Dan Hurley Says UConn Has Been 'Running College Basketball' for the Last 25-30 Years
Apr 9, 2024
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - APRIL 08: Head coach Dan Hurley of the Connecticut Huskies reacts in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament National Championship game at State Farm Stadium on April 08, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
It's UConn's world, and everyone else is living in it.
The Huskies men's college basketball team won its sixth national championship in program history with a 75-60 victory over Purdue on Monday. Head coach Dan Hurley summed things up after the win by saying, "for the last 25, 30 years, UConn's been running college basketball."
"We've been running college basketball for the past 30 years" š
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 9, 2024
It's hard to argue with him.
On one side is the UConn women's team, which has long been the gold standard of the sport.
Geno Auriemma's program has won a stunning 11 national championships since the 1994-95 campaign. There was a time when women's college basketball felt like UConn against the field, and the Huskies so often lived up to the hype.
Then there is the men's team, which became the first men's program to win back-to-back titles since Florida did so in 2006 and 2007. It has won six championships since the 1998-99 campaign with head coach Jim Calhoun taking home three, Kevin Ollie taking home one and Hurley now winning two.
There will surely be talks of dynasty going into the 2024-25 campaign, and UConn has consistently shown it can live up to such expectations on both the men's and the women's side.
Which is why it has run the sport for so long.
UConn's Tristen Newton Named 2024 NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player
Apr 9, 2024
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - APRIL 08: Tristen Newton #2 of the Connecticut Huskies attempts a shot while being guarded by Fletcher Loyer #2 of the Purdue Boilermakers in the second half during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament National Championship game at State Farm Stadium on April 08, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The UConn men's basketball team defeated Purdue 75-60 in Monday night's NCAA tournament national championship game, becoming the first school to win back-to-back titles since Florida in 2006 and 2007.
After the game, Huskies guard Tristen Newton was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Newton led UConn with 20 points and seven assists in Monday's victory.
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 9, 2024
Newton was the Huskies' leading offensive option this season with averages of 14.9 points and 6.2 assists per game on his way to being named a consensus first-team All-American and the Bob Cousy Award winner as the nation's best point guard.
He remained consistent in the NCAA tournament, posting 14.5 points and 7.2 assists through six games in March Madness. He reached the 20-point mark twice and dished out seven or more assists four times.
The senior floor general knows how to perform in big moments. In last year's national championship game, he posted a double-double with 19 points and 10 assists to lead UConn past San Diego State.
Newton was chosen as MOP despite an outstanding run by Purdue's Zach Edey, who posted 37 points and 10 rebounds in the loss. The two-time Naismith Player of the Year averaged 29.5 points and 14.5 rebounds during the tournament. The last player to be named MOP of the tournament without winning the national championship was Hakeem Olajuwon in 1983.
Newton will now turn his attention to preparing for the NBA draft. He was projected as a second-round pick in the latest mock draft by B/R's Jonathan Wasserman. After ending his collegiate career as a two-time national champion and tournament MOP, Newton certainly can improve his projections leading up to this summer's draft.
CBB Fans Celebrate UConn After Win vs. Zach Edey, Purdue for 2nd Straight NCAA Title
Apr 9, 2024
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - APRIL 08: Tristen Newton #2 of the Connecticut Huskies celebrates in the second half against the Purdue Boilermakers during the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament National Championship game at State Farm Stadium on April 08, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Let the dynasty talk begin.
UConn completed its incredible season with a 75-60 victory over Purdue in Monday's national championship game of the 2024 NCAA men's tournament. It was the heavyweight showdown between No. 1 seeds that fans were expecting throughout the Big Dance, but the Huskies were clearly the better side and took home their sixth national championship in program history.
They also became the first men's college basketball team to win back-to-back titles since the Florida Gators did so in 2006 and 2007.
