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Marquette Today
By the People, for the People
No. 6 UConn Suffers Second Loss in Four Games Ahead of NCAA Tournament
Huskies coach Dan Hurley concerned about team's "fragility" and turnover issues as March Madness approaches.
Mar. 15, 2026 at 6:21am
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The sixth-ranked UConn Huskies suffered a 72-52 loss to St. John's in the Big East Tournament championship game, their second defeat in four games. Coach Dan Hurley expressed concerns about his team's "fragility" and turnover problems, which threaten to prevent another deep NCAA Tournament run for the program. An apparent ankle injury to starting point guard Silas Demary Jr. also raises questions about the Huskies' health heading into the Big Dance.
Why it matters
UConn was once considered a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the back-to-back losses have likely dropped them to a No. 2 seed. The Huskies' recent struggles raise doubts about their ability to make another championship run after winning the title in 2023 and 2024. Hurley will need to address his team's turnover and defensive issues before the tournament begins.
The details
In the Big East title game, UConn committed 17 turnovers and shot just 3-of-19 from 3-point range in the 20-point loss to St. John's. The Huskies had also lost to Marquette 79-64 in their regular season finale, a game Hurley called a "choke job." Hurley is concerned about the "fragility" of his team, which has been "very charitable" with live-ball turnovers leading to easy baskets for opponents.
- On March 7, UConn lost 79-64 to Marquette in their regular season finale.
- On March 11, UConn lost 72-52 to St. John's in the Big East Tournament championship game.
The players
Dan Hurley
The head coach of the UConn Huskies, who led the team to back-to-back national championships in 2023 and 2024.
Silas Demary Jr.
UConn's starting point guard, who suffered an apparent left ankle injury late in the loss to St. John's.
Alex Karaban
A UConn forward who committed 3 turnovers in the Big East title game loss.
Braylon Mullins
A UConn freshman who scored 21 points in the semifinal win over Georgetown but struggled with turnovers and missed shots in the final against St. John's.
What they’re saying
“This team has definitely showed a level of fragility that some of our best teams haven't. We've been a team that has been very charitable to a lot of teams we play with live ball turnovers that lead to runouts. So, if we can't take care of the ball and we can't make shots, then obviously we've got problems. But I think they're fixable things.”
— Dan Hurley, Head Coach, UConn
“We had a lot of turnovers. (If) we show up defensively, we show up taking care of the ball, then we're one of the best teams in the country. We just got to do it on a nightly basis.”
— Alex Karaban, Forward, UConn
“You can't really think about all these losses. It just will drag the team down. Just remaining as confident as possible and just fixing what we can coming up in the next week.”
— Braylon Mullins, Freshman, UConn
What’s next
The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.
The takeaway
This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.
