Dan Hurley: Connecticut’s Lack of ‘Sexiness’ Helps Bolster UConn’s Roster

Storrs shone brightly during the 2024 March Madness run. Dan Hurley and his Husky squad won their second consecutive title of six total to reign over Zach Edey’s Purdue. But what Geno Auriemma achieved with his team was also no less than a great feat. He even gave the world a peak at how the sniper Caitlin Clark can be stopped with his secret weapon Nika Muhl. But what is it that brings such valiant athletes to the grounds of the University of Connecticut?

UConn’s MBB program has been in some skillful hands. Talking about how the place attracts such talent with a winning mindset, Dan Hurley unveils the truth with JJ Reddick on his podcast. He said, “Because it is Storrs, Connecticut. Because it is Northeast. It’s crazy cold. The sun doesn’t come out a lot in the winter, so the weather s***s. Storrs is not the sexiest place you can go to college, for lack of a better word.”

Thus, according to the host, it is this feature of the state that boasts UConn’s roster. He strongly stated, “So, what does it attract? It attracts serious people. No one ever picks UConn for the wrong reasons.”

Dan Hurley has made some serious changes to the team he came to and that is apparent in the results. Within his 6 seasons with the Huskies, he has won 2 consecutive DI regionals and NCAA titles. UConn also entered the field of 36 as the projected favorite first seed. They were also the only first-seed team in the bracket to win both the regular season and the Big East conference titles this year.

On the other hand, the Auriemma-led WBB program too won both the regular season and the Big East conference tournament. With such big honors in their bags, how do the stats align with the mindset of UConn?

The Huskies hunting numbers with Dan Hurley

Both the men’s and women’s teams of UConn basketball have verified their status as one of the most elite programs in the NCAA BB. The women’s team, currently captained by the talented Paige Bueckers, has won 11 NCAA championship titles. This batch also came as close as runner-ups when they lost to the Cardinals in 2022. The 8x Naismith Coach of the Year’s team ranks in the top 15 in scoring offense. They stand at the 30th rank nationally for their scoring defense.

On the other hand, the men’s team has won 6 NCAA championship titles over the years. They rank in top-25 nationally for their scoring offense while their scoring defense is in the top 10. Overall, the two teams have the top spot in the Big East conference. The men’s team leads both the AP Top 25 and the Coaches poll. However, the women’s team exiting in the Final Four ranks third on both lists.

The past few years have been very interesting for the entire Huskies clad. With the men’s team avenging their name twice in a row to the women’s squad falling only to Caitlin Clark’s team, this school is on its way to ultimate glory. It will be interesting to see how they perform in the next season as all their injured players are back and in the healthiest state. Do you agree with Dan Hurley on why UConn is bound for success?