Game Day: Respect the Journey
UConn men’s basketball is hours away from tipping off in its Final Four matchup against Alabama. The day’s first national semifinal game, between Purdue and NC State, tips off at 6:09 ET followed by the UConn game.
Dan Hurley revealed a lot about himself as the Huskies ready for their return to the Final Four, including that he taught history and sex-ed back in his high school coaching days at St. Anthony’s in New Jersey, “mostly focused on European history, from the Dark Ages all the way through to the Reformation.”
While the idea of a future Hall of Famer lecturing high schoolers about the Roman Empire or the birds and the bees may illicit a laugh today, it’s an experience that Hurley said has benefitted him as a college coach.
“You learn how to control a classroom and keep an audience captivated. I think it's definitely helped me as a coach in the huddle,” Hurley said. “It helps you with perspective a little bit, too.”
Mar 30, 2024; Boston, MA, USA; Connecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts with his team while presented with the trophy for winning the East Regional of the 2024 NCAA Tournament against the Illinois Fighting Illini at TD Garden.
That perspective has emerged as a common theme in today’s matchup between UConn and Alabama. Both Hurley and Alabama’s Nate Oats were high school coaches fairly recently, and both appear to be appropriately grounded by that professional upbringing.
“I was driving a mini cheese bus to prep school games not too long ago,” Hurley said, in response to a question about the flight delays the Huskies faced earlier this week. “We’re in the Final Four with a chance to advance, to repeat as national champions, make history.”
“We're way past that shit.”
Hurley and Oats may be past those days, but the grind certainly hardened them for their current success.
“You have to do all things in a high school program,” Hurley said. “You become a one-man show..you get to develop in every way as a coach.”
Hurley recalls recruiting one of Oats’ players at Romulus High School in Michigan, E.C. Matthews, who would go on to star for him at Rhode Island.
“He was running a college program in high school, just like my dad,” Hurley recalled. “That was the thing I noticed about Nate when we recruited E.C. … this guy's wired different.”
It was Dan’s brother Bobby, the former Duke star now coaching at Arizona State, who gave Oats his first college coaching job.
“If it wasn't for Danny and Bobby, I wouldn't be here,” Oats shared. “We're playing each other in Bobby's town down here in Phoenix. Kind of funny how it comes full circle.”
Apr 5, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Connecticut Huskies center Donovan Clingan (32) and teammates warm up during practice before the 2024 Final Four of the NCAA Tournament at State Farm Stadium.
The burden of the favorite
Despite being heavy favorites on Saturday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, the Huskies have found a way to push through complacency all season. They fought through the target on their backs as the reigning national champs, then as the No. 1-ranked team in the country and dual Big East champs.
“When you play at UConn, we don't have the benefit of flying under the radar,” Hurley said. “The pressure of every game that we play at UConn helps us when we get to these big spots.”
Hurley and the Huskies are focused on making history, seeking the distinction of repeating with a brand new team after last year’s national championship.
“We talked a lot about with Tristen, Donovan, and A.K. … you have a chance to make history at a place that's impossible to make history. That was what we leaned into a lot with that returning core.”
Throughout the NCAA Tournament, the Huskies have been obliterating opponents. They hung 30 unanswered points on Illinois in the Elite Eight, two days after beating San Diego State by 30 in the Sweet 16. They eviscerated Northwestern in the Round of 32 with an 18-4 start and a 40-18 first half. They’ve won 10 tournament games in a row by double digits. By all accounts, they appear to be unstoppable.
Despite all of this, they know anything can happen.
“The thing about this tournament, none of that matters on Saturday,” Hurley explained. “We are going to have this two-hour game versus Alabama. If we're not on point, we won't play on Monday.”
Alabama Preview
TV: TBS/TNT/TruTV and Max
Radio: UConn Sports Network
Odds: UConn -11.5, over/under 160.5 (Odds via DraftKings)
Location: State Farm Stadium — Glendale, Arizona
KenPom Predicted Score: UConn 86, Alabama 78 (77 percent win probability)
Once again, we’re blessed with an in-depth preview from Brian Kervick. You can check out his full breakdown of the Crimson Tide here. We shared some of the brilliance on Twitter but you can subscribe to Storrs Central to get the full report.
Hurley goes into the matchup with significant respect for Alabama’s scoring ability. The Crimson Tide are ranked third in the country in offensive efficiency.
“It will be the best offense that we've guarded this year. It's as good as Illinois was. This is better just 'cause they're deeper, just more athletic, more guards that can break you down,” Hurley said.
The main threat is 6-foot-1 guard Mark Sears, a transfer from Ohio who’s averaging 21.5 points, four rebounds, and four assists per game.
“We wouldn't be where we're at without him,” Oats said. “Offensively he's been one of the best players in the country all year.”
While Sears is a prolific scorer, Oats will also be looking to his star player to set the tone on the other end of the court.
“We would not be in the Final Four if it wasn't for Mark Sears' defense [and] leadership,” Oats said. “He's turned it around a lot in that regard in the last month. I think he made a decision, he wants to play as long as possible this year.”
The glaring challenge in this matchup for Alabama will be in stopping the Huskies, who have the best offense in the country on many metrics, including efficiency. The Crimson Tide defense is 270th or worse in the country in forcing turnovers, allowing offensive rebounds, and avoiding fouls.
Oats is hoping for an outlier performance on that end for his team. So far in the NCAA Tournament, they gave up 96 points to Charleston, 61 to Grand Canyon, and allowed point totals in the 80s in wins over UNC and Clemson.
“When your best player's playing really hard on defense, leading the way he's been for these last few weeks, you got a chance to make a special run like we've done,” he said. “Basically our mindset with these guys has been… if we're back healthy and have the number one offense in the country like we had when we were healthy, and we can be a top 20 to 30 defense, we can make a Final Four run.”