Despite freshman Braylon Mullins scoring a game-high 25 points, UConn couldn't overcome defensive struggles as Hurley noted the team "has been playing with fire." The Huskies allowed 45 first-half points and were outplayed from the start, with Hurley mentioning he had to substitute players within the first minute due to poor effort.
The loss puts UConn in a challenging position as they face second-ranked Villanova on Saturday and third-ranked St. John's next Wednesday in crucial Big East matchups.