Sure, the UConn Huskies and Dan Hurley are on a six-game winning streak, but the coach isn’t one to settle. He knows his team has a glaring flaw. UConn ranks second in offensive efficiency nationwide, according to KenPom, but defensively? They’re sitting at a disappointing No. 102. That’s a massive gap for a team aiming to be a national contender. 

But first, take a step back and appreciate UConn’s rollercoaster of a year. They racked up a program-record 37 wins, 18 of them in Big East play—a league record—and they’ve entered 2025 with a solid 10-3 record. After a rough outing at the Maui Invitational, where the team failed to secure a single win, the Huskies bounced back stateside. Safe to say, this team knows how to respond to adversity.

However, while their offense is on point, defense is not so much. As Hurley said himself, “We’re a national championship contender and a Big East championship contender offensively, and defensively we’re not contenders. We’re defending like pretenders.”

Stings, but fair. UConn’s offensive firepower is undeniable, with players like Alex Karaban, Liam McNeeley, and Solo Ball leading the charge. However, their struggles on defense—particularly with on-ball coverage and ball-screen execution—have been a thorn in their side.

But guess what? The Huskies are heading into their New Year’s Day matchup against DePaul with a full roster. That includes their returning stars and a deeper bench, which Hurley hopes will shore up some of their defensive woes. 

At the same time, they can’t sleep on DePaul, though. Under new head coach Chris Holtmann, the Blue Demons are no longer the Big East’s punching bag. They started the season with seven straight wins and even received AP Top 25 votes—a big deal for a program that hasn’t been ranked since 2000. 

While they’ve cooled off recently, losing four of their last six, they’re still dangerous. Hope they don’t figure out when and how the Huskies fall defensively. 

Analysis reveals when Dan Hurley’s UConn struggles with defensive lapses

After their win over Texas earlier this month, UConn’s offense was the talk of the town. Shooting 51.9% from the field and 45.0% from three, they dismantled a Longhorns team riding a seven-game win streak. Analyst Rob Dauster highlighted how getting to the foul line and sinking early shots helped the Huskies find their groove offensively.

 “At one point, they hit six of their first nine threes. That’s just kinda what got it going a little bit,” Dauster said on The Field of 68: After Dark. But the team’s defensive struggles remained glaring. Dauster pointed out their issues when forced into rotations. 

“When there’s action on either side of the floor, and then you get into a ball screen, that’s where they can have a little bit of an issue,” he noted. And against Texas, he called out the lack of defensive rotations entirely, emphasizing that the ball screen actions weren’t even that complicated.

Now the Huskies prepare for DePaul, all eyes will be on how they handle the Blue Demons’ perimeter shooting. With their star players healthy and Hurley laser-focused on fixing their flaws, the New Year’s Day showdown at Wintrust Arena could set the tone for UConn’s 2025 campaign. Will Hurley’s squad turn their defensive woes around? Guess we’ll find out soon enough.