UConn’s Bid for Third Straight Championship Immediately Goes Through Hottest Team in Basketball

The UConn Huskies landed themselves an eighth seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, but their path goes through the hottest team in college basketball

Mar 5, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Hassan Diarra (10) and guard Solo Ball (1) react after center Samson Johnson (35) makes a basket against the Marquette Golden Eagles in the second half at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The UConn Huskies bid for their third straight NCAA National Championship will be the toughest tournament road that they have had to take. The 23-10 Huskies were selected as a No. 8 seed for the 2025 tournament and they are in a bracket with the Oklahoma Sooners, Florida Gators and the No. 16 seed Norfolk State Spartans. 

It is no surprise that UConn was put on the eight line. Barring a Big East Tournament run, they were a little too inconsistent all year long to earn a higher seed than that. Creighton dashed their Big East Tournament hopes on Friday Night in the Big East Semifinals. 

UConn’s first-round matchup is against the equally inconsistent Sooners. Oklahoma battled through the near-impossible SEC and held their own. They finished with a 20-13 overall record with a 6-12 mark in the conference. 

Mar 13, 2025; New York, NY, USA; Connecticut Huskies forward Liam McNeeley (30) reacts during the second half against the Villanova Wildcats at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

After an 0-4 start in conference they steadied the ship and finished near .500 the rest of the way with a 6-8 mark.

If UConn were to advance past Oklahoma, it is likely that they will have the Gators waiting for them on the other side. Florida, also hailing from the SEC, is playing like the best team in America. It is fresh off of an 11-point win in the SEC Championship over the Tennessee Volunteers after a 22-point drubbing of Alabama in the semifinal.

Should UConn be able to make it out of its section, it will have a handful of tough opponents waiting for it in the West Region. Headlined by St. John’s, who is the No. 2 seed, the Huskies will have to contend with Memphis, Maryland, Texas Tech, Kansas and John Calipari’s Arkansas Razorbacks. 

The West Region is loaded. If UConn is to make a run to the Final Four, it will have to beat some really good teams to do it.