UConn blows big lead goes down to St John’s.

Sloppy Play, Turnover Woes Continue in Gut-Punch Loss to St. John’s

If you’ve watched UConn basketball over the past two games, you’ve seen a team struggling to hold itself together. A team that, despite its talent and championship pedigree, is crumbling under the weight of its own mistakes. Against St. John’s, the Huskies once again fell victim to self-inflicted wounds—turnovers, poor ball-handling, and an inability to land a knockout punch when they had the chance.

Dan Hurley didn’t mince words after the 68-62 loss.

“I feel like a shitty coach the past two games,” Hurley said bluntly.

It’s hard to argue with him. In the past 48 hours, UConn has turned the ball over 47 times, including a staggering 22 giveaways against the Red Storm. Those turnovers directly fueled St. John’s comeback, leading to 16 points the other way. Add in 18 transition points allowed, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

UConn came out firing, building an 18-8 lead early as Solo Ball and Jayden Stewart set the tone offensively. The Huskies were shooting the lights out in the opening minutes, looking every bit like a team ready to assert its dominance. But as has been the case all season, when the opportunity arose to put their foot on the opponent’s throat, they hesitated. One curious decision that wasn’t talked about in the post game press conference, with Jaylin Steward red hot to start the game, where was he in the 2nd half? He just did not get back on the court for significant minutes. Coach Hurley focused on the teams ball handing and turnovers instead.

“We’re just not a great dribbling team,” Hurley admitted.

That might be an understatement. With Hassan Diarra hobbled and no true backup point guard, UConn’s ball security is a glaring issue. They struggled to inbound the ball. They made lazy passes. They allowed St. John’s to claw back into the game through sheer persistence and defensive pressure

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Liam McNeeley was a bright spot in the second half, knocking down big shots despite some early rust. He helped stabilize the offense when it seemed like everything was slipping away. But elsewhere, the cracks in UConn’s foundation were too big to ignore. Alex Karaban looked hesitant, passing up open looks and shrinking in the moment—something his critics pointed out last season when his shooting percentage dipped against elite defenses.

Hurley was blunt in his press conference: “Sometimes you have to fall on your shield and say, ‘F*** it.’”

That’s the mindset Hurley wants from his team. But right now, the Huskies look lost when the action that Hurley and his staff draw up don’t go their way. St. John’s and other teams have forced them off-script, and instead of responding with playmaking and poise, UConn crumbled into frustration and turnovers. There’s not 1 guy on this team that you can give the ball too and say, “ Go get me a bucket”. They thought maybe Aidan early, he has not shown this in his UConn tenure. Liam started too and he got hurt.

The optimist in my wants to believe Liam knocked the rust out so they can start to make their run in the tournament. The realist in me says, this team is fun, but they aren’t championship caliber. Then again, I don’t think at any point in the 2014 season did I think that ball club was championship caliber either. The big difference? Shabazz Napier is not walking through that door anytime soon.

There’s no magic dust to make the team a better ball-handling club, so the frustration and turnovers can persist. The good news is we don’t see St. John’s again until late February at Storrs South, and by then, we’ll have a clearer idea of what to expect. As for St. John’s, they have a Houston vibe to them—more unconventional, hitting mid-range jumpers over longer threes. They’re physical, big, and they beat you up. They remind me of the Seattle Seahawks’ “Legion of Boom” defense, which would hold, mug, and almost dare officials to throw flags. Very well-coached and disciplined.

St. John’s is going to be a tough out in March and we know what Rick Pitino has done at Kentucky and Louisville. As for our Huskies, who knows—maybe this team can put it all together for a run from mid-February through the Big East Tournament. We’ve seen it happen before in Storrs. Stay tuned.