UConn Transfers Aim for Another Title Run

Silas Demary Jr. and Tarris Reed Jr. hope to replicate the success of previous UConn transfers in winning a national championship.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 6:51pm

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The UConn men's basketball team is making another Final Four run, and two key players are transfers from power conference schools. Silas Demary Jr. left Georgia to join the Huskies, while Tarris Reed Jr. transferred from Michigan. Both players have leaned on each other as they adjusted to the high expectations at UConn. Reed has emerged as a dominant force in the NCAA Tournament, while Demary's arrival changed the team's defense. The Huskies are hoping the two transfers can help them win their third national title in four years, just as previous UConn transfers Cam Spencer and Hassan Diarra did.

Why it matters

UConn has a history of success with power conference transfers, and Demary and Reed are hoping to continue that trend. Their ability to adapt and thrive in Hurley's intense coaching style and the Huskies' winning culture could be the difference-maker as UConn pursues another national championship.

The details

Demary and Reed both faced high expectations when they arrived at UConn. Demary started from day one, while Reed had to wait his turn behind Samson Johnson. But both players leaned on each other as they navigated the transition. Now, Reed is emerging as a dominant force, averaging a double-double in the NCAA Tournament. Demary's defensive impact has also been crucial for the Huskies. UConn coach Dan Hurley praised both players' ability to adapt to the program's intensity and culture.

  • Demary left Georgia to join UConn before the 2025-26 season.
  • Reed transferred from Michigan to UConn before the 2024-25 season.
  • The last time UConn won the national championship, they also had two power conference transfers on the roster.

The players

Silas Demary Jr.

A transfer from Georgia who started from the first game of the season for UConn, teaming with Dayton transfer Malachi Smith to handle the point guard duties. Demary's defensive impact has been crucial for the Huskies.

Tarris Reed Jr.

A transfer from Michigan who played behind Samson Johnson in his first season at UConn. Since the start of the Big East Tournament, Reed is averaging 18.1 points and 11.7 rebounds per game, and he joined elite company with his performance in the NCAA Tournament.

Dan Hurley

The UConn head coach who has praised the ability of Demary and Reed to adapt to the program's intense coaching style and winning culture.

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What they’re saying

“He was somebody I leaned on a lot when I first got here asking him how were your first couple of weeks here, was it always this tough?”

— Silas Demary Jr., UConn Player

“You are expected to do all these great things from the jump. It is tough, they set the bar so high that you can't reach it some days. Credit to Silas for hanging in. Talking to him that all you are going through right now is what I went through last year.”

— Tarris Reed Jr., UConn Player

“He needed UConn with how hard we fight, the fire that I coach with, the fire that this program plays with. The intensity that we go about basketball here, he needed that injected into his veins.”

— Dan Hurley, UConn Head Coach

What’s next

UConn will face Illinois in the first semifinal of the Final Four, with Demary looking to have a bigger impact after a quiet game against the Fighting Illini during the regular season.

The takeaway

UConn's success with power conference transfers like Demary and Reed shows the program's ability to integrate talented players into its winning culture. If the Huskies can capture another national title with the help of these transfers, it will further cement their reputation as a destination for elite players looking to maximize their potential.