Dan Hurley Calls Out UConn’s Missing Title Edge

The UConn Huskies enter March Madness at 29-5, with one of the most balanced rosters. However, they are coming off an unfortunate Big East Tournament loss. The Huskies faced St. John’s at Madison Square Garden and lost 52-72. Despite the turnover trouble, the Huskies won the rebounding battle 38-30.

Now, the Huskies head into March Madness, closing their regular season on a loss. But that is nothing new to Dan Hurley or the Huskies. The 2023 Huskies’ team, much like the current one, lost the Big East Tournament. Yet, they managed to win the NCAA title that season.

Now, the big question is, can the current team do what the 2023 Huskies team did? Not so long ago, Hurley spoke to the press about the title potential of the current team.

“I would say they’ve shown, and again, I kind of got in trouble for saying this earlier with the team, but I’d say the 2023 team was inconsistent. It was dominant at times and had some really dominant wins. So I’d say you’re hoping we’re able to turn it again. We took that 2023 semifinal loss to Marquette, had a terrible January, and were still able to dominate the NCAA Tournament two years in a row,” said Hurley.

In 2023, the Huskies were 31-8. Back then, UConn entered March with similar questions. They had just been knocked out of the Big East Tournament by Marquette in a tight 70-68 semifinal loss. That same team went on to win six games, including a 76-59 victory over San Diego State in the NCAA Tournament.

Mar 14, 2026; New York, NY, USA; Connecticut Huskies center Tarris Reed Jr. (5) controls the ball against St. John's Red Storm forward Bryce Hopkins (23) and guard Joson Sanon (3) during the second half of the men's Big East Conference Tournament Championship game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

This season, the Huskies have five starters averaging double figures, a defense ranked 11th in KenPom efficiency, and a Top-20 national mark in block rate, scoring defense, and opponent shooting. Despite it all, Hurley sees something missing from the current roster.

“I’m waiting to see that personality from this group, the kind those teams had, where they take the court to shoot around, and you can see that UConn swagger. You want to see that UConn swagger on Friday night at 10:00. That’s what those teams had. I didn’t have to talk them into winning games in this tournament; they were in the tournament to kick some serious you-know-what. And I want to see that from this team,” said Hurley.

Huskies Open March Madness Against Furman

UConn opens its NCAA Tournament run as a No. 2 seed in the East Region, facing No. 15 Furman. Furman enters with a 22-12 after winning the SoCon Tournament as a six-seed. The Paladins are led by Alex Wilkins, with support from Cooper Bowser and Asa Thomas.

GAMEDAY.

🕙 10:00 p.m.
📍 Philadelphia, PA
🆚 Furman
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— UConn Men's Basketball (@UConnMBB) March 20, 2026

The Huskies are making their 39th NCAA Tournament appearance, making this their sixth straight trip to March Madness. Since seeding began, UConn is 21-5 in first-round games and has advanced past this stage in each of the last three seasons. The Huskies also hold a 2-0 all-time edge over Furman.

After the Furman game lies a potential second-round clash with either UCLA or UCF.

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