UConn head coach Dan Hurley reacts at officials in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against St. John's, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
Jessica Hill/Associated PressThe UConn men's basketball team is still "Clingan" to a national ranking.
Despite losing six of their last eight games, the Huskies remain in this week's AP Top 25 poll at No. 24, dropping five spots down from last week's ranking after a loss to Xavier at Gampel Pavilion on Wednesday night.
UConn began the season unranked but climbed as high as No. 2 the weeks of Dec. 19 and 26.
Thanks to an overpowering, 14-0 start to the season that included neutral-floor wins over No. 4 Alabama and No. 13 Iowa State, however, UConn remains No. 7 in the nation in NET ranking, a key tool used by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee in inviting and seeding schools in the Big Dance.
UConn plays a pair of road games this week, and though they are against two of the Big East's cellar-dwellers ( DePaul on Tuesday night, Georgetown on Saturday afternoon), any conference road win is a good one. UConn will then get a chance for a little revenge against Marquette on Tuesday night at XL Center. The Golden Eagles beat the Huskies in Milwaukee on Jan. 11.
After that, the Huskies travel to Creighton for perhaps their toughest remaining road game.
david.borges@hearstmediact.com @DaveBorges
