STORRS: It was a night of turn-back at Gampel Pavilion Wednesday night. This had little to do the throwback uniforms UConn’s men’s basketball team wore for the match against Seton Hall.
The building was packed to its rafters and it was louder than ever. However, the Huskies won in an old-fashioned Big East war.
It could have been 1996, or 2006.
The UConn students, none who were alive during the glory days of UConn’s glory days, waited outside the building Wednesday afternoon, and evening. They then raced to their seats about 90 minutes before tipoff.
Dan Hurley, UConn coach, is a true old-school coach and embraced the atmosphere instantly.
Hurley said that I gave them a few Ric Flair Woos prior to the game to get them more pumped up. Hurley was referring to the ex-wrestler.
The Woos did it.
No. Seton Hall was defeated 70-65 by 24 UConn
The Huskies retaliated for their loss to the Pirates in overtime earlier this season. They beat Hurleys alma maternity, and Kevin Willard, Hurleys coach who famously said two decades ago that he was not happy that UConn had returned home to the Big East, also won.
Willard later admitted that he was joking. He may have been a wrestling fan as a child and wanted to stage a mock feud against Hurley to entertain the spectators.
Willard won’t be playing along if that was the case. When asked about the growing rivalry between his program & the Huskies, Willard didn’t crack any jokes nor smile when asked.
Willard stated that I have nothing but respect for Danny, his teams and the way he coaches.
Willard also admires the Huskies’ ability to rebound the ball. UConn won the board battle, 41-31, with Adama Santigo winning 16 and Tyrese Martin 10, respectively.
Willard stated that they destroyed us on the glass. If you’re on the road, and you’re playing in a great atmosphere with other players, you can’t give them as many second shots.
The Pirates may have felt a little rattled by the atmosphere. They made a few passes to the stands when they were under physical pressure from UConn’s players and verbal pressures from the student section that hovered over the west side of the court.
Hurley, as he does often after games, heaped praise on the students in attendance for motivating his team.
Hurley said that they’ve been incredible since I’ve been here.
The coach is right that the fans are more boisterous this season. However, that’s due in large part because Hurley and his company are putting on a great show.
UConn isn’t quite a contender for the national championship, but it is eons closer than when Hurley arrived. The atmosphere in Storrs for games is starting to resemble that of Jim Calhoun for long periods.
The players are following a Calhoun-approved philosophy: rebound first, ask questions afterwards.
Hurley stated that if we adopt a defense-first mentality when trying to eat glass, it is extremely difficult to beat.
The Huskies weren’t perfect on Wednesday. But they were strong. It’s slowly becoming their calling cards.
We were tough. We have culture. Hurley stated that we have tough players and tough-minded individuals. If you are really tough, it is impossible to play basketball at UConn.
You can’t be a basketball fan at UConn without learning a few Woos from your head coach.
