The UConn Huskies’ nightmare week has finally come to an end. After a disastrous run at the Maui Invitational that saw three consecutive losses, the Huskies needed a confidence boost. And while they secured the much-needed win with a 99-45 blowout over the Maryland Eastern Shore, head coach Dan Hurley isn’t celebrating just yet. Because he demands nothing less than excellence.

When it comes to losses? Let’s just say they don’t sit well with him. His fierce reactions have gone viral in the past three games. First, there was his reaction to a referee’s call during the Memphis game, which even landed the team a technical foul. Then, in the Dayton game, he refused even to watch the team lose and covered his face with his hand.

 “I get mad when we lose,” Hurley admitted. But where does all this fire come from? According to the 51-year-old coach, it’s simple. “When you have had the success that we have had, you have a very high level of confidence.” Also, a part of it comes from the fact that the HC feels this ‘young team’ needs this intensity. 

“You know, we got a younger team,” he said. He shared that, last year, he didn’t have to coach with the same level of intensity. He added, “I had some grown men and just some innate kind of killers on that team.” And we can’t deny that they lost some heavy hitters in the off-season, including NBA lottery picks Stephon Castle and Donovan Clingan, along with second-round picks Tristen Newton and Cam Spencer. 

That’s a lot to replace, and Hurley knew that he wouldn’t have the same roster this year. He still feels the team needs to grow up as he said in the post-game press conference, “And I think this team is going to need me to be a little more animated and a lot more energized and a lot more intense until this team grows up, and that becomes part of their nature.” 

He has even said before that the three-peat dream won’t mean as much to anyone else but him and Alex Karaban because they have lived those moments. While he trusts this squad’s talent, he understands they’re still finding their feet and need to polish them. 

For now, the good news is, the Huskies are back on their feet. They absolutely dominated in their win over Maryland. Even without their leading scorer, Alex Karaban, who was sidelined after taking a nasty fall against Dayton, UConn found a way to get the job done. Sophomore Jaylin Stewart, who made his first career start, stepped up huge with 16 points. 

Liam McNeeley also chipped in with 16 points, and Solo Ball scored 12 points. The Huskies’ bench was active, contributing 17 points in the first half alone. This win was important, not just to stop the losing streak, but to show that the team can still perform under pressure.

Hurley took a moment to thank the fans, who had stood by the team through three straight losses. “We’re going to need grace. We’re going to need patience and just incredible support from our fans,” he said. UConn fans have had to deal with some major disappointment over the last week. Many questioned the team’s capabilities and their 3 peat dream, but they’ve stuck by their team.

Dan Hurley & Co.’s three-game losing streak

Things started looking grim for the Huskies as they dropped three consecutive games in Maui. The first loss came in a thrilling overtime battle with Memphis, where a controversial call on Liam McNeeley (an over-the-back offensive foul) late in the game didn’t help UConn’s cause, and Hurley’s reaction made it worse.

Memphis walked away with a 99-97 win, leaving the coach furious with the officials. Things didn’t get better the next day when UConn faced Colorado. They had a nine-point lead early in the second half, but the defense completely fell apart as the Buffaloes edged them 73-72. 

Then came the biggest disappointment of all. A brutal 18-point loss to Dayton, in which UConn seemed completely out of sync. Dayton dominated the game from start to finish, leaving UConn with a 67-85 loss. It wasn’t just the defeat that stung; it was the fact that UConn was completely over-matched, with McNeeley going scoreless.

This loss dropped UConn to 5-3. But it’s not all doom and gloom. After snapping the losing streak, Dan Hurley and Co. have a tough schedule ahead, with games against Baylor, Texas, and Gonzaga. So, let’s see if UConn can keep the momentum going in their next game against Baylor on Thursday.