UConn Outlasts Kansas in Allen Fieldhouse Showdown, But the Crowd Had Other Ideas for Dan Hurley
Tuesday night at Allen Fieldhouse had all the ingredients of a classic: two powerhouse programs, a raucous crowd, and a game that came down to the wire. But while the basketball on the floor was intense, the atmosphere in the stands added a whole other layer-especially for UConn head coach Dan Hurley.
Let’s start with the game itself. UConn pulled out a gritty 61-56 win over Kansas, their first-ever victory against the Jayhawks in program history.
It wasn’t pretty, but it was the kind of win that championship-caliber teams grind out-on the road, in one of college basketball’s most hostile environments, against a blue-blood opponent. And in the final moments, it was a pair of Braylon Mullins free throws that helped seal it, silencing a crowd that had been anything but quiet all night.
That crowd, of course, had some things to say-loudly and unfiltered-about Hurley. Midway through the first half, as Kansas hit a flurry of threes and built an 8-point lead, the chants started.
And they weren’t subtle. “F--- Dan Hurley” rang out from the student section, a raw reaction to the fiery UConn coach whose sideline demeanor has never exactly been low-key.
The public address announcer stepped in, asking fans to tone it down, which only drew more boos. Kansas head coach Bill Self wasn’t having it either.
After the game, he made it clear: “I said verbally to knock it off. You don’t do that.”
Hurley? He brushed it off like a seasoned road warrior.
“Everyone was so nice to me the last time,” he said postgame with a smirk. “I don't really have anything.
If that's how people want to carry themselves in the game, it's sports. We're all (expletive) gladiators."
Classic Hurley-defiant, unfazed, and always ready to lean into the chaos.
Later in the second half, the crowd had another reason to get on Hurley. After a foul was called on Kansas heading into the under-8 media timeout, Hurley made his way from the bench all the way into the paint to give the officials a piece of his mind.
It was vintage Hurley-animated, intense, and completely locked in. He wasn’t going to let the moment pass without making sure the refs knew exactly where he stood.
But UConn fans weren’t completely drowned out. A small but vocal contingent made the trip to Lawrence and got their voices heard late in the game, with “U-C-O-N-N” chants echoing clearly on the ESPN broadcast as the Huskies closed things out. When the final buzzer sounded, they were the ones celebrating in the stands as the Jayhawks faithful filed out.
For UConn, it’s a statement win. For Kansas, a tough home loss. And for Dan Hurley, it was just another night at the office-complete with the boos, the drama, and ultimately, the W.