2024 NCAA Basketball Tournament Brackets
GLENDALE, Ariz. – UConn men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley was named the Naismith national Coach of the Year on Sunday, a day after his Huskies beat Alabama in the Final Four and advanced to the national championship game for the second year in a row.
“It’s an incredible honor for me, 15 years as a high school coach I never would’ve imagined that my coaching life would go down this path,” Hurley said in his acceptance speech at the Phoenix Art Museum, which could’ve been a stand-up comedy special.
In his sixth season at UConn, Hurley led the Huskies to the best record in program history (36-3) while setting a Big East record for wins (18-2). Hurley was also named Big East Coach of the Year following the regular season title and before leading the Huskies to the conference tournament championship.
UConn earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever and has won a record 11 consecutive tournament games by double figures.
Hurley was joined on stage by legendary previous winners Bobby Cremmins, Roy Williams and Tubby Smith as he accepted the award, with his immediate and extended family, including his Hall of Fame father, Bob Sr., seated in front of him.
“I’m a testament to just the power of having the influence of having an incredible coach in your life who happens to be your father too. The power of having that incredible coach who pushes you and teaches you to get the most out of yourself and teaches you how to compete and strive and push and not make excuses. Then I had to find empathy and compassion on my own, because that’s not really my dad’s strength,” Hurley said, breaking the room into laughter. “But all of that other stuff, you crushed it! Thanks, Dad.”
Hurley finished second in AP Coach of the Year voting, just two votes shy of Houston’s Kelvin Sampson. Sampson was also a finalist for the Naismith Coach of the Year alongside Iowa State’s T.J. Otzelberger and South Carolina’s Lamont Paris.
Huskies have a size advantage against Purdue
Yes, Purdue is anchored by 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey. But UConn, which does have its own 7-footer down low in Clingan, has the height advantage just about everywhere else. It’s part of Hurley’s roster-building “formula.”
“To have a 6-5 Tristen Newton, Steph Castle who is 6-6, to be able to put him on a point guard or on a wing scorer, either one of those guys. It just affects passing windows I think for guards, whether it’s the ball screen game or post feeding,” Hurley said. “Obviously it shrinks the court for the opponent, as well. Allows you to contest the three-point line at those spots. Even Karaban, who is 6’8″, 6’9″, he’s got great length at his position, as well.”
Cam Spencer always has a ball in his hands
Cam Spencer scooted back his chair on the dais in State Farm Stadium on Saturday and carried his ball down the hall, where he sat back down to answer more questions from the media. It’s something he’s done since the Huskies’ got to Boston but it began years ago.
“Anytime I can have a ball in my hand… I was just trying to dribble out there and get ready for practice as I usually would. We have a little more media now so I don’t get to do my pre-practice routine, but yeah, I try to keep a ball with me,” Spencer said. “I just want to play. Honestly I just want to go practice right now, I know Purdue’s out there right now but I’m not huge on this stuff. I’d rather go play basketball and leave it all out there on the floor for my teammates.”
Aaron Jones (@Showtyme_33) was HYPED for his cousin Tristen Newton 😤#MarchMadness @UConnMBB pic.twitter.com/6kQnB6sdWS
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 7, 2024
Newton gets energy from his NFL cousin
After Tristen Newton hit a 3-pointer in the second half of UConn’s Final Four game against Alabama to put the Huskies up nine with less than nine minutes left, he looked over at his cousins in the first row and exchanged his telephone celebration. The group of family members, which includes cousin Aaron Jones, the former Green Bay Packers and now Minnesota Vikings running back, always brings the energy.
“They give me energy, obviously you want to play well in front of your friends and family so they give me a boost and their presence is felt for sure,” Newton said. “The other team they always talk to them, I don’t know why they do that I guess that gives them motivation or something. But regardless of how the other team’s playing, my family, they’re gonna talk. I hear it on the court and it’s pretty funny to me because they’re getting mad, I don’t understand what they’re getting mad for.”
