Basketball season is once again upon us, as UConn men’s basketball kicks off the 2026-27 season Monday night at home against Gardner-Webb. After reaching the title game last year and falling to Michigan, the Huskies have reloaded in the offseason as they try to reach the Final Four for the fourth time in five seasons.
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Our annual preseason roundtable serves as a conduit for predictions, hot takes and a snapshot of how we expect the season to play out. It’s a fun revisit in the middle of the season and at the end of the year. This time around, we take a guess at who will be the team’s top contributors and some games we have circled on our calendars. Let us know your best takes and predictions in the comments!
Team MVP
Patrick Martin: Silas Demary Jr. If he plays at an All-American level, UConn’s ceiling is raised. Preseason answered a lot of questions about the readiness of his new supporting cast. So now the question becomes; how is Demary’s own usage and off-script ability get balanced with distributing? Tristen Newton executed it perfectly; there were times he took over and times his teammates took over. If Demary manages that script game-to-game, whew.
Aman Kidwai: Demary Jr. being such an effective point guard and elite defender makes him the clear choice. He’s the most experienced, proven player on the team and needs to step into a leadership role for the Huskies to reach their goals. There’s no Mullins shot without the Silas tip; that side of the ball is why UConn will have a chance against anyone.
Dan Madigan: Nik Khamenia’s performances in these exhibition games showed me he isn’t just trying to do Alex Karaban cosplay. He can do a little bit of everything, isn’t afraid to shoot the rock, and hits the glass pretty well. He’s got a lot more swagger and edge to him than I anticipated. I think he might be the heart and soul of this team this season.
Scoring/Rebound/Assist Leaders
PM: Scoring: Nik Khamenia, who may be the clubhouse leader at something pedestrian like 12 ppg, given UConn’s balance. Rebounding: Khamenia! He has a nose for the ball, per preseason. Na’jai Hines/Oskar Giltay will be up there for sure, but their minutes split could eat into their opportunities. Assist: Demary Jr. Next.
DM: Khamenia/Hines/Demary Jr. Like Patrick said, it should be a fairly balanced offense this season, but I think Khamenia gets the edge because he is one of the guys that UConn clearly wants taking big shots or shots late in the clock. Hines could be hampered by foul trouble but will still be a monster on the boards in 18-20 minutes per game. Demary Jr. is one of, if not the best, point guards in the country. He’s got the keys to run this offense at full bore from day one this season.
Impact newcomer
PM: Colben Landrew. Thought about Giltay a lot here, given how he was a question mark going into the season. But look at these preseason numbers from Landrew: 12 PPG, 3 REB, in 25 MPG on 53.8% 2PT, 42.9% 3PT, and 58.1% TS. From your potential sixth man? We like that.
AK: How can you not be extremely high on Landrew after that Purdue game? For the sake of variety, I’ll give it to Na’jai Hines. He’s under a lot of scrutiny right now, but he’s an absolute force down low, and that’s important. A strong 5 who can score in a lot of different ways, Hines needs to get more disciplined defensively so he can stay on the court. If he does, watch out.
DM: Hines is the probably the biggest key to this entire season. If he can operate similar to how Tarris Reed Jr. did last season, UConn is a Final Four team. Hines has shown flashes — he straight up outplayed Reed in both of Seton Hall’s matchups with the Huskies last season — and can takeover games with his strength and athleticism. He’s young — Hines is 19 and won’t turn 20 until the end of March — and has plenty of time to improve and mature over the course of the season under the tutelage of Dan Hurley.
Favorite matchup of the season
PM: From a hoops junkie, aesthetic perspective, I cannot wait for Virginia. I’m bullish on the Hoos and I think those are the best two coaches in the sport. Chance Mallory vs. Demary, Hines vs. De Ridder. Sign me up.
AK: Kansas in Storrs is an amazing game to have, and from a pure matchup perspective, UConn vs. Duke is going to be viewed as a potential championship game preview in Las Vegas. But I’ll go with the Illinois game at the United Center in Chicago. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of showing UConn fans have there, and the Huskies have dunked Illinois so many times; the challenge of another road-ish environment, not unlike the Final Four last year, will be another great test for this team.
