On the surface, a 23-2 record looks like perfection for UConn. However, former Purdue star Robbie Hummel knows exactly what’s going wrong with Dan Hurley’s UConn.

“The knock on UConn has been that their offense has, kind of at times, been a slog, but the defense has been consistent. And I would say from the second half of the St. John’s game, even into that first half and second half at Butler, there were some breakdowns where you’re like, man, these are basic fundamentals.”

“Yeah, that’s certainly disappointing because he’s a four-year guy at Dayton and makes the jump up here at UConn, and he did make a three in the first half when UConn was struggling to score, which was a big shot for him. I think he had only three points in the three games prior. So that’s total,” said Hummel on how UConn is fumbling the ball, along with Malachi Smith’s fall from grace.

Hummel’s breakdown of the game against St. John’s stems from UConn’s offense stagnating in the second half after a tied first half. The UConn guards found themselves unable to penetrate the arc consistently, which cost them the game as St John’s Zuby Ejiofor (21 pts) made them pay.

UConn’s game against Butler mirrored it, despite their win (80-70). UConn’s slow half-court sets exposed their lack of pace and transition scoring.

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Malachi Smith’s dip in form is also noticeable. Since transferring from Dayton, Smith had probably the most forgettable season for Dan Hurley this year, averaging 3.2 points in his 25 games. Malachi is nowhere close to replicating his form from his Dayton days, where he averaged 10.4 ppg in the last season.

With veteran players like Smith underperforming, Dan Hurley is clearly looking to the future for an offensive spark, and he may have found it in his latest high-profile signee, Colben Landrew.

UConn’s New Signee Named Top 10 Semifinalist For Naismith Trophy

UConn has made another great investment in signing Wheeler High School forward Colben Landrew, who is already making waves, breaking into the top-10 semifinalists for this year’s Naismith Trophy Boys’ High School Player of the Year award.

Landrew is currently in his final year of high school hoops and wants to leave his high school on a memorable note, as he is ready to make his way to UConn. If Landrew wins the award, he will be recognized as the best high school player in the nation, giving UConn a major asset.

According to 247Sports, Landrew is ranked as the No. 24 national recruit among all five-star prospects in his class, so his addition to the roster will only make the team that much stronger, and Dan Hurley knows that very well.

“When we think about Colben, you know, we see an opportunity for these guys to work and earn their way into impact positions as freshmen. I think these guys will be on the court and they’re gonna be helping us win really, really early in their career because of the family background and the programs that they’ve played in,” said Hurley, optimistic about how the team will benefit from having him around.

Landrew was extremely impactful last season for his high school (Wheeler) as a junior. Landrew’s impact was undeniable as he powered Wheeler to a state championship, showcasing a versatile game by averaging 18.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. He helped the Wildcats go 29-3 to win the Class 6A state championship and was named a 2024-25 MaxPreps All-American honorable mention. It is a skill set UConn desperately needs to avoid the offensive stagnation that has plagued them.

Mississippi State, Purdue, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M all wanted. But he officially committed to UConn, as they now have a new high school talent who could become a star at Storrs soon.