CBB Full-Court Press: UConn, Florida heading in opposite directions

College Basketball Full-Court Press recaps the most important developments from the sport and examines their significance moving forward.

UConn's back in title conversation

Dan Hurley's squad put the nation on notice with neutral-site wins over BYU and Illinois, as well as a true road victory at Allen Fieldhouse versus Kansas. UConn's lone loss came by four points to Arizona with star center Tarris Reed Jr. sidelined. The offense remains potent with Solo Ball and Alex Karaban spearheading the attack, but the team's return to form defensively has been more vital. Transfer guards Silas Demary Jr. and Malachi Smith are effective point-of-attack defenders, which the Huskies lacked last season following Tristen Newton's departure to the NBA. Demary's shot-creation and Smith's 3-point shooting have also been nice additions to UConn's arsenal.

Reed's ankle injury has allowed freshman Eric Reibe to get valuable starting minutes at the five. The 7-foot-1 center has shown a soft touch around the basket, provided rim-protection, and even flashed the ability to step out from beyond the arc. UConn's last two national championship teams had a one-two punch at center, and this year's squad appears to have that formula once Reed gets healthy. Meanwhile, fellow frosh Braylon Mullins displayed his movement shooting prowess in a 17-point performance against the Jayhawks. Despite it being just Mullins' second appearance of his career, he delivered in one of the sport's most feared road environments.

The kids are pretty good

NBA teams aren't hesitating to tank with a whole crop of talented freshmen expected to headline next year's draft. The first-year players are somehow exceeding the hype that surrounded them heading into college, strengthening their cases as top picks with each standout performance.

Duke's Cameron Boozer is an early front-runner for the Wooden Award. Demonstrating great footwork in the post, ball-handling skills, and 3-point range, the 6-foot-9 forward is the NCAA's third-highest scorer (23 points per contest). AJ Dybantsa, this year's No. 1 overall recruit, is bringing national attention to BYU. The Cougars star provided a glimpse of his potential versus UConn, knocking down several contested shots during his second-half takeover. Caleb Wilson is leading the charge for North Carolina with his elite athleticism, high motor, and activity on the glass.

Darryn Peterson showcased his two-way abilities in Kansas' first pair of games before injuring his hamstring. Although Kingston Flemings was the third-ranked prospect in Houston's 2025 recruiting class, he's easily been the most impactful. The guard has fit nicely alongside Milos Uzan in the Cougars' backcourt, displaying sound decision-making, perimeter efficiency, and explosiveness off the bounce. Tennessee's Nate Ament and Louisville's Mikel Brown Jr. have both teased promise amid some subpar shooting performances.

What's wrong with Florida?

Florida's title defense is off to a bumpy start. The Gators lost to Arizona on opening night, narrowly beat a Florida State team picked to finish 15th in the ACC preseason poll, and blew a 10-point second-half lead to TCU. Yet amid the early struggles, the team's frontcourt trio has been terrific. Thomas Haugh has made a significant leap as a full-time starter, Alex Condon continues to build on a solid sophomore year, and Rueben Chinyelu is among the NCAA's leading rebounders.

The root of Florida's issues has been in the backcourt, with transfers Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland unable to replicate the production the program received a year ago from Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard, and Alijah Martin. Lee is only shooting 21.1% from deep and 24.7% overall. Meanwhile, Fland isn't a natural point guard but has been tabbed to be the lead facilitator. While Todd Golden can take solace in the fight his team showed down the stretch on the road against Duke, his players managed only four assists on 25 field goals in the contest. That isn't going to get the job done against anybody, let alone contenders. The Gators have another test Tuesday when they take on UConn in a rematch of last season's Round of 32 tilt.

Transition three

Arizona making early statement: Arizona might have the most impressive resume through the first month of the 2025-26 campaign. Tommy Lloyd's group opened the season by upsetting defending national champion Florida, then defeated UCLA on a neutral floor and UConn in its own building. The Wildcats are only the third team in AP Poll history to have multiple top-three wins within their first five contests. Senior guard Jaden Bradley has thrived as the team's closer, putting away the Gators, Bruins, and Huskies with a series of clutch baskets. Five-star freshman Koa Peat dropped 30 points in his debut versus Florida and dominated the paint in the school's victory against UConn. Junior forward Tobe Awaka continues to rebound at an elite level, even though he's now coming off the bench.

Don't sleep on Iowa State: The Cyclones asserted themselves among the country's top programs with a dominant 23-point win Saturday over top-ranked Purdue. The result is the largest non-conference home loss by a No. 1 team in AP Poll history, according to ESPN Research. T.J. Otzelberger transformed Iowa State into a defensive juggernaut when he took over in 2021. His team's physicality and intensity kept the Boilermakers' top-ranked offense in check. Purdue's lethal 3-point attack was limited to a 22% clip, while All-American floor general Braden Smith committed a season-high six turnovers. It's no secret that the Cyclones' bread and butter is their defense, but a vastly improved attack gives them optimism when March rolls around. They're on pace to set a new single-season school record for scoring (94.6 points per contest) and boast four double-digit scorers. Iowa State also ranks third in the NCAA in 3-point percentage (43.8%), with Milan Momcilovic's 53.6% mark sitting eighth nationally.

Simplify the Players Era Festival: The Players Era Festival was the highlight of Feast Week, as eight top-25 squads took part in the second edition of the multi-team event. While the tournament produced some great early-season basketball, its format confused fans and made it difficult for coaches to game plan for their final opponent. The Players Era Festival used point differential as a tiebreaker to decide the championship and third-place matchups. As a result, teams didn't know who they'd be facing until 12:30 a.m. EST on game day. March Madness has always been synonymous with a bracket, and it's something tournament organizers should consider for next year's event, when it expands to 32 schools.