While Purdue had Zach Edey (37 points and 10 rebounds), UConn had far more overall firepower. Tristen Newton stuffed the stat sheet with 20 points, seven assists and five rebounds, while Stephon Castle (15 points, five rebounds and three assists) and Cam Spencer (11 points, eight rebounds and two steals) played well in support.
Social media had nothing but praise for the new champions:
This UConn squad is on its way to being in the company of some of the best teams in the history of the sport. It's not about future NBA careers or all-time individuals, it's about the way they've dominated the competition over the last two years. Not many parallels in history.
UConnās dominance is both incredibly impressive ā they can beat you in different ways, theyāve truly been bulletproof as Hurley likes to put it ā but also boring. It was hard for me to talk myself into *anyone* even pushing this team over the full 40 minutes.
UConn defense is just airtight. Huskies have the size to battle Edey one-on-one while blanketing the perimeter and pressuring drivers. Just no easy options for Purdue.
UConn completely changing their defense when Samson Johnson comes in. Doubling Edey on the catch, hedging hard, trusting in their ability to locate shooters in scramble/close out situations.
UConn looked every bit the part of inevitable back-to-back champions as it won its first five games of the tournament by an average of 25 points, but Edey had other plans out of the gates for the Boilermakers.
He initially overwhelmed a Huskies frontcourt that included its own star in Donovan Clingan by swatting shots at the rim, creating space with his physicality, and mixing in some pump fakes and soft touch at the rim. UConn had no answers for the star big man as he poured in 16 points before intermission.
Yet even that was an indication of how dominant the Huskies are, as they still built a six-point halftime lead even as Purdue threw its best punch with Edey setting the tone.
UConn by six at intermission. Huskies did a better job on Edey in the final stretch of that half after he completely took over early. Huskies have been sharp offensively though and executed the game plan well on not letting Purdue shooters go off.
That set the stage for the UConn onslaught, and it quickly arrived.
The Big East representative extended its advantage to double digits in the first five minutes of the second half with consecutive lobs from Newton to Samson Johnson. It also started going right at Edey with pick-and-rolls and drives, and the big man was too slow to react far too many times as the deficit expanded.
While Camden Heide had a monster dunk for Purdue, the Big Ten team was largely Edey, Braden Smith or bust on a number of possessions. The Huskies simply had more threats with Newton spearheading the effort by facilitating and attacking himself when the opportunities presented themselves.
Hassan Diarra provided a spark off the bench, Castle aggressively looked for his shot, Spencer helped rebound from the backcourt and played excellent defense, and Clingan at least frustrated Edey.
UConn seemed invincible by the middle of the second half, and it came as no surprise it was the one cutting down the nets after the final whistle.
UConn Taking Precautions to Try to Avoid Campus Vandalism After NCAA Title Game
Apr 8, 2024
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 25: Jordan Hawkins #24 of the Connecticut Huskies celebrates with teammates and the trophy after defeating the Gonzaga Bulldogs 82-54 in the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at T-Mobile Arena on March 25, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
The celebrations on UConn's campus after the men's basketball team won the national championship last season led to 39 arrests, 16 injuries, six students getting expelled, overturned vehicles and significant vandalism.
Thousands of UConn fans, most of them students, spilled onto campus after watching a broadcast of the Huskiesā NCAA Tournament win over San Diego State, with some pulling down signs and light poles, smashing windows and causing other damage. https://t.co/jNq9sVHX4npic.twitter.com/vF2EFR58GR
This year, the school is taking preparations to ensure there isn't a repeat in the event the Huskies beat the Purdue Boilermakers on Monday night and become the first back-to-back men's champions since Florida pulled off the feat in 2006 and 2007.
According to the Associated Press, the school removed the aluminum light posts along the campus' main drag, Hillside Road; limited the official watch party inside Gampel Pavilion to only 6,700 studentsāthe general public won't be permitted to attendāand won't be selling alcohol at the event.
"We felt that the large number of people at Gampel last year might have contributed to the actions that followed on campus," school spokesman Mike Enright told the AP. "We're trying to spread the celebrations out a little bit."
