No. 3 UConn seeking third consecutive NCAA title, knowing opponents are eager to derail the bid

STORRS, Conn. — Each time the topic of the starting lineup for two-time defending national champion UConn comes up, coach Dan Hurley is quick to heap praise on Alex Karaban as he heads into his third season as a starting forward. Pressed on the other likely starters, Hurley can do little more than shrug his shoulders.

Hurley’s main concern is preparing the third-ranked Huskies for the rigors of being the team that is in the crosshairs of pretty much everyone else in college basketball.

“We talk about it pretty consistently because it is the elephant in the room, you can’t hide from this opportunity,” Hurley said. “That is why I coach this team harder than any other team that I had because I know the challenge that lies ahead. The amount of people who have studied us and how we play, I know people are preparing to beat us and it is a target and just how relentlessly you have to strive to improve.”

Karaban led UConn with 27 minutes played in a recent exhibition game. Eight other players were on the court for anywhere from 17-24 minutes — a potential sign of the depth that could be a strength of a UConn team trying to become the first team to win a third consecutive national title since UCLA won its seventh straight in 1973.

UConn lost four starters to the NBA, but few expect a major drop in skill, talent and wins for the Huskies, who lost three to the NBA before last season. Different players will be asked to rise to the challenge with various combinations getting to share the court in what Hurley thinks could be his deepest team heading into his seventh season at UConn.

With battles for multiple starting positions starting to heat up, the intensity is even higher for the Huskies.

“You can see it from Day 1, guys all over the court making plays on offense and defense and it is a great thing to have,” senior center Samson Johnson said. “You can put nine or 10 guys on the floor that can impact winning and that is a great thing for us.”

Johnson, Hassan Diarra and Solo Ball are the returning players expected to play larger roles this season. Add in transfers Aidan Mahaney(Saint Mary’s) and Tarris Reed Jr. (Michigan) and Liam McNeeley leading a three-player freshman class and there could be some mixing and matching on the court.

“Every time we made a deep run in March Madness, we needed the depth and we needed guys to step up,” Karaban said. “It is a credit to the coaching staff to keep the culture together.”

Even with the departures of Donovan Clingan, Stephon Castle, Cam Spencer and Tristen Newton, opponents aren’t underestimating the Huskies.

“They are an elite team and it is very fun playing them every year,” said Creighton senior center Ryan Kalkbrenner, the preseason Big East player of the year. “They are the best of the best and you get to set yourself up against them every year. You get to see firsthand what you need to do and where you need to be to get to that level.

“They are so smart," he added. "There are a lot of teams that play hard and don’t have the scheme to go with it. They have both. He (Hurley) is incredible at motivating them to play hard and he is also so smart to get them in the right positions because their offense is so hard to guard. They are moving all the time and they play so tough on defense.”

The title defense begins on Nov. 6 against Sacred Heart. Non-conference games against No. 8 Baylor, No. 19 Texas and No. 6 Gonzaga should help the Huskies prepare to make a run at joining the record book alongside John Wooden’s UCLA dynasty.

“Being able to make history is motivation,” Diarra said. “You walk around with that chip on our shoulders each and every day. We are all on the same page about what is at stake. We want to go and get it.”