UConn men at DePaul: Time, TV and what you need to know

UConn guard Jordan Hawkins (24) dribbles the ball against Seton Hall during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Newark, N.J. Wednesday, Jan.18, 2023. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Noah K. Murray/Associated Press

The DePaul men's basketball team has secured its place in history as the unenviable answer to a trivia question: Who did Georgetown beat to end its 28-game Big East losing streak?

The Hoyas popped the Blue Demons on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. to finally get Patrick Ewing & Co. off the schneid. Of course, DePaul is also the answer to a lesser trivia question of which it can take pride: Who handed Xavier its first Big East loss this season?

Yup, that was the Blue Demons, as well, knocking off then-No. 8 Xavier at Wintrust Arena on Jan. 18, the Musketeers' first loss in their first eight conference games (they have since lost at Creighton, as well).

So, which DePaul team does the UConn men's basketball team get when it visits Wintrust on Tuesdsay night? Hard to know. DePaul has dropped three straight since that win over Xavier, including the Georgetown loss and a 20-point loss to Marquette on Saturday before DePaul's first sellout at Winstrust — ever.

No doubt, the Blue Demons have some talent. Umoja Gibson is one of the Big East's top scorers, Yor Anei is a towering, rim-protecting presence, and the return of former USF guard Caleb Murphy helps, as well.

But Tuesday night is more about which UConn team shows up. The Huskies have dropped six of their last eight, most recently an 82-79 heartbreaking loss at Gampel Pavilion to Xavier. UConn battled back from a 17-point first-half deficit in that one and got within a single point four different times, keyed by full-court pressure, an effective zone defense and 26 second-half points from Jordan Hawkins.

Did a spark go off in that second half for the Huskies that can get them back to the 14-0 powerhouse that trucked every opponent by double-digits? Will Hurley press more, use more zone? And what's up with Samson Johnson, the 6-10 sophomore who returned to play in a Jan. 22 win over Butler but didn't play at all against Xavier?

Was a five-day respite from game action exactly what UConn needed following the Xavier loss, and will the Huskies be rejuvenated over the second half of their league slate? They get the league's two perennial bottom-feeders on the road this week (at Georgetown on Saturday). Now would be a perfect time for UConn to get that swagger back.

No. 24 UConn at DePaul

When: Tuesday, 8 p.m.

Where : Wintrust Arena, Chicago

Records: UConn 16-6 (5-6 Big East), DePaul 9-13 (3-8 Big East)

TV: FS1

Radio: UConn Sports Network, WAVZ-New Haven (1300 AM), WGCH- Greenwich (1490 AM), WATR-Waterbury (1320 AM), WICH-Norwich (1310 AM, 94.5 FM), WILI-Wilimantic (1400 AM, 95.3 FM), 97.9 FM-ESPN Hartford, SiriusXM-983, SXM App 973

PROBABLE STARTERS

UCONN

Player Pos. PPG

Tristen Newton G 9.8

Alex Karaban F 9.9

Adama Sanogo C 16.9