UConn suffers shocking defeat to Colorado in Maui Invitational

In Lahaina, Hawaii, on November 26, 2024, UConn faced Colorado in the Maui Invitational, marking their second consecutive loss against an unranked team. The UConn Huskies, who had come into the tournament with a 17-game winning streak, had just suffered a disappointing loss to Memphis the previous day in overtime. This game followed a tumultuous day, with UConn coach Dan Hurley expressing frustration over the officiating during the Memphis game. Despite entering the second half with a nine-point lead, UConn could not maintain control as Colorado's shooting improved significantly, hitting 62.5 percent in the half. The pivotal moment of the game came from Colorado's Andrej Jakimovski, who scored a crucial layup with just eight seconds remaining on the clock. With the game narrowly in UConn's favor at 72-71, Jakimovski absorbed contact from UConn's Liam McNeeley to score and ultimately led his team to a 73-72 victory. Elijah Malone and Julian Hammond III each contributed significantly for Colorado with 16 points, while UConn's McNeeley topped their scoring with 20 points. The game has raised concerns for UConn as they look to recover from two losses in the tournament and reassess their competitive strategy going forward.