The refrain surrounding No. 4 UConn entering Monday’s season opener against Gardner-Webb in Hartford, Conn., is familiar yet different.
After appearing in three of the past four national title games, the Huskies will look to make it four of five without the veteran leadership of Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr., both first-round picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.
That role could be filled by senior point guard Silas Demary Jr., named the Big East’s preseason player of the year, and sophomore Braylon Mullins. They will team up in the backcourt as leaders for coach Dan Hurley’s team, which will be without veteran guard Solo Ball indefinitely following offseason wrist surgery.
Ball was the third-leading scorer for the Huskies last season, trailing Reed and Karaban.
Hurley brought in transfers including Nik Khamenia (Duke), Na’jai Hines (Seton Hall) and Nils Machowski (Wofford). Big things are expected from blue-chip high school recruits Colben Landrew and Junior County. Landrew earned Big East preseason freshman of the year honors.
Hurley runs a tough program, and it has paid off.
“There’s more evidence that if you continue to buy into this very intense, kind of spartan lifestyle of basketball development and practice … the payoff is potentially going to be there for you,” Hurley said this summer. “You’ll experience all of the great things you can as a player in college basketball, deep tournament runs. And then … (have) the best chance to hear their name called and an opportunity to live the dream.”
Khamenia made his presence known with 39 points and 25 rebounds in UConn’s three exhibition games – wins against Syracuse, Michigan State and Purdue. Mullins, who had been sidelined because of an undisclosed injury, made his debut against Purdue on Tuesday night and had seven points and four assists in 24 minutes.
Though new faces line the roster, the Huskies have not lost respect across the Big East. They are the preseason favorites and boast the league’s top player and rookie, marking the first sweep of those honors since 2017.
“I think we have a lot of talent, a lot of respect, but I think it just goes back to the culture we have, Coach Hurley, how we kind of operate things over here and we’re able to transition year in and year out,” senior forward Jayden Ross said.
The Huskies are facing a very difficult nonconference schedule. Following Monday’s opener, the Huskies tangle with No. 16 Michigan at Boston’s TD Garden on Nov. 6, followed by a slate that includes Duke, Arizona and Illinois.
Michigan defeated UConn in the NCAA championship game, 69-63.
Gardner-Webb did not have nearly as successful of a season.
After finishing just 4-29 and 1-15 in Big South play last season, Gardner-Webb faces a tough road out of the gates at UConn, followed by a trip to Austin, Texas, to tangle with the Longhorns. Those are two of six power-conference games for the Running’ Bulldogs this season.
The team returns only co-leading scorer and second-leading rebounder Jacob Hudson (10.7 points, 4.0 rebounds per game) among their top six from a season ago. Transfer additions Seth Brown (Fresno Pacific), DJ Daniel (Frostburg State) and Mikhail Pocknett (Buffalo) were all-conference performers at lower levels and among 11 new players.
“I think with just the turnover we had and the makeup of our team, we’re talking about building chemistry early and just being tough and together through the journey, the ups and downs that every season brings,” third-year coach Jeremy Luther said.
Luther knows that the way his team’s schedule is set up is conducive to improvement as the Running’ Bulldogs to climb the conference’s ladder in the new year.
“I think it’s a good test for us to see how we compete early … and then see the growth we’ve made with three (more Power Four games right before) league play,” Luther said.