UConn is trending in an upward direction.

The Huskies have won four straight despite playing without injured starting center Donovan Clingan.

They’ve grown as a team in nearly every area.

They’re in the hunt for the Big East regular-season title, residing in a tie for second place with Villanova and just behind leader Seton Hall.

And the fourth-ranked Huskies (14-2, 4-1) are in line to become the No. 1 men’s basketball team in the country on Monday if they beat Georgetown (8-8, 1-4) Sunday in a Big East game. Tip off time is noon at the XL Center in Hartford.

The launching point for UConn’s growth spurt came back on Dec. 20. A 15-point road loss at Seton Hall in the Big East opener forced the Huskies to take a serious look at themselves.

Since then, they’ve knocked off St. John’s, DePaul and won consecutive road games at Butler and Xavier.

“The suffering of the Seton Hall game and losing to them and the manner of the way things transpired from that point in that game, I think there was a look in the mirror that we had to experience there,” coach Dan Hurley said Saturday.

“From that point, I’ve just been really impressed by what the boys have been able to do. … To be able to have a clean sheet since Donovan got hurt in his league, we’ve obviously got a lot of work to do (Sunday), but I’ve been impressed with this group.”

UConn has answered every challenge and had a next-man-up mentality. The Huskies also have developed their depth and added confidence along the way.

“We’re growing each and every day,” senior Hassan Diarra said. “We’re getting better, especially defensively. We definitely came together after the Seton Hall game. We understand things can spiral and we didn’t allow that to happen.

“We showed a lot of growth in our team.”

And the Huskies are about to get even better sometime in the near future.

Clingan returned to practice Friday. He’s closing in on playing in a game for the first time since suffering a foot injury at Seton Hall.

“He’s upping what he’s doing,” Hurley said. “He could be entering that dreaded game-time decision point soon here. Maybe not (Sunday), but soon. He’s feeling great.”

In Clingan’s absence, Hurley has used some creative lineups on the floor.

The Huskies have benefited from playing without Clingan and kept winning as well.

“Any of the most impactful players in the country, you take those guys off their teams, it’s going to be a problem,” Hurley said. “But it’s helped us develop a tougher mindset and have to grind games out, too, in a different way.”

Right now, the Huskies are focused on playing Georgetown. Former Providence coach Ed Cooley is in his first season rebuilding the once mighty program. The Hoyas won a total of two Big East games the previous two seasons.

Hurley has noticed a positive change in the Hoyas with Cooley in charge. Cooley has restocked the roster with transfers, including Jayden Epps (Illinois) who’s second in the Big East in scoring at 18.2 points per game.

The Hoyas came close to beating Big East leader Seton Hall Tuesday before falling 74-70.

“A significant difference in terms of the product and how well they’re playing,” Hurley said. “Ed, obviously, has got to change the culture and a mindset in a program that has been losing for a couple of years now. But the actual veteran players and talent that they’re going to put on the floor, it’s not going to look like what Georgetown has looked like.”

Redshirt sophomore Alex Karaban, who’s having a terrific season for the Huskies, also will look a little different.

Meeting with the media after Saturday’s practice at the Werth Center, Karaban sported the 10 stitches above his right eye that he received after catching an elbow in Wednesday’s 80-75 win at Xavier. He also hyperextended his knee in the game and sat out Friday’s practice.

“I got the stitches right after the game,” Karaban said. “I feel fine. I’m just excited for tomorrow. My knee is good. I got good rest on Friday. Today, in practice, I did everything normally. So, I’m not worried about the knee at all.”

News and notes

With the top three teams in the Associated Press Top 25 poll losing, UConn has a great shot at earning the No. 1 spot Monday for the first time since 2009. Hurley downplayed what it would mean to the team. “When you have that (national championship), the other doesn’t really matter. The squirrels may talk about it but not us. There may be some squirrels that are running around whispering about it, but we practiced really hard the last two days.

“I’ve got tremendous respect for Ed and the team that he puts on the court. And I have tremendous respect for how brutal these Big East games are, home or away. That’s not something that’s even registering for us.”

g.keefe@theday.com

No. 4 UCONN vs. GEORGETOWN

Location: XL Center, Hartford

Tip time: Noon (Fox)

Records: UConn 14-2, 4-1; Georgetown 8-8, 1-4

Last game: UConn won at Xavier, 80-75, Wednesday; Georgetown lost to Seton Hall, 74-70, Tuesday

Series: Tied at 36-all, with UConn sweeping last season winning 68-62 on the road and 84-73 at home.

Probable starters: UConn, 6-5 graduate guard Tristen Newton (15.2 pts, 6.4 rebs, 6 assists), 6-4 graduate guard Cam Spencer (15.4 pts, 4.1 rebs), 6-6 fr. guard Stephon Castle (9.7 pts, 4.8 rebs, 3.8 assists), 6-8 r-so. forward Alex Karaban (14.8 pts, 5.8 rebs), 6-10 jr. center Samson Johnson (6.6 pts, 3.4 rebs)

Georgetown, 6-4 fr. guard Rowan Brumbaugh (9 pts, 2.7 rebs), 6-2 so. guard Jayden Epps (18.2 pts, 4.2 assists), 6-6 jr. forward Dontrez Styles (13.6 pts, 5.9 rebs), 6-9 sr. forward Supreme Cook (10.6 pts, 7.9 rebs), 6-9 grad forward Ismael Massoud (8.4 pts, 4.9 rebs)

Noteworthy: UConn has won the last six meetings. … In Big East play, Georgetown beat DePaul, lost to Seton Hall, Creighton, Marquette and Butler. … Hoyas next to last in the Big East in scoring offense (72.2), scoring defense (72.2), field goal percentage (.428) and field goal percentage defense (.456). … Georgetown assistant Brian Blaney is the son of former UConn assistant George Blaney. … Epps 2nd in the Big East in scoring at 18.2 pts. … Top reserve 6-3 sr. guard Jay Heath (8.3 pts, 3.4 rebs). … Huskies riding a 4-game winning streak. … Hot: Castle is averaging 13.3 pts, 6.3 rebs, 6.3 assists in the last three games. Cold: UConn allowed an average of 78 pts in the last two games. … Huskies shooting 52.5% percent from the field during a four-game unbeaten streak and allowing opponents to convert 39.1%. ... Johnson is shooting a Big East best 75% from the field, Spencer 2nd in 3-pt FG% at 45.1. … Newton named to Wooden Award Midseason Watch List. … Fr. Jaylin Stewart has played double-figure minutes off the bench in three straight games for the first time in his career. … UConn is 8-0 at home, Georgetown 1-3 on the road. … Up next: UConn hosts Creighton at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Storrs.

– Gavin Keefe