Dan Hurley Warns UConn About Kansas’ Flory Bidunga Threat
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With the UConn Huskies marching into Allen Fieldhouse, Connecticut’s first real true road test of the season begins. And Dan Hurley knows that all too well. UConn vs. Kansas already carries the gravity of a blue-blood collision, but there is one forward who Hurley has marked down.
And that is none other than Flory Bidunga. As Hurley puts it, “The guy’s a monster, in the most complimentary way, in terms of his rebounding, his finishing around the basket, his athleticism, his length, his shot-blocking. His ability to get to his right shoulder even when you’re trying to take it away. He reminds me of Adama (Sanogo) in a way, even though they’re different types of players. One’s righty, one’s lefty, but he just seems like a guy who wants to dominate around the basket.”
Hurley is not wrong. Bidunga’s tape and stat lines tell the same story. The sophomore has been unstoppable this season, averaging 15.8 per game on 62.8 percent shooting. He had 25 points on 10-of-11 shooting against Princeton, 18 and 9 with five blocks versus Notre Dame, and a combined 20 rebounds in wins over Syracuse and Tennessee.
Kansas big Flory Bidunga's passing improvements were visible vs Tennessee.
— FLOOR and CEILING (Wilko) (@wilkomcv) November 30, 2025
These clips will translate to "simple" hand-offs at the next level. Does a good job reacting to what the defense gives him
Tape backs the #s:
15.8 USG%➡️24.2 USG%
3.6 AST%➡️15.9 AST%
0.4 A/TO➡️1.0 A/TO pic.twitter.com/x9nJk4UyoY
That dominance is exactly what UConn’s young-but-talented trio is walking into Tuesday night, and you can feel Hurley pushing them toward it. “He (Bidunga) wants to eat the glass, he wants to finish in the paint at the rim, and he’s content to be a dominant player around the basket. He’s relentless, and he jumps so quick. So, I think it’s a great challenge for a young Eric Reibe, a less-than-100% Tarris Reed, and an undersized Dwayne Koroma,” added Hurley.
Reibe has been good this season. He has been averaging 8.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. With Reed out due to a hamstring injury and then an ankle injury, Reibe has played more minutes. He even had a 16-point explosion against Bryant.
Despite having an injury-riddled season, Tarris Reed Jr. has been averaging 15.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. And then there is Dwanye Koroma, who, despite the weight disadvantage, had an eight-point game against Bryant. But it’s not just the bigs carrying intrigue.
UConn’s guards are rolling. Solo Ball, Malachi Smith, and Silas Demary Jr. have been holding the fort down in Storrs. Alex Karaban remains steady as ever. However, Kansas has firepower too, with names like Tre White, Melvin Council Jr., and potentially Darryn Peterson if he returns.
The last time the Huskies faced the Jayhawks was last December, and it ended in a 69-65 loss for UConn. For the Husky Nation, this matchup is one for the books. And for Hurley, this is just the beginning of a dreadful gauntlet.
What’s next for Dan Hurley and UConn?
Kansas is only the first punch in a month full of them. Hurley knows it, UConn knows it, and the schedule makes sure nobody forgets it. After Allen Fieldhouse, things get relentless. Soon after, UConn returns home to face East Texas A&M.
The Huskies faced East Texas A&M last season, and the match ended with UConn winning 81-46. Then comes the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden against Florida, a top-20 team that made a deep run in March last season.
New week, updated rankings. pic.twitter.com/bBwcqhiHhT
— UConn Men's Basketball (@UConnMBB) December 1, 2025
The Huskies have led the all-time record, sitting at 5-2 against the Gators. They faced off twice last season. While the Huskies won the regular season game 75-54, they lost in March. Once that matchup is behind them, Texas arrives in Hartford.
And that’s still not the end of it. Butler and DePaul close out this December stretch, both conference opponents with contrasting styles but the same goal. Six games in 27 days against top-40 competition is a survival course.
If UConn can endure this gauntlet, it won’t just be battle-tested. It will be dangerous and, no doubt, a team that will make a deep March run.
-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.