The Huskies will meet No. 15 Furman on Friday in the East Region first-round action. Potentially standing in their way of a championship is No. 1 overall seed Duke.
The UConn men will begin their quest for a seventh national championship – and the third in four years under coach Dan Hurley – on Friday against Furman in Philadelphia.
The NCAA Tournament selection committee on Sunday named the Huskies (29-5) a No. 2 seed in the East region, with their path taking them through Philly, then Washington, D.C., if they are to reach the Final Four in Indianapolis.
The national semifinals are scheduled for April 4 and the championship game for April 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
None of UConn’s six titles have come in Indianapolis, but three of the four teams set as No. 1 seeds – top overall seed Duke, followed in order by Arizona, Michigan and Florida – have won championships in the city
Duke has won three times (2015, 2010, 1991), while Arizona (1997) and Florida (2006) have been victorious there once each.
The other No. 2 seeds are Houston, Purdue and Iowa State.
Houston was the top of the No. 2 seeds -- No. 5 overall -- followed by UConn, Iowa State and Purdue.
Connecticut head coach Dan Hurley cuts down the cut after defeating Purdue in the national championship game of the Final Four of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on April 8, 2024. Credit: Patrick Breen/The Republic/USA TODAY NETWORKThe Huskies were believed to be holding on to the fourth No. 1 seed until their season-ending, 68-62 loss at Marquette on March 7. Once Florida lost convincingly to Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon in a Southeastern Conference tournament semifinal, UConn was back in discussion as a potential No. 1 seed.
For that to have happened, UConn would have needed a big win against St. John’s in the Big East tournament final Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. The opposite happened, with the Red Storm outplaying the Huskies, winning 72-52.
St. John’s is in the tournament as a No. 5 seed in the East Region. The Red Storm open play Friday in San Diego against No. 12 seed Northern Iowa. The winner will face No. 4 Kansas or No. 13 Cal Baptist.
Villanova, the only other Big East team in the field, is the No. 8 seed in the West Region and will meet No. 9 Utah State, also Friday in San Diego. The winner of that game plays the winner of the first-round matchup between No. 1 Arizona and No. 16 Long Island.
Looking ahead
Should UConn get past Furman, a second-round game against the winner of the contest between No. 7 UCLA and No. 10 TCU would await. A win in that game would send the Huskies to the Sweet 16 and a matchup with whichever team emerges from the cluster of No. 3 Michigan State, No. 6 Louisville, No. 11 South Florida and No. 14 North Dakota State.
Duke is the No. 1 seed in the region, and UConn potentially could need to defeat the Blue Devils to advance to national championship game.
In case you’re curious
If UConn hasn’t won an NCAA Tournament in Indianapolis, just where have the Huskies been successful? Mostly in states touching the southern border.
The Huskies cut down the nets in Glendale, Ariz., in 2024; in Houston in 2023 and 2011; in Arlington, Texas in 2014; in San Antonio in 2004; and St. Petersburg, Fla., in 1999.
The Final Four next returns to Texas in 2030 at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.
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