2022 Record: 31-8 (13-7)

Head Coach: Dan Hurley (Career Record 255-160) (UConn Record 104-55)

Projected Rotation:

PG: Tristen Newton (10.1 Pts, 4.5 Reb, 4.7 Ast)

SG: Cam Spencer (Rutgers 13.2 Pts, 3.9 Reb, 3.1 Ast)

SF: Stephon Castle

PF: Alex Karaban (9.3 Pts, 4.5 Reb, 1.7 Ast)

C: Donovan Clingan (6.9 Pts, 5.6 Reb, 0.5 Ast)

6: PG Hassan Diarra (2.1 Pts, 1.3 Reb, 1.8 Ast)

7: SG Solomon Ball

8: SF Jaylin Stewart

9: SF Jayden Ross

10: PF Samson Johnson (0.9 Pts, 0.8 Reb, 0.1 Ast)

11: C Youssouf Singare

Donovan Clingan has been one of the most talked about players this offseason. He serve in a backup role last year with Sanogo being the starter. This year, Clingan is expected to have a massive breakout season and be one of the best big men in the country. He runs the floor extremely well for a 7-2 big man. He tends to always clean up the class and finish at the rim very well. Clingan shot a very efficient 66% from the floor last season. One area of his game that can use improvement is free throw shooting as he only shot 52% from the line last season. Samson Johnson is another returning big who is expected to see more minutes and improve upon his stat line from last year.

UConn also returns starting PG Tristan Newton as well as starting forward Alex Karaban. Newton really found his role with the team last season. He got all his teammates involved averaging nearly 5 assists per game. He also improved his outside shot having his best shooting year in his career so far. He’s a high level perimeter defender and was also elite from the free throw line last season. Karaban has great size and length for his position. He’s another guy on this Huskies team that shoots the ball at a very high level. The redshirt year he took in the 2021-22 season really helped him in development and made him the player he was last year. He shot 48% from the field and 40% from three this past season at 6-8. Hassan Diarra also returns for the Huskies. He will be the backup PG this upcoming season and have a bigger role than he did last year. He struggled from the floor last season shooting only 30% overall, but he’ll improve upon that going into next year.

The lone transfer that UConn added this offseason was Rutgers transfer guard Cam Spencer. He spent 3 years at Loyola (MD) and this past season with Rutgers. He is another player that can be relied on to get you a bucket. UConn had to replace some of the shooting they lost with guys like Jordan Hawkins and Joey Calcaterra. Cam Spencer shot 43% from beyond the arc this past season with Rutgers and really fits the mold for the type of player they needed to add this offseason. UConn also added 4 freshman to the team this offseason. The class was headlined by Top 10 recruit Stephon Castle who is an athletic G/F and will be in the starting lineup this season. SG Solomon Ball is ranked as the #44 player in the country and he should see some solid rotational minutes this season. SF Jaylin Stewart was ranked as the #56 player and SF Jayden Ross was ranked as the #113 player. The class was rounded out with C Youssouf Singare ranked #139 in the class.

UConn has a chance to be the first program to go back to back since Florida in 2005-2006, 2006-2007. The Huskies lost a lot this offseason, but at the same time they returned 2 starters from a team that won the national title. They also return the prime candidate to be the breakout player of the year and also added one of the most coveted transfers in the country. The freshman will be called upon in certain situations this season and will have to step up. Going back to the final four will be really tough as it always is, but Hurley will certainly have this team in the mix in March.