Dan Hurley awaits Liam McNeeley's return to ease pressure on Aidan Mahaney and other UConn players' shoulders amid struggles

Dan Hurley and UConn's rollercoaster season continued on Saturday, with the Huskies losing 76-72 to the Xavier Musketeers at Cintas Center on Saturday. They have lost three of their last five games, with No. 19 UConn's record now at 14-6.

Four players scored in double figures for the Huskies, who dropped to 6-3 in Big East play. Solo Ball led all scorers with 20 points on 6-for-17 shooting, along with 11 assists to record his first double-double of the season. Fellow starters Samson Johnson and Hassan Diarra also contributed with 12 points apiece.

Aidan Mahaney provided some much-needed offense off the bench, scoring 14 points in 23 minutes of action. He shot 4-of-7 from the field, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Mahaney reached double figures for the first time since Jan. 5, when he scored 15 points in UConn's 87-84 win over the Providence Friars.

In the postgame press conference, a reporter asked Hurley about Mahaney's breakout performance. The junior guard struggled in his previous four games, including scoreless outings against the Villanova Wildcats and the Butler Bulldogs.

"For Aidan, it’s just finding some consistency here," Hurley said (Timestamp 3:40). "I don’t think we brought him in to play exactly like he just played. He let the threes go today. As far as our guards go, he has the most offensive talent, especially of our point guards."

Dan Hurley believes that the Huskies will be a much better team once Mahaney produces the numbers he delivered against Xavier consistently and Liam McNeeley returns to their starting lineup.

"Obviously, Hassan’s a tough guy and a gutsy guy but if we could get Liam back and we could get some consistency from Aidan there, we could be a much different-looking team," Hurley said.

Hurley is basically underlining how Mahaney is forced to do things he does not normally do simply because Liam is not present. So when McNeeley returns, Mahaney can get back to doing what he's good at.

Liam McNeeley's injury hurting Dan Hurley and UConn's title defense

The No. 19 UConn Huskies have struggled without their star player Liam McNeeley, who injured his right ankle in the game against DePaul on Jan. 1. He has not played since suffering a high-ankle sprain in the Huskies' 81-68 win over the Blue Demons. With McNeeley on the sidelines, the Huskies have compiled a 3-3 record.

Liam McNeeley (#30) celebrates a basket during the game between the Butler Bulldogs and the UConn Huskies at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Indianapolis. Photo: Imagn

McNeeley has been a vital cog for the Huskies this season, averaging 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists through 14 games. He was a workhorse for Hurley before his injury, averaging 30.6 minutes per game.