As UConn stepped onto the TD Garden court for the first time on Wednesday, freshman guard Stephon Castle paused to admire the Celtics championship banners before practice started.
It was a brief moment of calm before things got crazy.
Then entered vocal coach Dan Hurley, giving instructions to his team as practice kicked off with no silence. During a 15-minute window open to the media, everyone – from coaches to players and student managers – filled the arena with noise. Hurley, wearing a white long sleeve shirt with the words “OUR TIME” on the front, set the tone. Practice had a fiery, intense start with popular UConn chants being sung by players spread out across the court.
It was a glimpse of what will happen on Thursday night when UConn continues its pursuit for a second consecutive championship, just a 90-minute drive from their campus in Storrs. The Huskies will have a clear home-court advantage when they face San Diego State in the Sweet 16. It was all part of the plan.
After winning the championship last April, UConn focused on becoming the first back-to-back champion since Florida in 2007. The Huskies knew they could play games in Brooklyn and Boston to advance to the Final Four. This motivated them in their successful quest for claiming the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s tournament.
“We’ve earned that by the season that we’ve had,” Hurley said. “This wasn’t some gift by the committee to try to make it as easy as possible for us. We’ve earned our position. We’ve manifested Brooklyn to Boston since really April. …
“We’ve worked incredibly hard over that time period to earn the opportunity to play in front of hopefully a 60 percent UConn type of crowd.”
“It’s super important for us,” added Alex Karaban. “That’s why we worked so hard this year.”
The evidence is in the results, with a 33-3 record and Top 10 offense and defense.
Before their dominant run to the championship last spring, UConn may have caught some people off guard. The Huskies were a No. 4 seed and had flaws during the regular season. That's not the case this year.
UConn has faced tough competition and mostly overcome it all. The Huskies are undoubtedly the best team in the country, not only rich with NBA prospects but also deep and experienced. They’re not just beating everyone in their way, but dominating them by double digits on a nightly basis. ESPN host Mike Greenberg suggested they could beat an NBA team. “That’s crazy talk,” Hurley said.
But he certainly adores his team.
“This team fits,” Hurley said. “I just think the pieces fit so well. …
“You can’t deny when you watch this team play that it’s an enjoyable team to watch because the ball moves, and we share it, and we play for each other. You can see the culture. You can see the energy. You can see the commitment to defense. You can see the personalities up and down the organization.
San Diego State is aware that they have a tough challenge on Thursday. The Aztecs are happy to have another opportunity to defeat UConn after losing by 17 in last year's national championship game. They proved themselves last year by beating Alabama in the Sweet 16 as the No. 1 overall seed.
However, UConn is a formidable opponent. Even coach Brian Dutcher admitted that the odds are against his team. He humorously wished that the game could be played in Louisville instead of Boston, recalling last season's title game where his team was trailing by five with five minutes left before the Huskies took control of the game.
Dutcher expressed hope that they will have a chance to win on Thursday. He mentioned that he wishes for an opportunity to win with five minutes remaining in the game.
Hurley emphasizes that his team is not invincible and could potentially lose. He stressed that in a single elimination tournament, even the best team could fall apart and not win.
However, the Huskies have managed to win even on their off nights, creating a significant margin for error. They won by 17 despite shooting 3-for-22 from the 3-point line in the second round against Northwestern. If Castle or Donovan Clingan have a bad night, they have All-American guard Tristen Newton and the rest of their supporting cast to step up.
This progress did not happen suddenly. Hurley mentioned that it involved a lot of trial and error, especially in his early seasons at UConn. Now in his sixth season, he has reestablished the standard at the championship program, believing that he has discovered the winning formula.
The recipe for success involves not only securing virtual home games in the NCAA Tournament, but also building a Top 10 offense and defense, establishing the necessary depth, finding compatible personalities, and having the ability to win in various ways.
On Thursday, they are prepared to demonstrate this in front of a crowd that reflects the hard work put in.
Hurley expressed his satisfaction with the team, describing it as great and fun. He believes that they have finally figured out the winning formula.
