The University of Connecticut men's basketball team showcased resilience in their opening game of the Big East tournament, defeating Xavier 93-68. This victory comes on the heels of a disappointing regular-season finale against Marquette, a defeat that left head coach Dan Hurley and his players seeking redemption.
"It was great to get back on the court after the choke job over the weekend," said Hurley, referring to the loss that ended their regular season. The emotion surrounding that game was evident, particularly for Hurley, who was ejected in the final second of the Marquette match and fined $25,000 by the Big East for unsportsmanlike conduct.
In a light-hearted moment during the postgame press conference, Hurley recounted how some of his players jokingly offered to cover part of his fine. "Now obviously, it would be illegal, so I couldn't accept it," he said with a chuckle. "But there were guys raising their hand: 'I'll give $1,000. I'll give $500.'"
Despite the humor, the aftermath of the Marquette loss was serious. Hurley mentioned that the team endured a "brutal film session" as they dissected their performance. The defeat not only impacted their season trajectory but also cost them a share of the regular-season conference title, which went to St. John's.
"It was tough," said Hurley, reflecting on the difficult session with his players. "It made me sad. I think they were waiting for angry, mad Dan, and I did not give that to them."
Solo Ball, who led the team with 19 points against Xavier, noted the team's need to adapt during this challenging period. "There is no difference between sad Dan or angry Dan," he said, highlighting the emotional spectrum they experienced under Hurley’s leadership.
Tarris Reed Jr. contributed significantly to the victory with 17 points and 14 rebounds in what Hurley praised as a performance akin to "playing like a grizzly bear for 22 minutes." Reed candidly shared his feelings about the film session: "You're not used to it. But I feel like we all understood what happened, especially in that Marquette game that we lost, and what potentially we had to move on from."
Hurley also took a moment to remind his players of their accomplishments this season, emphasizing the importance of their overall success rather than dwelling on a single loss. "We don't have anything to show for it yet," he remarked. "We don't got a championship yet. We don't got a Final Four yet. But don't forget who we are. We're now a 28-4 team that beat some really high seeds. We beat a potential 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. We've beaten a 2 seed in the NCAA tournament."
His closing remarks resonated with the team, urging them to remember their identity and the significant victories they have secured throughout the season. "We've got some great, great wins. So that's who we are -- not that game that we choked away. ... We know that we blew it."
As UConn navigates further into the tournament, the challenge now lies in maintaining momentum and capitalizing on their performance against Xavier. With the intensity of the tournament ahead, all eyes will be on whether UConn can leverage this victory to propel them further in the Big East and beyond.