As the calendar flips to February, UConn fans are finding themselves in a bit of a shock. This was just after the Huskies enjoyed back-to-back NCAA titles and a good beginning to this season. However, Dan Hurley’s team is now being given a rude awakening. It has been a rough patch, leaving the most devoted of fans raising their eyebrows. Once a mighty team, now is in unfamiliar territory, and college basketball analysts aren’t afraid to point it out.

UConn’s exit from the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 2021 was an eye-opener. When St. John’s pulled off a 68–62 home victory over the Huskies, their No. 2 ranking from earlier in the season felt like a thing of the distant past. 

However, the sting doesn’t end there. College basketball analyst Mark Titus had some harsh words for the Huskies. He said he knows UConn still can score, “they run beautiful sets and score the basketball”. But he didn’t hold back on their defensive struggles. Titus went on to call their defense “atrocious,” pointing, “Their defense is atrocious, and they had a really bad Maui Invitational.”

Uconn’s defense has been a big problem this season. Their inability to stop opponents so far has been glaring for a team that once prided itself on suffocating defense. The Huskies went 0-3 in the Maui Invitational. That performance seemed to expose a lot of holes. And it’s clear now that defense, which was once their strength, has become their Achilles’ heel.

Still, Titus didn’t hold back when discussing UConn’s chances of a three-peat. He flat-out called them one of the biggest disappointments in college basketball this year. “They can’t play defense to save their lives,” he said. And while UConn can certainly score, he’s worried that their defense will prevent them from making a deep run in March. “Even if they do lock-in, I just don’t think it’s going to be enough for them,” he added. His take? “They’ll likely make the tournament and could reach the Sweet 16, but they don’t look like a team that’s built for a third title this year.”

Dan Hurley navigating a troubling UConn defense towards March, Will they survive?

If you can’t argue with Titus, it’s hard when you check out UConn’s defensive numbers this season. Their adjusted defensive efficiency is deemed 103.9 per KenPom, good for 34th in the country—a considerable drop from where they’ve been in recent years. Once the keystone of their championship teams, their defense can no longer stand up to the heat. Dan Hurley’s Huskies are giving up 68.6 points per game, yes, not a huge number, but a big jump from their normal defensive standards. Teams are scoring on them in a way they weren’t able to score on them in previous seasons. 

Moreover, UConn is allowing opponents to grab 29.7 rebounds per game. This is another troubling statistic, as it shows that the Huskies are struggling to finish defensive possessions. Second-chance opportunities are hard to give up. Even harder to give up on the heels of a team trying to stay in the race for a title.

All together, these numbers sum up to a UConn team that is not as good as it used to be defensively. Higher points allowed, fewer steals and more rebounds allowed all points to a team not living up to its past reputation. They’ll have to improve at that end of the floor to make it to the Final Four, alone, never mind defending their national title.

The pressure is on the Huskies as they try to salvage their season. With March Madness drawing near, there’s no way UConn goes deep unless they desperately turn it around on defense. Whether Dan Hurley can make it happen is still up in the air. But one thing is for certain: the defending champs are not going to have an easy road ahead.