UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Earlier this week, the UConn Huskies men's basketball team defeated Michigan State in the second of three exhibition matchups.

Prior to that, the Huskies toppled the Syracuse Orange at Mohegan Sun Arena. Speaking after that game, head coach Dan Hurley addressed some things he likes about this year's group, including its defensive tenacity. But, he also discussed the upside around this team from an angle that many likely haven't thought of yet.

"And ​the ​thing ​with ​us ​is, ​like, ​we're ​going ​to ​get ​better ​the ​whole ​year. ​You ​know, ​there ​may ​be ​teams ​that ​are ​really, ​really ​old ​that ​have ​a ​lot ​of ​22, ​23, ​like, ​older, ​older ​teams ​that ​maybe ​won't ​quite ​have ​the ​upside ​that ​we ​have ​as ​a ​team. ​I ​think the ​group's ​got, ​when ​we're ​healthy ​and ​we ​get ​Braylon (Mullins) ​back ​in ​the ​mix, ​​it's ​a ​young ​team, ​but ​it's ​a ​talented ​team, ​and ​we ​will ​keep ​getting ​better ​and ​we ​will ​get ​much ​better ​on ​offense."

First off, Hurley is referring to Mullins' absence from the lineup. He's missed both exhibition games with an undisclosed injury.

Second off, Hurley is right to note the relative youth of this team. Mullins is just a sophomore, as are transfers Na'jai Hines (Seton Hall) and Nik Khamena (Duke).

Silas Demary Jr. (senior) and Jayden Ross are the only true upperclassmen in the possible starting lineup. Colben Landrew and Junior County, both freshman, have also seen valuable minutes in the exhibition season.

UConn is coming off a trip to the national championship, and they've been to the title game three times in the last four years. But, this is a different team. Alex Karaban and Tarris Reed Jr. are both gone to the NBA, meaning that Hurley needs to not only replace great players, but good leaders.

As he talks about, there is upside for growth with this team on the court, but there's also upside in the leadership department as the program looks to help fill their void.

UConn will play its final exhibition game on Tuesday night at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford against Purdue. The Boilermakers have turned into one of the top programs in the country under head coach Matt Painter, so it will be another good test for Hurley's team.

UConn will begin its regular season on Nov. 2 against Gardner-Webb, and then it will embark upon one of the most difficult non-conference schedules we've ever seen, featuring the likes of Duke, Illinois, Michigan, Arizona, Kansas, Virginia and Ohio State.

Michigan, Illinois and Arizona all made the Final Four a season ago.