As Connecticut braces for a heavy winter storm, Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies are plowing forward-literally and figuratively.
Fresh off an overtime thriller against Villanova, Hurley didn’t waste any time soaking in the win. Instead, he was already pivoting to the next challenge: a quick turnaround for Tuesday’s matchup against Providence. With a snowstorm threatening to shut down much of the state, Hurley wasn’t about to let weather-or anything else-get in the way of preparation.
So when he joked in Saturday’s postgame press conference about holding a 6 a.m. practice the next morning, it sounded like classic Hurley-intense, maybe a little tongue-in-cheek. But it turns out, he meant every word.
By early Sunday morning, the lights were on at UConn’s practice facility. A post from the team’s managers showed forward Alex Karaban already in the gym by 6:51 a.m., with the caption: “Beating the storm, NO SNOW DAYS.”
Message received. The defending champs aren’t taking any chances, not with Big East play heating up and Providence looming.
This is Hurley in his element-relentless, demanding, and laser-focused on the details. Even with a winter storm warning blanketing the entire state, he’s making sure his team stays locked in.
The National Weather Service is calling for 12 to 18 inches of snow across most of Connecticut, with slightly lighter totals along the shoreline due to sleet. But that didn’t stop the Huskies from getting their work in before the flakes started flying.
Of course, Hurley couldn’t resist adding a bit of levity to the situation. “Practice tomorrow at 6:00 a.m.
Is that legal?” he joked Saturday night.
“If it’s not legal, then someone with the NCAA has to… does anybody know any judges?”
That last line might’ve carried a little extra weight, considering the ongoing NCAA eligibility situation surrounding Charles Bediako. Hurley and UConn athletic director David Benedict both voiced frustration last week over the saga, and Saturday brought another twist. Bediako, who played at Alabama during the 2022 and 2023 seasons before declaring for the NBA Draft, was granted a temporary restraining order by an Alabama judge, allowing him to suit up in the Crimson Tide’s game against Tennessee.
What makes that ruling even more eyebrow-raising? The judge who issued it-Jim Roberts-has family ties to Alabama’s athletic department, including six-figure donations, according to Front Office Sports.
So when Hurley cracks wise about judges and NCAA rules, there’s more than just a snowstorm on his mind. Still, the focus remains on the court. UConn’s pursuit of another deep March run demands discipline, and that starts with mornings like this-snow or no snow.
The message from Hurley is clear: champions don’t wait for perfect conditions. They make their own.