Dan Hurley Compares UConn Center to Former Lottery Pick
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The No. 3-ranked UConn Huskies are sitting at 18-1 overall, and with an 8-0 in Big East play. In their last game against Georgetown, the Huskies won 64-62 at Capital One Arena. However, in the game, the Huskies shot a season-low 36.2% and went just 5-for-26 from deep, yet still walked out with their 11th straight win over the Hoyas.
UConn led early behind an opening burst from Tarris Reed Jr., but Georgetown made a comeback and even led. A 9-0 UConn run and clutch buckets from Braylon Mullins and Solo Ball changed the game. However, soon after the match, Dan Hurley’s praises were all about another center.
“I mean, Eric (Reibe) is basically going through what Donovan Clingan did as a freshman," he said. "That’s a heck of a hard comparison to make for a young big, trying to follow in those shoes, two-time champion, lottery pick, and now crushing it in the NBA. But yeah, I think Eric is on a very similar trajectory. He’s played behind guys and been asked to do a lot, and he’s a big reason why our season is where it is because of what he was able to do when Tarris was out."
Reibe gave UConn 10 steady minutes against Georgetown with 15 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and three steals. He was one of the reasons the Huskies continued their steady play despite Reed being sidelined with a lingering hamstring issue, followed by an ankle injury. The comparison to Clingan isn’t far-fetched either.
Clingan, like Reibe, served as Adama Sanogo's understudy before becoming a national title winner. He then became UConn's starting center in his Sophomore year and then went on to become a lottery pick.
Reibe is currently averaging 7.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and shooting over 60%. Against Butler in 18 minutes, he had six points, seven rebounds, and four blocks.
Reibe also had 12 points and eight rebounds against Kansas. With Reibe and Reed on the hard court this season, the Huskies might just be able to recreate the 2023 magic.
Dan Hurley Says Tarris Reed Jr. Has All-American–Level Center Potential
Against Georgetown, Reed had 15 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and three steals. That was Reed’s 13th career double-double and third of the season. Soon after the match, Hurley also spoke about Reed’s game.
“Tarris, the guy’s a force. He’s physical, he’s got the agility of a guard, but he’s also got the strength of a berserker, of a destroyer. I mean, the guy has sick physical strength and explosiveness. He was active on the glass, made his free throws, probably left a couple of field goals on the table, like a majority of our team did. But for us to go where we want to go, we need him to be an All-American–level center,” said Hurley.
T Reed
— UConn Men's Basketball (@UConnMBB) January 14, 2026
AND ONE!
Game-high 17 for the 🐻 pic.twitter.com/GZCywUuJnl
Reed has been averaging 14.5 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists this season. He is also shooting 62.1% from the field. He has had seven games of 20+ points and recorded three or more blocks in four games, all while consistently playing 25–35 minutes.
-fd44250df32912986cc6690f0b8bfa32.png "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.