UConn Huskies Drop Five Spots In Latest AP Top 25 Rankings After Disappointing Loss
While the UConn Huskies played inspired basketball last week against Georgetown, they took a step back this past Saturday against Creighton.
Dan Hurley’s crew failed to execute down the stretch, but their defense was more problematic against the Blue Jays. The Huskies struggled to contain Jamiya Neal on the perimeter and keep him below his season average.
Neal, averaging 11.7 points per contest, finished with 24 points against the Huskies on 62.5% field goal shooting and 60% three-point shooting in Creighton’s 68-63 upset victory.
Unsurprisingly, UConn’s devastating home loss caused them to drop five spots in the latest AP Top 25 rankings.
Although it’s a shame the No. 19 ranked Huskies will be without Liam McNeeley for an extended period due to an ankle injury, there’s no excuse for their visible on-ball defensive miscues.
No, it’s not like UConn is surrendering 90+ points per contest and regularly getting the doors blown off them, but it’s far too easy for opponents to get paint touches and force the Huskies to scramble defensively.
63 points won’t result in many Big East victories, but as ESPN analyst Jay Bilas noted last week, the Huskies' offense is capable of frightening teams in the NCAA Tournament.
If UConn’s defense improves, they could become a more well-rounded ball club come March.
More NCAA: UConn Huskies Jump Seven Spots In Latest AP Top 25 Rankings After Massive Win
Caleb Hightower is a graduate of Hofstra University and can write about any sport, but he has a particular passion for basketball – specifically college and NBA. He has written for publications such as FanBuzz and Busting Brackets since graduating. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "UConn Huskies On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org Twitter: https://x.com/CalebHightower1