He noted that university police have worked with state and local authorities to ensure a more civil celebration in the event of a men's victory, and that Final Four watch parties for both women's and men's teams on Friday and Saturday, respectively, went off without any major issues.
"Overall, the students are very well behaved," Enright said. "And Saturday night they were exceptional during the semifinal against Alabama and on Friday for the women's game as well."
UConn's Dan Hurley Wins 2024 Naismith Men's College Coach of the Year Award
Apr 7, 2024
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - APRIL 06: Head coach Dan Hurley of the Connecticut Huskies reacts to the game during the first half in the NCAA Menās Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at State Farm Stadium on April 06, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
UConn has been the most dominant men's college basketball team in the country throughout the 2023-24 season, and head coach Dan Hurley was rewarded accordingly.
Hurley was named the 2024 Naismith Men's College Coach of the Year on Sunday and defeated fellow finalists Iowa State's T.J. Otzelberger, South Carolina's Lamont Paris and Houston's Kelvin Sampson.
While UConn is one of the gold standards of the sport, Hurley did something that Jim Calhoun and every other coach in program history was unable to do by winning this award:
COACH OF THE YEAR.
Dan Hurley has been named the @NaismithTrophy College Basketball Coach of the Year, an honor given to the top coach in college basketball. He becomes the first coach in program history with this distinction. pic.twitter.com/V9TAIDo9L1
The Huskies were under the spotlight from the opening tip of the 2023-24 campaign as the reigning national champions and did nothing but deliver.
All they did was go 28-3 overall and 18-2 in the regular season to take home the Big East crown. Then they followed up with three straight wins to take home the conference tournament title, including a resounding 16-point victory over Marquette in the championship game.
All the pressure was on their shoulders as the No. 1 overall seed going into the NCAA tournament, but it's a surprise if they're even challenged at this point. They reached the Final Four by winning four straight games by an average of 27.8 points.
Alabama battled in the Final Four, but Hurley's squad pulled away for a 14-point win.
Next up for UConn is a national championship showdown with Purdue on Monday. If the Big East representatives can win that, it will mark back-to-back titles and the sixth national championship in program history.
This is Hurley's sixth season as the head coach of the Huskies, and he is 140-58 with the chance to add another title to his trophy case. There is no reason to think things are slowing down anytime soon, meaning this might not be the last time he takes home the Naismith Award.
Even if it was the first.
Dan Hurley on UConn's March Madness Run: 'We Make a Hard Tournament Look Easy'
Apr 7, 2024
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - APRIL 06: Head coach Dan Hurley of the Connecticut Huskies talks to team before the NCAA Menās Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at State Farm Stadium on April 06, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
The UConn men's basketball team has now won its last 11 NCAA Tournament games by 13 points or more, an incredible run of dominance dating back to last season's national championship.
"We make a hard tournament look easy," head coach Dan Hurley told reporters after Saturday's 86-72 win over Alabama.
"Our identity is to be pretty relentless," he added. "We might not break you for 18 minutes, 25 minutes, but at some point if what we're doing at both ends and on the backboard is at a high level, it just becomes hard for the other team to sustain it."
Not that beating Alabama was easy.
The game was tied at 56 with 12:41 remaining before UConn rattled off an eight-point run and never looked back from there. It wasn't the same level of game-altering dominance as the Huskies showed against Illinois when they put the contest away with a 30-0 run, but it was a reminder of just how relentless this team can be.
Up next is fellow 1-seeded Purdue, led by star center Zach Edey. The Crimson Tide tested UConn more than most teams; now it remains to be seen if Purdue can finally end this run of absolute dominance from the Huskies.
Video: Vikings' Aaron Jones Hypes UConn, Cousin Tristen Newton, During Final Four Win
Apr 7, 2024
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 20: Aaron Jones #33 of the Green Bay Packers warms up before the NFC Divisional Playoffs against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on January 20, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones was in the house for No. 1 UConn's 86-72 Final Four win over No. 4 Alabama on Saturday night.
