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UConn basketball has no plans on stopping its domination on the college hoops landscape. After the Huskies' second straight National Championship win on Monday, plenty of bold quotes were fired off amidst the net-cutting celebrations.
No statement was more ominous than head coach Dan Hurley's future predictions, via Heat Check CBB's Brian Rauf.
“I know what our mindset will be,” Hurley boasted. “We're going to focus on putting together a 3-year run, not just a 2-year run.”
Will UConn be able to make Hurley's lofty goal a reality? It's ambitious, as the only team to three-peat was legendary coach John Wooden's UCLA squad, actually winning seven straight titles from 1967-73. However, if anyone could do it, it would be these Huskies. as they had the highest margin of victory in NCAA Tournament history this season. If they've already made history, why can't they keep doing so?
UConn basketball has as good a chance as anyone to win it all next year
UConn opened as the betting favorite to win next year's title after beating Purdue Monday night, via ESPN BET and Caesars Sportsbook. With key pieces like Tristen Newton and Donovan Clingan departing, will the Huskies be able to justify that ranking? Who will transfer? Will they get anyone in the portal?
“It really is tough with the transfer portal these days. Guys move schools like the wind blows,” said Caesars college basketball trader Grant Tucker, via ESPN's Doug Greenberg. “This landscape is totally different than anyone could've ever imagined even three, four or five years ago. The amount of money, the amount of pull that these athletes have or maybe think they have, it really is a totally different world.”
With NIL and unlimited transfers essentially turning college basketball into the wild west, it makes projecting next year's roster nearly impossible at this point. However, the Huskies do have two four-star prospects committed for next season, via On3. Shooting guard Ahmad Nowell is ranked eighth nationally at the position, while Isiah Abraham is the fourth-ranked small forward in the state of Virginia.
However, UConn's elite status will help the program maintain talented rosters annually, despite any potential transfer portal chaos. While the team may look different next season, Hurley's squad won't suffer from a lack of skill. The real challenge may be to replicate the chemistry it had these past couple seasons, as it operated like a well-oiled machine on both ends.
At the same time, other prominent schools will be re-tooling their rosters as well. Duke is the prime example, sporting the nation's No. 1 2024 recruiting class, headlined by the nation's top prospect in Cooper Flagg, via 247 Sports. The Blue Devils will undoubtedly be a threat to UConn's throne next season.
Considering the sport's volatility, the Huskies probably won't be able to keep running away with the championship, like they have been recently. However, Hurley and company have maintained a winning culture, which will undoubtedly attract top talent for years to come. No matter who's on the roster, they've made it clear that they cannot be taken lightly.
