Dan Hurley makes his feelings known on Solo Ball rising to the occasion as UConn beat DePaul on Alex Karaban's off night

Solo Ball led Dan Hurley's crew to a 72-61 win over DePaul on Wednesday. The sophomore guard posted 16 points, five rebounds and two blocks on 50% shooting, lifting UConn after it trailed by eight points at the half.

Hurley praised Ball's leadership, noting his ability to step up despite the Blue Demons' efforts to contain him:

"They guarded him well, we got some stops, you got in transition, they chased hard and were real physical with him, he had limited opportunities that way," Hurley said (4:50). "But he made some clutch shots and the floater, big three, the four-point play."

Dan Hurley also highlighted that Solo Ball can be the difference maker when he moves freely on the court. He also encouraged the guard to dwell less on his defensive mistakes, as he has enough tools to make up for it on the other end:

"I thought he had some breakdowns but I thought he also made some athletic plays where he got passing lanes and he just got to fly around," he said (5:50). "He's just gotten in his own way mentally about his defense ... If he makes mistakes defensively he can make up for it because he's got vertical ability and he's got long arms and big hands."

Ball took only three attempts in the first half as Alex Karaban took on the offensive charge. However, Karaban struggled throughout the first 20 minutes, finishing the game on just 1-for-14 shooting.

This marks the third consecutive game in which Ball has led UConn's offense. Over these contests, he is averaging 19.6 points and 7.3 rebounds on 46% shooting.

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Dan Hurley's thoughts on Jaylin Stewart and Jayden Ross

Dan Hurley also highlighted the form and growth of sophomores Jaylin Stewart and Jayden Ross after the game. Both 6-foot-7 forwards are still earning their minutes in the rotation as they deal with inconsistent production.

Hurley shared that, due to their age, the program had already anticipated consistency struggles from the sophomores. However, he highlighted the positive impact both forwards had in the win against DePaul.

"Jaylin Stewart has flashed his talent for us and showing what he's capable of it's just it's a consistency thing," he said (15:32). "It's empowering him to be more assertive offensively and he was more assertive today."

"Jayden Ross same thing ... but his defensive impact out there and his length and his disruption in the second half was was huge for us."

Stewart had his biggest game of this season against DePaul, scoring 15 points on 85.7% shooting. Ross, on the other hand, only put up one attempt in 13 minutes. Dan Hurley and the No. 25 Huskies will now hit the road to face No. 9 Marquette on Saturday.