UConn basketball head coach Dan Hurley demands a lot from his players, but when their hard work translates to in-game competition, he has no problem making strong claims. The two-time national champion was especially impressed by the intensity the Huskies unleashed in the first half of Tuesday night’s 69-64 road win over Seton Hall.
Trailing 20-19 with about six minutes remaining, UConn entered another gear and went into the break with a 35-22 lead. The squad bulldozed the Pirates before they even knew what hit them, engineering a run that was reminiscent of its recent title wins. Needless to say, Hurley was pleased by what he saw.
“This is the hardest-playing team in the country, and we’ve been able to match how hard they play,” the fiery coach told reporter Andy Katz at halftime, per the TNT Sports U.S. X account. “If we play as hard as we did in that half and guard like that, yeah, they won’t come back.”
There's nobody quite like Dan Hurley, right @TheAndyKatz?
"If we play as hard as we did in that half and guard like that, yeah, [Seton Hall] won't come back."
pic.twitter.com/TzAhLbysbf
— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) January 14, 2026
Although his personality is not for everyone, people can never call Hurley a cookie-cutter HC. He has a presence, and so does his team. UConn struggled to contain the endlessly resilient Seton Hall in the second half, however.
The newly ranked Pirates came within striking distance of upsetting the No. 3 team in the nation, but just as Hurley said, the Huskies’ effort prevented their opponent from grabbing another lead.
Up 65-64 with 47 seconds remaining in the game, history-making guard Silas Demary Jr. made four clutch free throws and UConn relied on its suffocating defense. The Big East powerhouse is now 17-1 on the season, with its only loss coming at home against No. 1 Arizona on Nov. 19.
Despite shooting just 5-of-13 from the charity stripe, forward Tarris Reed Jr. recorded a game-high 21 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Braylon Mullins added two steals and three blocks and Dimary tallied seven assists. UConn basketball is proving that it has the mental strength to prevail even when it is not at its best.
Dan Hurley will expect the Huskies to stay locked-in when they square off with the Georgetown Hoyas (9-7) on Saturday afternoon.
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