Hurley identified the Huskies biggest flaw from the 2024-25 season.
Dan Hurley Assigns Blame After UConn’s Troublesome Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Dan Hurley is facing reality head-on after what many considered a disappointing season for the UConn Huskies. In a recent tweet, the head coach admitted to revisiting last year’s games every July to reflect and prepare his new roster.
This time around, he didn’t sugarcoat what went wrong: “Our lack of defense killed our season,” Hurley wrote. He also pointed to the team’s poor showing at the Maui Invitational, which turned into an early red flag that never quite went away.
Coming off back-to-back national championships, expectations for a historic three-peat were sky-high. But the 2024–25 campaign didn’t come close to matching the hype.
UConn struggled in non-conference play with five losses, failed to dominate the Big East by compiling a 14-6 record, and bowed out of the NCAA tournament earlier than expected. Hurley’s frustration was evident in both his tweet and in his offseason approach.
UConn’s defensive shortcomings were apparent all season. The team lacked consistent on-ball pressure, gave up too many easy baskets in the paint, and didn’t bring the kind of physical edge that defined their previous title runs. Their early exit in Maui set the tone, and things never fully clicked after that.
I rewatch the previous season every July…it’s a necessary exercise with the new team on campus preparing for the upcoming season…our lack of defense killed our season! And let’s just say getting thru Maui was time consuming…🤐
— Dan Hurley (@dhurley15) July 16, 2025
Hurley has responded by reloading the roster with defense in mind. The core group of returners includes Solo Ball, Alex Karaban, Tarris Reed Jr., Jaylin Stewart, and Jayden Ross.
To bolster the backcourt, UConn added transfer guards Malachi Smith and Silas Demary Jr. Hurley also brought in a loaded freshman class featuring five-star recruit Braylon Mullins, four-star elite shooter Eric Reibe, small forward Jacob Ross, a top 200 player and four-star international prospect Jacob Furphy.
The expectations for UConn for the 2025–26 season remain high. With a deeper, more versatile roster and an emphasis on restoring their defensive identity, the Huskies are projected to be a top-15 team and a serious contender for the Big East title.
Hurley’s offseason message is clear: last year’s defensive lapses won’t be repeated. With a renewed focus and a retooled lineup, UConn is out to remind everyone why they were a championship program in the first place.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
