The NCAA men’s college basketball has entered the seventh week of the tournament, as the AP polls are in full progression ranking the top 25 teams all around the nation based on their performances, as Dan Hurley’s UConn has found their groove again. After a rough start at the Maui Invitational, where they went winless, they’ve bounced back in style with four straight victories.

Their impressive run includes wins over Baylor, a tough road win against Texas, and a big statement game against Gonzaga at Madison Square Garden. Now, they’re back on the rise, climbing to No. 11 in the rankings. However, their AP poll ranking from week six has fueled some doubts among the critics.

In the recent episode of Field of 68: After Dark, Rob Dauster stated “There is no UConn in that top 12. UConn had, I would say, their most impressive performance of the season, beating Gonzaga in effectively what was a home game at Madison Square Garden. Should we really be viewing UConn as a team that can repeat, that can make a run? Is this just an example of them getting hot at the right time? Like, where do you stand on?”  

Over the last twenty years of the National Championship, there’s been an interesting trend: one of the top 12 teams in AP poll week six always goes on to win the title. UConn, which is pursuing a 3-peat, wasn’t up to the mark as they stood at No.18 (7-3). Every week since the 2022-23 preseason, the AP poll has ranked the team.

“Do you think that UConn can be the team that spoils that this year?” With UConn just managing to hold on to their ranking, there’s plenty of buzz about whether they can turn things around.

T.O. began “They’re really good on the mainland last time I checked they haven’t lost on any state not named Hawaii, So, could they? Yeah. Will they? I mean don’t ever doubt Dan Hurley. I do think It’ll be tough though. There’s a lot of really good teams and a lot of much bigger teams across the frontline than what we just mentioned.”

UConn managed to hang onto its spot in the AP Top 25 college basketball poll by a thread after a tough week at the Maui Invitational. The Huskies went 0-3, losing to three unranked teams in three days. They plummeted 23 spots, dropping from No. 2 to No. 25, just enough to keep their streak alive, before climbing to No.11 this week.

“Well look the Hollywood script writes itself, if you were to go on a three-peat and you achieve something only John Wooden has, it would only be you know fitting, that you also achieve something that nobody’s done last 20 years,” Fanta said. 

The Wizard of Westwood, John Wooden, as the head coach for the UCLA Bruins, led the team to an incredible ten NCAA national championships in just 12 years, including an unmatched streak of seven in a row. To this day, no other Division I team has won more than four straight titles. For UConn to break the barrier, they have to play exceptionally well to end the year on a good note as they will be facing the Butlers tomorrow for their last game of the year.

Dan Hurley & Co. aims to end the year on a high note against Butler

After an overtime win against Xavier on Wednesday, the UConn men’s basketball team is aiming to improve to 2-0 in the Big East Conference when they face Butler on Saturday. Solo Ball led the way for UConn with 22 points in the win over Xavier, while Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban each contributed 20 points to the victory.

UConn and Butler will be facing off against each other for the seventh time, where UConn has the upper hand winning all six previous match-ups. The Butlers would be looking to get their game back on track as the team is heading into Hinkle Fieldhouse with a 4-match-losing streak.

On the other hand, Dan Hurley’s UConn is heading into this game with a 5-game-win streak, the teams look balanced and well-synchronized. As UConn heads into their final game of the year against Butler, their five-game win streak has sparked fresh hopes for a historic three-peat. To defy the 20-year trend of top-12 dominance, the Huskies will need to keep their momentum going and prove their quality as a champion.