STORRS, Conn. — How candy it was to be again residence. Connecticut coach Dan Hurley wasted no time expressing his gratitude for his environment simply moments after No. 25 UConn received 76-72 over Fifteenth-ranked Baylor on Wednesday evening.
“Thanks, Gampel. Thanks, Gampel. Thanks, college students. Thanks, Gampel,” Hurley mentioned as he started his postgame press convention.
The victory was a sorely wanted résumé win — UConn’s first of the season that did not come in opposition to a sub-300 KenPom opponent — after surprising the faculty basketball world with an 0-3 exhibiting ultimately week’s Maui Invitational.
For Hurley, the previous week has been a variety of introspection and accountability — for himself. His sideline demeanor in Maui made him the goal of a variety of criticism and assaults — a few of it justified, a few of it overblown; Hurley’s depth is a part of why he is compelling and UConn is an elite program — however he knew the fault of UConn fell to him greater than anybody else.
“I believe a part of the issue has been me,” Hurley mentioned Wednesday evening. “I’ve coached these guys pissed off, and I’ve coached them pissed off for too lengthy. It is a group that is going to be a piece in progress, and a group that is going to get higher and higher. And we’re counting on a variety of younger gamers and new gamers.”
He admitted this system’s collective ego crashed laborious with the primary loss in Maui to Memphis. The group by no means recovered. However on Wednesday, Hurley and his workers had this UConn group enjoying extra like a few of the earlier two variations, which is to say: a gaggle enjoying with pleasure, trusting one another and never being held again by circumstances, such because the absence of junior ahead Alex Karaban.
“For us, I needed to coach this group with extra grace and extra constructing them up and extra enthusiasm and extra vitality,” Hurley mentioned. “I can not coach them mad as a result of we’re not presently enjoying in addition to the final two groups have performed. And I believe, like I mentioned yesterday, there’s some been some those that have helped me sort of verify, whether or not it’s my ego, or simply my strategy with the group.”
The Huskies, now 6-3, might ill-afford a fourth straight letdown in opposition to a notable opponent. Wednesday registered as a crucial victory — one achieved regardless of an incomplete solid on either side. Karaban sat for a second straight recreation because of being in concussion protocol after taking a success to the pinnacle in Connecticut’s loss to Dayton every week in the past.
“I do not suppose I’ve had a group since I have been right here, like a respectable group that had an opportunity to have a season, that has most likely ever wanted a recreation greater than we wanted a recreation immediately,” Hurley mentioned. “It was good to have the ability to battle that arduous and win with out Alex.”
On the opposite facet, Baylor (5-3) surprisingly needed to scratch its freshman wing VJ Edgecombe — a probable future lottery decide.
“It bought tight on him at shootaround,” Bears coach Scott Drew advised CBS Sports activities. “We thought he’d be good earlier than shootaround. Clearly, cannot mess with hamstrings and groins.”
Then, lower than 4 minutes into the second half, BU level guard Jeremy Roach left with a concussion, by no means to return. UConn dropping a recreation at residence to Baylor with out the Bears having possibly their two most necessary gamers would have been a catastrophe. Fortuitously for the Huskies, it wasn’t even disaster averted, as a result of Hurley’s group was in a position to maintain the sport tilted of their favor over the ultimate 10 minutes and outlast a Baylor group that by no means was in a position to pull collectively the run it wanted to threaten to win.
“We had some attrition when it comes to accidents with each groups, however actually pleased with the desire, we confirmed a will we’ve not confirmed this yr in massive spots,” Hurley mentioned. “It is a massive confidence builder for us.”
With Karaban out, the Huskies bought a team-high 17 factors, plus eight rebounds and three blocks, from freshman Liam McNeeley. It is the thirty third straight nonconference residence victory for Hurley’s program, a streak stretching again to 2019. Thanks, Gampel.
Samson Johnson had 13 factors and Solo Ball had 11 for UConn — however the loudest 9 of the evening got here from three 3-pointers through Saint Mary’s switch Aidan Mahaney, who hit two big-time 3s within the first half to get UConn again to inside three factors (21-18) then one other giant triple within the second half to make it 61-54, stopping Baylor from sneaking again to inside one possession. Hurley and Mahaney embraced after his second trey of the primary half, first with an enthusiastic headbutt, after which with a lovable shove of pleasure.
“I assumed Aidan Mahaney saved us immediately,” Hurley mentioned. “I assumed his first half, these two 3s, like once we had been reeling and in a nasty means, you already know, he gave us a variety of life and bought the group going.”
Hurley referred to Mahaney’s nine-point recreation as “a phoenix out of the ashes” efficiency.
“That was necessary for him to have a second like that,” Hurley mentioned.
UConn performed removed from an ideal recreation, but it surely did so many issues so a lot better than what it displayed in Maui. There have been questions on level guard; Hassan Diarra had seven assists and was largely in management many of the night. Johnson and Tarris Reed, the 2 bigs, performed collectively extra, together with on the under-4, with Mahaney, Diarra and Ball. It was the fitting transfer to maintain Baylor on the outskirts.
The Huskies received despite 45.7% capturing total and 8-of-25 3-point capturing (32%). It helped that the Huskies solely gave away seven turnovers. The protection remains to be present process a variety of fixes, however there was by no means a tightness with this group, which is an efficient signal of development. This recreation had a lackluster begin on the Huskies’ facet, with the house group not getting its first bucket till greater than three minutes into the sport. It trailed 19-8 with 12:16 to go within the first half. Then Mahaney introduced the spark and issues shifted.
Wednesday was the rise-from-the-ashes second. Whether or not it may be the pivot level, we’ll see. Rather a lot is quickly to return right here; the Huskies might be essentially the most scrutinized group in faculty basketball from now till Christmas. Wednesday’s win was doubly essential as a result of this squad has one of many hardest, if not the hardest, December schedules within the sport. With the Baylor win checked off, subsequent up is a highway recreation Sunday in opposition to 7-1 Texas, adopted up by an affair at Madison Sq. Backyard vs. Gonzaga, which Hurley referred to Wednesday evening as possibly the most effective group in faculty basketball proper now. Internet hosting one-loss Xavier and travelling to one-loss Butler will come after that.
“Simply go on the market and let it fly and play with some swagger and a few confidence,” Hurley mentioned of what he is been telling this group. “These are all new folks, that that is like the subsequent wave of UConn gamers. And it is like, you guys simply go on the market and hoop and let it fly and go make massive photographs and make massive performs and go win a giant recreation and announce your self that our season has began right here at UConn.”
With this group, this coach, this program, all it will probably take is one essential win at one essential time to change their course for the higher. It will not be lengthy earlier than we’ll know whether or not Wednesday was the day the two-time reigning champs received their swagger again for retains.
