Next up in our early non-conference opponent preview series for Memphis basketball is the UConn Huskies. With the Huskies starting the season ranked third according to ESPN and in the AP poll, this will undoubtedly be Memphis’ toughest fixture on paper. This game will be the team’s opener to the Maui Invitational, one of college basketball’s premier multi-team events. This will be the sixth time that Memphis has appeared in the tournament, but the first trip since 2011. Michigan State or Colorado will be up next in the second round, with future matchups potentially including Auburn, Iowa State, North Carolina, or Dayton.
But for now, this article will focus on UConn, one of the premier college basketball programs in the nation. The odds will be stacked against the Memphis Tigers in this one, but it does give them a great opportunity to make a statement early in the 2024–25 season and put them in a good mindset for the rest of the campaign.
Related: Memphis Basketball Early Non-Conference Previews: Missouri
2023-24 UConn Huskies Season Recap
If you are a college basketball fan, then UConn needs little introduction. The 2023-24 season marked their second consecutive NCAA tournament win, with head coach Dan Hurley reaching the tournament in four of his six seasons in charge.
Last year, UConn won the title on the back of a 37-3 record, including a dominant 19-1 out-of-conference record. They were one of the most balanced teams in the country, controlling games in the paint and overwhelming opposing teams with their relentless defense. They were a formidable force, and their quality only improved under the bright lights of the NCAA tournament.
They stormed through the regional round of the tournament, defeating Illinois 77-52 in the East regional final. From there, Alabama was no match for the Huskies, falling 86-72, before UConn enjoyed an even bigger margin of victory in the National Championship game, defeating Purdue 75-60.
Donovan Clingan, Tristen Newton, Cam Spencer, and Stephen Castle made the Final Four All-Tournament Team, emphasizing how well-rounded this unit was. Over the 2023-24 season, the Huskies had five players average over 11 points per game, with Tristen Newton leading the way with 15.1. Newton also led the way with 6.2 assists per game, but Clingan took the top spot for rebounds with 7.4. Clingan was a menace defensively, comfortably leading the team with 2.5 blocks per game, with the next best being Samson Johnson with 0.9.
This UConn roster was special, and they are proud holders of back-to-back national titles. However, the men responsible for doing most of the damage over the last two years have either graduated or gone to the NBA, producing a lot of question marks surrounding the 2024–25 season.
UConn Huskies’ Current Roster Configuration
With Donovan Clingan, Tristen Newton, Cam Spencer, and Stephen Castle no longer with the team, the UConn Huskies have lost four of their top five scorers and their leaders in rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. That is a lot of production to replace.
The headline acquisition via the transfer portal was junior guard Aidan Mahaney, who has been a big part of the Saint Mary’s Gaels program over the last couple of seasons. Mahaney hit the ground running at Saint Mary’s, earning a spot on the WCC All-Freshman Team and being named as a First-Team All-WCC player in both his freshman and sophomore seasons.
Over his career, Mahaney averages 13.9 points per game, 2.4 rebounds per game, and 2.3 assists per game, and his arrival should be a great excitement for UConn fans. He might not be a polished defensive contributor yet, but Memphis must be on their toes whenever he has the ball in hand, as he is an exciting dribbler and top-quality three-point shooter.
Tarris Reed is the other name to arrive via the transfer portal, awarded the daunting task of filling the big shoes of Donovan Clingan. With Clingan earning a selection in the top 10 of the most recent NBA draft, Reed won’t be expected to deliver at the same level, and he will benefit from being in a rotation with Samson Johnson, who returns to UConn for his senior season.
The big-ticket item from the recruiting process was five-star talent Liam McNeeley, who UConn hopes can replace some of the elite shooting ability that departed the team after the 2023–24 season. He is a high-upside, exciting player who could already have a role by the time Memphis takes on UConn in the Maui Invitational tournament opener.
While UConn has to wave goodbye to some serious talent, they benefit at least from the return of a few exciting names who were part of the national title-winning team. Alex Karaban will take over as the team leader, fresh off a season in which he scored the third-most points per game with 13.3 while also notching 5.1 rebounds, good for the third-most on the team.
Closing Statement
This is one of the more intriguing games on the Memphis Tigers’ early-season schedule. Pitting them against the best team in college over the last two seasons—albeit with a completely different-looking roster—will be a fascinating test. Despite the departing talent, we know this team will be well-coached and still have plenty of exciting names to look out for. Memphis won’t face a tougher game all year, but this will be a great challenge for Penny Hardaway’s boys.
