Dan Hurley has become the heart and soul of the UConn Huskies’ men’s basketball team, and on Saturday, April 4, he’ll take that feeling to the Final Four.
Hurley and the Huskies take on the Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday in the NCAA Tournament, and the team that wins, of course, advances to the final championship game. The last time the Huskies won it all was in 2024, so they’re not far removed from their last NCAA national championship title.
With his success with UConn, Hurley is a dream head coaching candidate. While he seems happy at UConn and already signed a six-year, $50 million contract extension with the Huskies in 2024, keeping him with the school through the 2029-30 season, things change quickly in the NCAA.
According to basketball insider, “ESPN is reporting that North Carolina’s top-tier target list includes Dan Hurley, who could get a call if he hasn’t already I don’t see Danny leaving UConn if they reach out, but it can’t hurt to call.”
So, it appears North Carolina, according to the report, is interested in Hurley. Who wouldn’t be, right? That certainly doesn’t mean he’ll leave, but he may take a phone call and see what they offer, especially if he goes all the way again this season.
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So, who will win the Final Four matchup? In a Saturday, April 4 feature for USA Today, John Leuzzi projects the win for the Huskies, pointing to their past success.
“When these two met in late November at Madison Square Garden, UConn won by 13,” he notes in the piece. “While the margin of victory may not be like that this time around, the Huskies do get their second win of the season against the Illini. Tarris Reed Jr. and Alex Karaban continue to have big games, while Braylon Mullins delivers a big-time shot in front of the home crowd. UConn’s defense is looking like a top 5 unit again.”
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Blake Toppmeyer of the outlet gives the win to Illinois. “Credit UConn for incredible comeback, but don’t overlook Illinois,” he says. “The Illini looked dominant coming out of the South, and they have enough offense to turn back a clutch UConn team.”
John Brice goes with UConn. “How could anyone pick against Dan Hurley’s squad at this point?” he says, making a good point. “Hurley’s now 18-1 in his past three March Madness appearances. The Huskies will play for a third crown in four seasons.”
