By JAMES MADDEN
LAWRENCE KS – UConn head coach Dan Hurley and his team returned to Kansas for the time since their 2023 loss to the Jayhawks, but will be headed home with a much different result.
With both teams playing short-handed, the Huskies improved to 7-1 after picking up a 61-55 win at Allen Fieldhouse on Tuesday. It was UConn’s first-ever win against Kansas after starting 0-4.
In what was a raucous environment, the always passionate Jayhawk fans didn’t hold back on the two-time national champion head coach. The fans repeatedly chanted “[Expletive] Dan Hurley” and were warned by the public address announcer to refrain from chanting foul language. Naturally, Hurley was asked about the welcoming from the Kansas faithful.
“I wasn’t expecting that. Everyone was so nice to me the last time,” Hurley said postgame with a laugh. “I don’t really have an opinion. If that’s how people wanna carry themselves in the game, it’s sports. We’re all [expletive] gladiators.”
Hurley said he and his staff are constantly reminding their team to compete with their previous national championship winning teams and accomplish more than those teams did, such as beating Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse.
“When you’re a UConn team, this year’s team, and you’re in the building and see all these banners and you see coaches wearing back-to-back sweatshirts, it’s like now you’re on this team, this year,” he said. “These guys should get tired of hearing about the ’24 team and be like, yo this ’26 team did something that the ’24 team never did and we want to accomplish things that the ’24 team couldn’t. I think the teams should be more competitive.”
Injury-wise, as UConn saw Braylon Mullins see his first full-time action in just his second game of the season, the Huskies were without star center Tarris Reed Jr. due to an ongoing ankle injury. Reed returned in last Friday’s win against Illinois, but was on a tight minutes restriction, with the team remaining cautious about his injury. Hurley did not provide an update about his status going forward.
Remaining in his increased role, Hurley commended the efforts of his starting center Eric Reibe, who has served as the team’s starting center since Reed’s injury.
“If you’d have said to me before the game that Eric (Reibe) would play Flory (Bidunga) basically even in the game, that’s, like big time stuff by a freshman center in this place,” Hurley said.
The Huskies will host Texas A&M-Commerce on Friday night at Gampel Pavilion before heading west to face the defending national champion Florida Gators at Madison Square Garden on December 9th, as part of the annual Jimmy V Classic.
Photo: @bjbowman13
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