Since a puzzling three-game losing streak at the Maui Invitational in November, UConn men’s basketball has regained its championship swagger. The Huskies showed serious mettle in their latest 87-84 win over Providence, coming back from a 14-point deficit to stay undefeated in Big East play.
The reigning back-to-back national champions did it without their star freshman Liam McNeeley, a projected 2025 NBA lottery pick. McNeeley sustained an unfortunate ankle injury on New Year’s Day against DePaul. The future NBA wing is expected to miss multiple weeks of action.
UConn head coach Dan Hurley – who signed a six-year, $50 million contract over the summer – sent a passionate message to his team’s fans after the win. With McNeeley out for the next several games, Hurley believes the Huskies will need the energy of their fans more than ever.
“We cheated death in this one here today, and we’re gonna have to win games in this type of manner,” Hurley said in his postgame presser. “I think for our crowds here and at the XL center this year, you’re not coming to games and watching dominant performances and just a celebration of how great we are at basketball.
“We’re gonna need our crowd in the game every possession helping us win. We’ve all been spoiled by the level of play in home games … This is a different team, especially with Liam out. I thought there were times where the crowd was a huge difference-maker for us, but we need it for a full 40 minutes because we’re gonna have to find different ways to win with Liam out.”
McNeeley’s absence will certainly leave a hole of production to fill, but the Huskies looked up to the challenge in their come-from-behind victory. Six different UConn players scored in double figures, led by senior point guard Hassan Diarra’s career-high 19 points.
Dan Hurley called Liam McNeeley’s injury a potential “blessing” for UConn
While Hurley would obviously prefer to have his star guard healthy, he pointed out a potential silver lining of McNeeley’s injury in a recent January 4 interview.
“When we do get him back healthy at the end of the month into February, this could be a blessing for us,” Hurley told the media. “It’s only a blessing if you can find a way to win enough games while he is out. Because now you’re developing people, developing your bench, but you have to win enough games that you’re not beaten up.”
Hurley’s Huskies are ready to battle their way through January without McNeeley’s 13.6 points per game. The defending champs will hit the road for the next two games against Villanova and Georgetown.
UConn will return to a suddenly integral home crowd on January 18 against Creighton.
