With March fast approaching, Dan Hurley and the Huskies are in a fortunate yet pressure-packed spot. They have had two national championships in a row and are on the verge of a historic third. But now, with Selection Sunday drawing near, UConn is in unprecedented territory — outside the top 16 seeds.

UConn had a roller coaster of a season, a far cry from their dominant runs in 2023 and 2024. The Huskies struggled to find their rhythm early on while losing four starters to the NBA draft.

UConn’s tumble from the top of college basketball to its current predicament has been both swift and shocking. The Huskies entered the season with high hopes, buoyed by their consecutive national titles. But after a series of setbacks, including a disastrous showing at the Maui Invitational where they went 0-3, the team has struggled to find its footing.

A rough January had plunged them out of the A.P.Top 25 for the first time in years. The struggles extended to February with losses piling up and its NCAA tournament seed sinking.

And now, believe it or not, Dan Hurley’s team currently sits out of the projected top 16 seeds. The current 4-seeds are:1. Texas Tech, 2. Michigan, 3. Kansas, 4. St. John’s. The projection has rocked the college basketball world, with UConn fans claiming foul.

Maybe “rigged” is too strong, but the fans are side-eyeing the NCAA lately. How do the defending champs not make the top 16? It feels like they’re being punished for … what? Being too good in the past? A lower seed means a tougher path through the tournament, and that three-peat becomes all the more difficult to grab.

So, UConn has to work itself back into the conversation. Their next games are big, particularly against St.Johns. They have to run the table for the rest of the season and then lay a big number on the Big East. Can they do it?

Dan Hurley is at a critical juncture looking for the three-peat

UConn has a shot at a title, but it also finds itself in a pivotal few weeks that could determine its season. The Huskies are 17-7 and 4th in the Big East, which is not where they wanted to be at this juncture.

The two ranked opponents, St. John’s and Marquette, will be most critical. If UConn wants to play its best in March, it has to ‘kick some as-‘ in these games to show them they deserve a higher seed and to keep their dreams of a three-peat alive.

As shaky as they have looked early in the season, Dan Hurley’s Huskies have proven to be durable. They’ve come back for some nice wins, with ranked victories over teams like Baylor and Marquette. Though UConn is not the near-certain favorite it was before the start of the season, it remains firmly in the running for a third consecutive title. No team has won three straight national championships since UCLA in the early 1970s, so the Huskies are pursuing history.

The next few games will be crucial for UConn to generate momentum before the NCAA tournament. If they can piece together a few quality wins — especially against ranked foes — they’ll definitely be in a good position to defend their title by the time March Madness rolls around.