UConn men’s basketball ranked No. 25 in AP Poll

After more than a month on the outside looking in, UConn men’s basketball is back in the AP Top 25. The Huskies start the week ranked No. 25 in the country after only receiving votes for the past five weeks.

UConn fell out of the Top 25 after a loss to Providence at home on Dec. 18 in the Huskies’ Big East opener. After that, the program did defeat Marquette, but then broke for the holidays and endured a COVID-19 outbreak within the team.

But after sticking around near the Top 25 during that span, UConn broke through with an overtime win at home against St. John’s last Tuesday thanks to Big East Player of the Week Adama Sanogo. The victory over the Red Storm also brought the Huskies up to No. 20 in KenPom — UConn’s highest ranking on the advanced metrics site so far this season.

The Huskies join three other conference members — No. 14 Villanova, No. 20 Xavier and No. 21 Providence — in the poll this week, with no other Big East members receiving votes. Auburn, who UConn beat earlier this season in the Bahamas to hand the Tigers their only loss so far this season, is currently ranked No. 2.

UConn will have two chances to stay in the poll this week as the Huskies take on the Butler Bulldogs in a rare home and home series, which presents two very winnable games for Dan Hurley and his team.