Though UConn basketball is looking to have a great March, the team experienced a setback in the Big East conference tourney as they lost to Creighton on Friday, 71-62. While UConn basketball had an impressive win over Villanova, the team couldn’t get it done against the Bluejays as head coach Dan Hurley speaks about a certain revelation made after the loss.
As the Huskies are looking for any way to win their third straight national championship, some could see the dropoff this season and the number of players who went to the NBA and think that there’s no chance. However, Hurley said after the defeat that they are “optimistic” going into the March Madness tournament, according to NJ.com.
“We are optimistic going into the tournament,” Hurley said. It is less physical, especially in the early rounds of the tournament. They tend to let you play a little bit more as it goes on. So I think the way that we play offense with the movement is more conducive to the NCAA Tournament, so I do think we’re going to take the same approach [as two years ago when they lost in the Big East semis]. I made that mistake a couple of years back in ’22 by letting it linger.”
“I’m not going to let it linger,” Hurley continued. “We got what we deserved. We’re not championship quality. We didn’t deserve to win anything in the Big East this year.”
Dan Hurley on how his team will look next week: “The way we play offense is more conducive to the way they officiate the NCAA Tournament” pic.twitter.com/8snbNED5fM
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Dan Hurley says UConn basketball didn’t deserve shot at conference title
As the game between UConn basketball and Creighton got heated, the Bluejays came out of it as victors and will face St. John’s for the Big East crown. Subsequently, Hurley would say that the Huskies “were the third-best team” as the two programs in the championship game should be there.
“I think the two teams that are deserving to play for the championship are going to play,” Hurley said. “We were the third-best team, I guess, in the regular season. Third-best team doesn’t deserve to play for a championship.”
Hurley would go as far as to say that the Huskies didn’t “deserve” to be in the conference title contest, but acknowledge how “incredibly sad and depressing” it is.
“Obviously, this is incredibly sad and depressing to not have a chance to play for a championship [Saturday] night, it feels like a little bit dishonorable not to be able to be there late for the regular-season, be here to at least fight St. John’s — at least fight those guys — for the tournament championship,” Hurley said.
“But we don’t deserve to,” Hurley continued. “You know, we’re not as good as we’ve been. We don’t deserve it. We’re entitled to go wherever we go next and hopefully we get favorable matchups.”
“We got exactly what we deserved, and that’s going home”
“We were the third best team”
Dan Hurley’s opening statement following a tough loss to Creighton. pic.twitter.com/HXnOcmDSGs
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Consequently, the UConn basketball team finished the season 23-10, 14-6 in conference play, as they now await a possible national tourney bid at March Madness.
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