Dan Hurley Compares Silas Demary Jr. to UConn Legends

The UConn Huskies’ point guard earns rare Dan Hurley comparisons to the program’s most dominant guard rebounders.
Nov 3, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Silas Demary Jr. (2) walks off the court after warming up before the start of the game against the New Haven Chargers at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Nov 3, 2025; Storrs, Connecticut, USA; UConn Huskies guard Silas Demary Jr. (2) walks off the court after warming up before the start of the game against the New Haven Chargers at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

In this story:


The UConn Huskies faced Bryant in their last match and went on to win 72–49. The Huskies improved their all-time record to 3-0 against Bryant in the series, which began in 2014. While the win itself was one for the books, it was Silas Demary Jr. who managed to crack open a door Dan Hurley hasn’t dared to touch since the program’s title runs.

The Georgia transfer scored the first triple-double by a Husky since February 2024, finishing with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, plus four steals. His night wasn’t pretty scoring-wise, but it was pure control. And somehow this triple-double felt like an opening act.

Soon after the match, Hurley went somewhere very few freshmen ever get mentioned.UConn’s pantheon of guards! “That feels great. The last time we had a guy getting triple-doubles, the season went great. Silas is going to get better. That’s what we need from him,” Hurley started.

Triple-doubles in Storrs are historical markers. And the names tied to them are equally big.

“We’ve been a dominant rebounding team up until last year, and a lot of that had to do with having great guard rebounders. Cam Spencer was a great guard rebounder. Steph Castle was a great guard rebounder. Andre Jackson was a great guard rebounder. Tristan Newton was a great guard rebounder. So yeah, we need that, but we also need the others to get on the glass with him,” added Hurley.

Newton was a do-everything guard who led UConn to back-to-back national championships and became the first Husky ever to record four triple-doubles. Meanwhile, Spencer was a rugged rebounder now with the Memphis Grizzlies. Then there was Stephon Castle, the freakish freshman who later became the 2024–25 NBA Rookie of the Year with the Spurs.

The implication from Hurley was clear: Silas belongs in that lineage of guards who shape winning. However, it was not all praises for the current Huskies.

“We need Solo on the glass. We need Jaylin Stewart on the glass. There’s a reason why Jaden Ross was plus-24 tonight. Minus his three-point shooting, the guy was great tonight,” said Hurley.

Solo Ball, Jaylin Stewart, and Jayden Ross each had their fingerprints all over the Bryant win. Ball, however, had a cold shooting night and only made 8 points, two steals, and had a pair of assists. Meanwhile, Stewart made both of his threes and gave UConn a clean, efficient 7-point outing with three rebounds and positional defense. And Ross ended the night with five rebounds, two steals, constant cuts, and contests.

The Huskies are now sitting on a 5-1 overall record, with their only loss coming against Arizona. However, with the kind of depth that Hurley has this season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see this team in March. However, before that, UConn has a gauntlet to face.

UConn Prepares for an Illinois Clash

Next, the Huskies will be in Madison Square Garden for a match against Illinois. The two teams last met in March 2024, when UConn rolled to a 77–52 win in the Elite Eight. Soon after, UConn’s schedule reads like a gauntlet designed to test every layer of this roster.

The Huskies will take a trip into the cauldron of Allen Fieldhouse to take on Kansas. After that comes a breather on paper, but right after, East Texas A&M visits Gampel. Then the lights crank back up in New York for the Jimmy V Classic against Florida at Madison Square Garden.

Don't forget to bookmark UConn Huskies on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!


Published
Shivani Menon
SHIVANI MENON

Shivani Menon is a sports journalist with a background in Mass Communication and a passion for storytelling. She has written for EssentiallySports, College Sports Network, and PFSN, covering Olympic sports like track and field, gymnastics, and alpine skiing, as well as college football, basketball, March Madness, and the NBL Draft. When she's not reporting, she's either on the road chasing sunsets or getting lost in the rhythms of electronic soundscapes.