get back at the top where they belong.
Dan Hurley confirms UConn participation in 2025 Jimmy V Classic
Despite their disappointing 2024-25 season, Dan Hurley and Co. still carry a lot of weight. As the 2025-26 season draws closer, the UConn offseason schedule becomes clearer. Dan Hurley recently confirmed the team’s participation in the 2025 Jimmy V Classic.
Hurley made the announcement at the Dick Vitale Gala, where he was an honoree as one of the only coaches to win the Nationals twice in a row in 2023 and 24. Coach Hurley just gave fans something to get excited about for the upcoming 2025-26 season as they are set to play on the big stage at the Madison Square Garden on December 4th. There is no information on who the Huskies will go head-to-head against, but it will be a heated match.
Dan Hurley announces at the Dick Vitale Gala in Sarasota that UConn will participate in the 2025 Jimmy V Classic at MSG.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 3, 2025
UConn last took the court in the Jimmy V Classic in 2023, where the Huskies cruised past North Carolina 87-76. That win stands as their lone victory in the event, with an all-time record of 1-4. Hurley and his squad will be hungry to improve that mark this year, no matter who lines up against them.
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