DM: At Arizona on Nov. 18. UConn and the Wildcats played a great game in Gampel last season, and the return game in Tucson this year should be an absolute banger. Motiejus Krivas versus Hines and Giltay down low will be a big man battle for the ages, which we were robbed of when Reed was a late scratch last year due to injury.
Best UConn win
PM: Duke. It’s happening again; the pundits are crowning Duke. Yes they’re good, but they’re not impenetrable. I think UConn owns the psychological edge, and the Huskies plant their flag as the best in the country in Vegas on Nov. 25.
DM: Illinois. The Illini are so good, and Brad Underwood runs one of the best offensive systems in the country. They just cannot figure UConn out. The Huskies’ defense only got better since they last played, and I think UConn’s offense can still go toe-to-toe with the Illini.
Trap game/toughest game of the season
PM: Listeners of the Fast Break Podcast know my fear of Marquette. I think the Fightin’ Shaka Smarts are due for a major bounce back season, led by the electric Nigel James. The Huskies head to Milwaukee on Feb. 20, sandwiched between Villanova, Seton Hall, and a showdown with St. John’s on the other side. Marquette could be looking to lock up a NCAA bid, and the Fiserv Forum will be a nuthouse.
AK: Feb. 3 against Villanova. We’ve become accustomed to beating the Wildcats, especially at home. This year, the home game will be on the Wednesday after a Friday battle with St. John’s, and before hosting Creighton the following Sunday. Villanova is an improving team that will have a lot of size and depth to test the Huskies.
DM: At DePaul on Feb. 10 has all the makings of a trap game. UConn hosts Creighton on Feb. 7 and then heads to Philly to take on Villanova on Nov. 14. Having the Blue Demons sandwiched in there is tough — DePaul is long, physical and could easily be a top-15 defensive team in the country. They remind me of the Shaheen Holloway Seton Hall teams that have constantly given UConn trouble during Hurley’s tenure in Storrs.
Big East finish/pick Big East champion
PM: Maybe I’m drinking too much preseason Kool-Aid (it was two Big 10 teams, after all), but this team looks nasty. Their defense has a more intimidating look to it and the offense has too many weapons to go MIA for stretches. St. John’s has had the mental edge and stylistic edge against UConn the last two years, but that changes this year. UConn nabs the Big East regular season and tournament crown on the way to a No. 1 seed.
AK: First. Do it.
DM: I do think this is UConn’s conference to lose. St. John’s is a little weaker than in year’s past; Villanova and Marquette are good but not quite at the Huskies’ level yet. The loss to Marquette to squander a regular season title last year has to eat at Hurley and the returning players. I think they use that as motivation to get the job done this season.
Postseason fate
PM: I’ve never picked UConn to win any of its six national titles, and as high as I am right now on this current team, I won’t deviate. Bad mojo; there’s just too much variance in March. No one wants to hear it, but if not for the Boozer beater, UConn’s season ends in the Elite Eight last year. There’s a world this year where they’re the Duke (or Florida) of last year; a team that looks like destiny until they’re not. So I’m going to pump the brakes and say Hurley and the squad fall short in the Elite 8 off something heartbreaking. Landrew and Mullins are first-rounders, a chunk of the squad returns, and with two five-star guards in tow, the Huskies are the team to beat in 2027-28.
AK: This team can win it all. The defense is elite; the scoring ability and depth are strong, and the coach has done it multiple times. They should make the Elite Eight with ease as a 1- or 2-seed, and then anything can happen — the top tier has a lot of good teams this year. Another Final Four would be an insane accomplishment, but it’s within reach.
DM: So much is going to change between now and March/April, but I feel confident saying this team is very good. Solo Ball’s impending return means another veteran scorer is waiting on the wings. It might take some time to figure out rotations, and this team is not as experienced and battle-tested as the past few seasons. But the talent is elite. It may be Hurley’s most talented roster top-to-bottom since the 2024 title team. I think anything less than the second weekend is disappointment, assuming everyone is healthy. If things click, another Final Four and a seventh national title are all on the table.