While he didn't attend UConn or Alabama, he has a special connection to the Huskies. His cousin, Tristen Newton, is a member of the team, and he got to experience the Final Four win in person.
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 7, 2024
Newton showed out in front of his cousin with 12 points and nine assists, helping lead his team to a second straight national championship game. The star guard is the Huskies' leading scorer this season and will be looking for another big performance in the title game on Monday.
Newton is in his final collegiate season after spending three years at East Carolina and two years with UConn. He's been a huge addition out of the transfer portal for the Huskies, averaging double digits in each of his seasons with the team. This year, he's putting up a career-high 6.1 assists per game.
UConn has a tough matchup on Monday against No. 1 Purdue, who beat No. 11 NC State to advance to the title game. Both teams boast outstanding offenses and this year's championship is sure to be an exciting one.
Jones was hyped after UConn's win on Monday, and he'll be looking to celebrate another win with his cousin on Monday.
UConn's Donovan Clingan Keys Final Four Win vs. Alabama as CBB Fans Eye Edey Matchup
Apr 7, 2024
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - APRIL 06: Stephon Castle #5 of the Connecticut Huskies reacts in the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at State Farm Stadium on April 06, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
For the second consecutive season, the UConn Huskies are headed to the national championship.
Alabama hung with the Huskies for the majority of the game but were unable to top the defending champions
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 7, 2024
The Huskies entered halftime with a 44-40 lead and only built on it in the final half. Alabama was able to remain close during the early stages of the second half, but several strong runs sealed the victory for UConn
Every starter for UConn registered at least 12 points, The attack was led by Stephon Castle, who had 21 points. Donovan Clingan had 18, Alex Karaban and Cam Spencer had 14 each and Tristen Newton had 12. Mark Sears led Alabama with 24 points.
Clingan's performance also included five rebounds, four blocks and one assist, and had several highlight plays.
UConn vs. Purdue, the game that the college basketball world wants and needs, is finally happening. Clingan is the only big man in college who can hang with Edey one on one, both teams have exciting guards, and the story of redemption vs. domination. It doesnāt get any better.
Edey and the Purdue Boilermakers will be looking to earn the programs first national championship in its second-ever trip to the game. UConn, on the other hand, is in a very different situation.
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 7, 2024
UConn won the 2022-23 title and have five total national championships in program history. It has never lost in the round.
NCAA Championship Game 2024: Early Preview, Predictions for UConn vs. Purdue
Apr 7, 2024
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - APRIL 06: Zach Edey #15 of the Purdue Boilermakers celebrates in the second half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament Final Four semifinal game at State Farm Stadium on April 06, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The field of 68 is down to two teams and the NCAA men's national championship game is set.
In a battle of top seeds, No. 1 Purdue will face No. 1 UConn in the NCAA Tournament title game on Monday.
The Boilermakers took care of business against No. 11 NC State in the Final Four Saturday, ending the Wolfpack's miraculous Cinderella run. NC State kept things manageable through the first half and much of the second half, but Purdue used a 12-1 run to gain some breathing room late and win the game 63-50.
Now, the Boilermakers will play in the championship game for the first time since 1969, when they fell to UCLA.
The Huskies played a tight match with No. 4 Alabama in their Final Four matchup with the Crimson Tide keeping things close in the final minutes. UConn managed to use a plethora of runs to pull away and advance to the national championship with an 86-72 win.
Taking a look at Monday's matchup, the obvious X-factor for Purdue is star center Zach Edey. He had 20 points and 12 rebounds on Saturday, continuing an outstanding March Madness run that has seen him average 28 points and 15.4 rebounds per game. The 7'4" senior had 40 points against Tennessee in the Elite Eight.
Edey is adept at getting to the free-throw line, averaging 11.2 attempts per game in the tournament. That can help Purdue get some easy points at the line, but it can also get the Huskies in foul trouble and perhaps force them to pull some of their starters earlier than they would like.
