With nearly two weeks’ rest behind them, the UConn men’s basketball team begins conference play tonight with a game against longtime patsy USF.
Dan Hurley’s squad suffered a brutal loss to Villanova at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 22, but the first-year coach is hopeful for his first intra-American Athletic Conference win. The Huskies (9-4) went only 7-11 in AAC play last season, a record they’re likely to improve upon this year.
That likelihood is only increased against USF, which has defeated UConn only twice in 21 tries. The Huskies’ .905 winning percentage against the Bulls is their second-best rate against any current or former conference opponent and a UConn win would tie USF with DePaul for futility among conference rivals.