UConn Coach Dan Hurley Criticizes Performance Despite 35-Point Victory

The University of Connecticut‘s men’s basketball team, ranked No. 2 in the nation, secured a resounding 81-46 victory against Texas A&M-Commerce on Tuesday night at the Gampel Pavilion. Despite the significant margin of victory, UConn’s head coach Dan Hurley expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s performance, labeling the game as «comically bad.»

Following the game, Hurley highlighted the Huskies’ shortcomings, particularly in the second half, stating, «Second-half rebounding was so far below our standard. Ball security throughout the game—it’s been a long time since we’ve been that bad.» The team recorded 19 turnovers against 18 assists, marking the first instance in 17 games they had more turnovers than assists—traced back to their last loss.

«Just played so far beyond the standard across the board. Older players, younger players, some steps backwards,» Hurley remarked, emphasizing the need for improvement. Despite his frustrations, the Huskies have maintained an impressive 17-game winning streak, dating back to last season.

UConn’s recent success includes back-to-back national championships. However, Hurley continues to enforce high standards, evident even in a game as one-sided as Tuesday’s. Alex Karaban, one of the team’s veterans, echoed Hurley’s sentiments, acknowledging the team’s performance fell short of UConn’s usual standards.

The game saw positive performances from several players, including Aidan Mahaney, who reached double figures for the first time in his UConn career with 10 points. Solo Ball contributed with 12 points on 5-6 shooting, despite committing three turnovers. Tarris Reed demonstrated dominance on the boards with nine points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks.

As UConn looks ahead, they are set to participate in the upcoming Maui Invitational facing Memphis in the first round. The tournament also includes highly-ranked teams such as Arkansas, Arizona, and Purdue, adding difficulty to the Huskies’ schedule.

Karaban commented on the upcoming challenge, saying, «Maui’s no joke. You see the teams in there, playing the best of the best.» This upcoming tournament will offer UConn’s squad a chance to measure up against top-tier competition after a series of victories against less formidable opponents.