Dan Hurley, dropping to his knees and stunned, etched with disbelief and frustration, stared around at the Maui Invitational gym as the final buzzer echoed. Memphis just handed UConn a 99-97 overtime loss, the 2x reigning national champions. It was a moment that captured just how tough this season has been. For both a coach, known for his intensity and a program, that had ruled college basketball for two consecutive years.

UConn’s fall from grace has been both shocking and fast. They were on top of the world just a few months ago. Celebrating their second consecutive national title and riding high off a pair of straight championship seasons. Now? The Huskies have looked like a shadow of their former selves thanks to defensive lapses, inconsistency and losing the characteristic toughness that was such a big part of their DNA. Hurley summed it up perfectly when he said, “Misery loves company.” That sentiment seems to echo across Gampel Pavilion as the team tries to find its footing.

What’s been different this season? According to Dan Hurley, it’s not just UConn’s struggles—it’s the changing landscape of college basketball itself. Hurley didn’t hold back when discussing the challenges brought on by NIL deals and the transfer portal.

He said, “I think you’re seeing some of the effects of the portal and the effects of NIL in terms of, across the board, just having really strong, focused, dialed-in teams. I think, obviously, a couple of people have their roster right and have their culture right. But moving forward with the way our game is set up now, it’s a greater challenge to have a tough, mature, connected team.”

Clearly, Hurley is worried—putting together a cohesive team is now a lot tougher. And with players coming in and out through the portal, chasing NIL opportunities, it’s never been harder for a roster to stay together and focused.

But for UConn, the biggest problem is right there on the stat sheet: defense. Hurley didn’t sugarcoat it when he said. “We’ve given up close to 47% from the field in Big East or high major games this year. Our past teams, even in years where we had early exits in the tournament, were holding people to 40% or 41% from the field. Our championship teams held opponents to 39% from the field.”

In basketball, defense wins championships—and the Huskies just aren’t getting it done on that end of the court. It’s been a stark and troubling shift for a team that used to pride itself on locking down opponents.

But it’s not just the defense. Dan Hurley has also been vocal about the team’s lack of physicality and effort. “We’ve become a finesse offensive team that runs a lot of good stuff on offense, but we’ve got to get our toughness back,” he said.

It’s a far cry from the gritty, hard-nosed approach that defined UConn’s championship runs. The Huskies’ bread and butter used to be loose balls, rebounds, and physical play. Now, it’s clear those qualities are missing, and Hurley knows it.

Hurley, who isn’t one to shy away from self-reflection, has admitted this season — and this year in particular for him and his staff — has been a struggle. “So many years for me as a coach or for us as a coaching staff, to just be having the issues that we’re having relative to the defensive end of the court and how hard we play, with the rebounding and getting beat to lose basketballs.”

Dan Hurley isn’t often stumped. But these struggles, and the fast–changing world of college basketball, have led to some surprising bumps in the road for the coach.

UConn’s struggles under the microscope after Dan Hurley’s comments

The Huskies’ problems run deep. Losing four starters to the NBA left Alex Karaban as the only returning starter. UConn brought new talent, but a lack of continuity has been painful. It hasn’t been easy to find consistency with players such as Hassan Diarra, Samson Johnson, and Solomon Ball having to step up.

The point guard position has also been a sore spot. Hurley called it the team’s “biggest concern,” noting that neither Aidan Mahaney nor Hassan Diarra has fully taken control of the role. Without a strong presence at the point, UConn’s offense has lacked rhythm and creativity.

Of course, there’s also the pressure of chasing history. It would be a three-peat, but every stumble adds to the scrutiny. And injuries have done no favors. Losing freshman Liam McNeeley to an ankle injury has weakened the depth and forced younger players into larger roles.

Despite all of this, the Huskies are still sitting at 13-5 and ranked in the top 25. There’s hope, especially with Dan Hurley at the helm. His fiery coaching style and UConn’s strong culture of player development give them a chance to turn things around.

But it won’t be easy. For Dan Hurley and his Huskies, this season has been anything but smooth. Yet, as the coach continues to push his team, there’s one thing you can count on: UConn isn’t done fighting. The question is, can they find their way back to the top before it’s too late?