Dan Hurley isn’t letting early-season wins fool anyone! The UConn Huskies recently secured their third win of the 2025-26 NCAA season against the Columbia Lions. However, the head coach has made it clear that winning doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a spotless team with no errors, while emphasizing they can’t afford to get too comfortable or complacent as the Huskies prepare for their game against the BYU Cougars. So, what are these warning signs?

After their 89–62 win, in the post-game interview, Hurley was asked about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead this season, and how well-equipped his team is to handle them. The Huskies’ head coach, without sugarcoating his response, said, “This time of year, people are challenging themselves in these non-conference games, and it’s a good barometer for where you’re at. I think you have a pretty good sense of where you’re vulnerable, but it’s really going to expose vulnerabilities, especially when you go into the deep water now with BYU and whoever’s coming up after that.”

The No.3-ranked Huskies will play their fourth game against No.7-ranked Cougars, who also haven’t lost a single game in the season so far, on November 15, and Hurley knows that facing Dybantsa & Co. won’t be anything like their past matchups. Despite consecutive wins and shooting 43.5% from three-point range, however, the head coach emphasized that his team had adopted a “one game at a time” mentality.

“When you watch clips of BYU and AJ (Dybantsa) and (Richie) Saunders, you know, they got one of the best point guards in the country. When you see that quality on film, you get scared straight. Things that worked the first three games won’t work,” Dan Hurley further added.

The top-ranked recruit in the 2025 class and a projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, Dybantsa, who leads his team in points and assists, is currently averaging 19 points, seven rebounds, and three assists per game. The 6-foot-9 forward brings a level of talent and athleticism the program has never seen before, making him one of the most lethal players in college basketball right now.

Whereas the Cougars’ star guard, Richie Saunders, is currently averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, and even with just a few games in the season, their on-court chemistry is already looking scary.

With one of the most crucial games on the Huskies’ schedule, which could deepen the cracks the team needs to improve, Dan Hurley is embracing the moment rather than fearing it. “But it’s fun,” he said. “We’re excited to get a chance to go play in Boston this weekend versus one of the best teams in the country. So it should be fun.”

Two unbeaten teams, yet Dan Hurley and BYU share a common weakness…

With both powerhouses entering the matchup undefeated, the upcoming clash between them promises more than just another game; it’s a battle to see who takes their first stumble of the season. With Dybantsa leading the Cougars, senior star center Tarris Reed Jr. leads the Huskies’ corner with his veteran experience. Reed Jr. is currently averaging 19.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.

UConn concluded its previous campaign with 24 wins and 11 losses, while BYU finished with 26 wins and 10 losses. However, this season came with its fair share of shortcomings, as both teams struggled on the rebounding end.

In their recent win, UConn managed only a +2 edge on the boards, despite having a size advantage. During the game, the Huskies were forced to defend for nearly 90 seconds straight when Columbia made multiple offensive boards on consecutive possessions. Despite dominating the paint 40-24 and looking untouchable in the first half, things suddenly took a turn for the worse.

Even in their exhibition against Michigan State, the Huskies also gave up multiple second-chance points, exposing a recurring issue under the rim. They won the game but committed 34 fouls, sending the opposition to the line 30 times. The game had 56 fouls and 75 free throws, as UConn struggled to maintain consistency and a proper rhythm.

BYU has faced similar struggles. In just their first two games, the Cougars surrendered 17 offensive rebounds to Villanova and 9 to Holy Cross, getting practically outworked on the glass in both matchups, and those extra possessions nearly cost them their double-digit leads.

But both these teams have one last chance to tighten their rebounding before they go up against each other, as BYU gears up to play its third game of the season against Delaware before facing Dan Hurley’s troops.