Dan Hurley doesn’t hide his emotions - and on Saturday, the UConn head coach had a clear message for the crowd at PeoplesBank Arena: “Wake up.” With his team grinding through a physical first half against Villanova, Hurley turned to the fans near midcourt, urging them to match the intensity his Huskies were bringing on the floor. It was classic Hurley - fiery, passionate, and demanding not just of his players, but of the home-court atmosphere.
Now, with the Huskies headed back to Gampel Pavilion on Tuesday night to host long-time Big East rival Providence, the stage is set for the kind of environment Hurley’s been craving. The timing couldn’t be better. After nearly 15 inches of snow blanketed Storrs over the weekend, UConn students have found themselves with an extended snow day - classes are canceled through Tuesday, and the university’s athletics department has been pushing for early arrivals at the arena.
The response? A sellout.
And it’s not just the rivalry or the weather fueling the buzz - UConn is bringing back its wildly popular $2 Miller Lite Night promotion. Starting 90 minutes before tip-off, fans can grab a $2 beer from arena vendors while supplies last. If history is any indication, those supplies won’t last long - many fans have reported the taps run dry before the first whistle.
This isn’t just a gimmick - it’s already proven to be a difference-maker. The promotion debuted back in November during UConn’s top-5 showdown with Arizona.
That night, Gampel Pavilion hit a thunderous 111 decibels as the Huskies surged to a late 58-57 lead. Though UConn eventually fell in what remains their only loss of the season, Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd had nothing but praise for the electric atmosphere - and the beer.
“I’d love to see what this place is on $1 beer night,” Lloyd said postgame. “$2 beer night was pretty impressive. $1 beer night - can we take it up another level? It was pretty impressive, and it was a ton of fun.”
Tuesday’s matchup with Providence brings all the ingredients for a classic Gampel night: snowbound students with nowhere else to be, a fierce conference rivalry, and a little liquid encouragement to crank up the decibels.
And the party doesn’t stop there. UConn has one more $2 Miller Lite Night on the calendar - February 18, when Creighton rolls into town.
That one’s also a “White Out” game, with every fan receiving a white T-shirt to amplify the visual energy in the building. Meanwhile, for their final game at PeoplesBank Arena, UConn will host a Husky Happy Hour, offering $3 domestic drafts from 5:30 p.m. until tip-off.
So, if Hurley was looking for a louder, more engaged crowd, Tuesday night could deliver exactly that. The Huskies are rolling, the fans are ready, and Gampel Pavilion is primed to shake.