Purdue's offense runs primarily through Edey, but the Boilermakers' perimeter will need to step up to keep up with UConn's offensive firepower.
Purdue's second-leading scorer, Braden Smith, has had a relatively quiet tournament averaging 8.4 points per game. Smith shot 43.9 percent from deep during the regular season, but that number has slipped to 34.8 in tournament play. If Smith finds himself open, he'll need to hit his shots to keep Purdue in the game.
The Boilermakers will obviously have a giant in the paint in Edey, but UConn has one on its side in Donovan Clingan. The senior center, who stands 7'2", is an elite rim protector, averaging 2.5 blocks per game this season. Edey has been dominant in the paint all tournament, but he hasn't seen a defender like Clingan yet.
But as previously mentioned, Edey is tremendous at drawing fouls. Even college basketball's best defenders fall victim trying to defend Edey, and it will be key for Clingan to avoid foul trouble. If the Huskies have to put Clingan on the bench, Edey will have a field day around the rim.
On offense, UConn's best scorers will need to come through after being somewhat inconsistent throughout the tournament. The team's leading scorer, Tristen Newton, had big performances in the Round of 32 and Sweet 16, but had just five points in the Elite Eight. In Saturday's Final Four matchup, he had 12 points.
Stephon Castle has had a decent tournament so far, but has also been inconsistent with 14, 7, 16, 2 and 21-point performances throughout the tournament. Newton, Castle and the rest of the Huskies will need to have big performances to take down the Boilermakers.
A high-scoring affair seems like a given in this year's national championship. UConn has the top adjusted offensive efficiency in KenPom with Purdue holding the No. 3 adjusted offensive efficiency.
The Huskies and Boilermakers have arguably been the two best teams this season, and it's only fitting the two teams meet in the national championship.
Will UConn repeat as the champ or will Purdue claim its first title in program history? We will find out Monday at 9:20 p.m. ET.
Prediction: UConn 84, Purdue 78
Purdue's Zach Edey, UNC's RJ Davis Headline Men's CBB Hall of Fame Awards
Apr 6, 2024
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 28: RJ Davis #4 of the North Carolina Tar Heels lays it up against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the Sweet Sixteen round of the 2024 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at Crypto.com Arena on March 28, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
UNC guard R.J. Davis, UConn guard Tristen Newton and Purdue center Zach Edey were among those given accolades from the College Basketball Hall of Fame Saturday.
Davis won the Jerry West Award, Newton took home the Bob Cousy Award and Edey won the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award. Other award winners were Tennessee forward Dalton Knecht and San Diego State forward Jaedon LeDee.
RJ Davis becomes the first Tar Heel to win the Jerry West Award š @ariidavis_
Davis became the first player in Tar Heels history to take home the Jerry West Award, which is given to the top men's shooting guard. He averaged 21.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 37 games for North Carolina, helping lead the team to a 29-8 record and a trip to the Sweet 16. He was named a consensus All-American and won the ACC Player of the year award.
Newton helped lead the Huskies to the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. His honor as the best men's point guard comes after he averaged 15 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists. He becomes the third Husky to receive the award, following Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier, who won the award in 2011 and 2014 respectively.
Edey's win earns him the title of top collegiate center in the nation. He earned this after averaging 25 points, 12.2 rebounds and two assists for the Boilermakers, helping the team earn a No. 1 seed for the second consecutive season.
Knecht won the Julius Irving Award, which is given to the top small forward in the nation. He averaged 21.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists and helped lead the Volunteers to the Elite Eight. LeDee took home the Karl Malone Award, which is given to the best power forward. He averaged 21.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists.
While Davis, Knecht and LeDee's seasons are over, Newton and Edey will have a chance to take to the court again this season after receiving the award. The Huskies are set to face Alabama Saturday in the Final Four with a berth in the national championship game on the line. Purdue will face NC State in the other semi-final.
