Top-ranked Connecticut has looked like a legitimate contender to become the first team to repeat as national champions since Florida 17 years ago.
The Huskies have a dominating big man in Donovan Clingan, players who know what it takes to win big games and have passed nearly every test in front of them.
The next one may be UConn's biggest of the season: against No. 4 Marquette.
“These are pressure-packed games, so the best way to win them is to have no weaknesses on your team," UConn coach Danny Hurley said last week.
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The Huskies (22-2, 12-1 Big East) haven't had many since winning their fifth national championship last April.
UConn has spent the past five weeks at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 and is on a 12-game winning streak heading into Saturday's game against the Golden Eagles.
Marquette (18-5, 9-3) also has been playing well lately, winning seven straight to move up three spots in this week's poll. The Golden Eagles also have one of the nation's best players in AP preseason All-American Tyler Kolek, who scored 22 of his 27 points in the second half as they rallied from a 15-point deficit to beat St. John's last week.
Dog House
“This is one of Tyler Kolek’s best games that he’s ever played at Marquette,” Golden Eagles coach Shaka Smart said.
They're going to need him to do it again in what could be one of the best games of the college basketball season.
