Uconn remains ranked despite 6th loss of year

The Uconn men’s basketball team fell five spots to No. 24 in the latest AP poll released on Monday.

The Huskies, now 16-6 and 5-6 in Big East play after losing six of their last eight, remain in the Top 10 of both the NCAA’S NET rankings (No. 7) and by Kenpom (No. 6). Uconn now has a 7-5 record against Quad 1 and 2 opponents and is 9-1 in Quad 3 and 4 games.

Xavier, which handed the Huskies their sixth loss in Uconn’s only game of the week on Wednesday, moved down three spots to No. 16 after a loss to Creighton on the road Saturday. Previously No. 23, Providence leaped six positions to No. 17 this week.

Marquette (17-5, 9-2 Big East) is the highest ranked Big East team at No. 13. The Golden Eagles are now tied with Xavier and Providence atop the conference standings, all of which hold a 9-2 record in league play.

In the top five, Purdue (21-1) became the first unanimous No. 1 team this season. Tennessee (18-3) jumped two spots to No. 2 after a double-digit win over No. 10 Texas on Saturday. Houston, Alabama and Arizona round out the top five.

Guards Jordan Hawkins and Tristen Newton have stepped up recently for the Huskies; Hawkins averaging 23 points over the last four games and Newton averaging 15 points over the last three games while shooting 48% from the field, about 12 percentage points above his season average.

The backcourt duo combined for an electrifying 41 points in the Huskies’ attempt at a second-half comeback that fell short in the 82-79 loss to Xavier Wednesday.

Team defense is now the No. 1 concern for head coach Dan Hurley and the Huskies.

Indiana (15-6) is the only other ranked team with at least six losses; the Hoosiers are No. 21.

Uconn gears up for a game in Chicago against Depaul on Tuesday, the last Big East team the Huskies will see for the first time this season. Depaul (9-13, 3-8 Big East) defeated Xavier, 73-72, on its home court Jan. 18.