UConn Huskies Defense an Underrated Part of Their Success

The once-proud Connecticut Huskies are enjoying their path back to pre-eminence.

The college basketball blue bloods have made the big dance in three straight years, punching their ticket to the Final Four with a convincing win over the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Saturday.

UConn is led by Jordan Hawkins and Adama Sanogo, who average north of 16.0 points per game. Still, their collective defensive effort sets them apart from their competition. 

According to KenPom, the Huskies have the 12th-ranked adjusted defense in the nation — a standard that has been on full display throughout the big dance. Through four tournament matchups, opponents are averaging just 59.3 points per game, with no team exceeding 65.

Although the Huskies deserve a lot of credit for their explosive offense, their defense has been an undervalued part of their success.

Connecticut has moved to the top of the heap on the FanDuel Sportsbook futures board. The Huskies are now the odds-on favorite to claim their first National Championship since 2014.