UConn returned to campus Thursday night after a long flight from Hawaii still reeling from three straight losses, something that hasn’t happened since January 2023, in the Maui Invitational.

The Huskies recovered from that previous funk that saw them drop six of eight to capture the first of two straight national championships.

They’ll need to fix some things in a hurry to avoid slipping into a deep rut in the upcoming weeks.

They anticipated some growing pains early in the season after losing four starters to the NBA.

But they never expected to be in this position.

At 4-3 overall, they’ve already lost as many games as last season (37-3).

“It was a humbling trip, obviously, for a program that’s accomplished what we’ve accomplished,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said during his press conference Wednesday after losing to Dayton 85-67 to finish the trip to Hawaii without a win. “Right now, we’re a shell of what we’ve been.”

Any fix begins with the team’s underwhelming defense.

All three Maui opponents — Memphis, Colorado and Dayton — shot at least 50% from the field.

That only happened three times all last season, all in losses.

Given that UConn lost an elite interior defender in Donovan Clingan and elite perimeter defender in Stephon Castle, both NBA lottery picks, it’s not surprising that there’s a drop-off in that area.

But the Huskies have been far short of the program’s lofty standard. Especially on the perimeter where opposing guards have regularly blown by the Huskies.

“We’re a pretty efficient offensive team,” Hurley said. “We missed a lot of open shots. … I think offensively, we’ll be fine. Defensively, though, it’s been a disaster here for us. The amount of times we’ve just been driven.”

Hurley pointed to a lack of discipline for some of his team’s defensive issues. The Huskies also have been foul-prone. Centers Samson Johnson and Tarris Reed Jr. both fouled out of the first two Maui games.

The Huskies were outscored on the foul line in all three games and by an overall total of 38 points. They also were outrebounded by Colorado and Dayton. And it certainly cost them when Hurley lost his composure and received a technical foul in overtime in a 99-97 loss to Memphis on Monday.

Then there’s the matter of the Huskies trying to figure things out on the fly while incorporating newcomers and freshmen into the rotation. Roles have changed for everybody on the team and that’s been a huge adjustment.

“We just looked so young compared to (Dayton),” Hurley said. “Minus Alex (Karaban) and Samson and Hassan (Diarra), we have a lot of younger players. The older guys that we brought in, we’re not going to be very successful if we can’t get more out of them.”

Saint Mary’s transfer Aidan Mahaney, who’s off to a slow start, already lost his starting point guard job to Diarra. Reed, a Michigan transfer, has shown flashes of his potential — 22 points and 11 rebounds against Memphis — but lacks consistency at this point. He had a total of 10 points and 10 rebounds in the next two Maui games.

In the good news department, Karaban, who went to a Maui hospital to get checked out after suffering a head injury late in the game against Dayton, was cleared to fly home with his team.

There’s little time for the Huskies to regroup.

Their schedule takes a tough turn after hosting Maryland-Eastern Shore (2-8) at the XL Center in Hartford at 7 p.m. Saturday. Karaban’s playing status is unclear.

They will host Baylor in the Big East-Big 12 Battle Wednesday in Storrs, visit Texas on Dec. 8, play Gonzaga on Dec. 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York and then entertain Xavier in their Big East-opener on Dec. 18 in Hartford.

Come Monday, UConn will likely free-fall out of the Associated Press Top 25 poll after reaching No. 2.

Maybe it’s a good thing that UConn received a harsh dose of reality this early in the season.

The Huskies can put aside any talk of a three-peat. They have more pressing challenges to deal with.

“This UConn team that’s lost three in a row out here is not the UConn team that we’ve been,” Hurley said. “It’s the UConn team that we are right now that I think is going to get a lot better. We’re relying on a lot of young players.

“The burden of wearing the uniform after back-to-back (national championships) right now looks like it is weighing heavy on the group. And I think right now we’ve just got to try to focus on becoming a good team and becoming a tougher team.”

g.keefe@theday.com

No. 2 UConn vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore

Location: XL Center, Hartford

Tip time: 7 p.m. (Peacock)

Records: UConn 4-3, Maryland-Eastern Shore 2-8

Last game: UConn lost to Dayton, 85-67, in Maui Classic Wednesday; Maryland-Eastern Shore lost at Little Rock, 78-59, Wednesday

Series: UConn leads, 3-0, winning last meeting 72-63 in Nov. 2021 in Hartford.

Probable starters, UConn, 6-2 grad guard Hassan Diarra (8.4 pts, 4.7 assists), 6-3 so. guard Solo Ball (12.9 pts), 6-7 fr. forward Liam McNeeley (12 pts, 5.3 rebs), 6-8 r-jr. Alex Karaban (15.9 pts, 4.1 rebs), 6-10 sr. center Samson Johnson (6.4 pts, 2.4 rebs)

Maryland-Eastern Shore, 6-0 grad guard Evan Johnson (10.3 pts), 6-5 jr. guard KC Shaw (18.4 pts, 5.3 rebs, 3.6 assists), 6-6 jr. forward Cardell Bailey (8.5 pts, 3.3 rebs), 6-8 grad forward Christopher Flippin (9.3 pts, 5.7 rebs), 6-8 grad forward Jalen Ware (5 pts, 6.1 rebs)

Noteworthy: UConn looking to break three-game losing streak. … First of two straight at home. … Hawks have lost four straight – all on the road. Eight of their 10 games have been away from home. .. Wins came against Penn State-Schuylkill and Gallaudet. … Top reserve: 6-4 fr. guard Kyrell Shaw (7.7 pts). … Hot: Ball only Husky to score in double figures in all seven games. Cold: McNeeley missed all nine shots in a scoreless effort vs. Dayton. … UConn averaging 84.4 points per game, Maryland-Eastern Shore giving up 83.6. … Huskies with 35 assists and 14 turnovers in last two games. … Up next: UConn hosts Baylor in Big East-Big 12 Battle at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Gampel Pavilion in Storrs.

– Gavin Keefe