UConn's Dan Hurley Gives Jaylin Stewart Update for Big East Tournament

The forward has been out for a few games due to injury, but now UConn Huskies fans know when to expect him to play again.

Dec 9, 2025; New York, New York, USA; UConn Huskies forward Jaylin Stewart (3) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies are getting set to play their first Big East Tournament game in the quarterfinals, though they do not yet know their opponent.

Hurley, however, able to provide an update on forward Jaylin Stewart and if he might be able to play in the Big East Tournament or not.

Per the Hartford Courant's Joe Arruda, Hurley stated that Stewart will not see the court at Madison Sqaure Garden this week and instead, "looks in line to be able to play in the first round," of the NCAA Tournament.

Jaylin Stewart will not be available for the Big East Tournament, “looks in line to be able to play in the first round” of March Madness, per Hurley.

— Joe Arruda (@joearruda9) March 10, 2026

Stewart's last game came against the Villanova Wildcats on February 21, where he put up 6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 13 minutes.

He is a key bench piece for Hurley and the coaching staff, as he can provide a boost when the team needs it whether they are trailing or ahead.

Hurley's staff has had to make do with what they have with the bench players in Stewart's absence. The bench guys in Stewart's absence have not gotten a whole ton of minutes, as Hurley likes to play the starters for a long period of time, which usually results in the bench players not seeing the court much.

Feb 28, 2026; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley watched from the sideline as they take on the Seton Hall Pirates at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

But if Hurley is able to get Stewart back, especially when the first round of March Madness takes place, that would be a massive boost for the Huskies. Stewart is a very important player for the team, and his contributions have been missed for a few weeks now.

The Huskies should be able to survive without Stewart in the Big East Tournament

The Huskies are going to have a tall hill to climb in the upcoming Big East Tournament, as they were not able to secure the No. 1 seed over St. John's.

UConn lost its last game of the regular season at the Marquette Golden Eagles, which saw it shoot 3-of-24 from 3-point land.

The Huskies should not shoot 3-24 from beyond the arc again, and star freshman Braylon Mullins will likely not shoot 1-10 from three again. The players that the Huskies have in Mullins, Alex Karaban, Tarris Reed Jr., Solo Ball, and Silas Demary Jr., among others, should be more than enough to survive without Stewart for the time being.

The Huskies will need to make some adjustments when they play in the Big East Tournament later in the week, but should be okay without Stewart's services. If the Huskies can make some noise in the Big East Tournament and then go into March Madness with Stewart back, they will scare other teams when the bracket is officially revealed on March 15.

it is encouraging that Hurley now knows when to expect his forward back in the lineup, and Huskies fans should be excited to get Stewart back in the near future.

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