Dan Hurley

[MU82]

Dan Hurley has been good for UConn. He has restocked the talent, helped usher in the program's return to the Big East, gotten the team near the top of the conference standings, and helped bring back national respect to a program that was suffering.

But in 5 years at UConn ...

He hasn't coached the Huskies to a single NCAA tournament win ... or a regular-season Big East title ... or a Big East tournament title ... or an appearance in the Big East title game ... or an AAC regular-season title ... or an AAC tournament title.

His .641 winning percentage is fine, but it's nowhere near great. By comparison, 5 years into his time at Marquette, Crean had a .658 winning percentage and a Final Four on his resume. Five years into his P6 coaching career, Buzz had a .693 winning percentage, a S16-S16-E8 run, and a Big East title.

Last night, Sanogo and Clingan were killing us. Just about every time UConn got the ball inside -- whether or not Oso was on the court -- something good happened for Hurley's team. Well, after Sanogo scored with 2:38 left to pull the Huskies within 2, here were their last 5 possessions: missed 3 by Hawkins; missed jumper by Hawkins; missed 3 by Calcaterra; missed 3 by Calcaterra; missed 3 by Hawkins. But at least Hurley saved his final timeout for the NCAA tournament. That's some wonderful coaching right there.

Obviously, he still has a chance to accomplish a lot this season. UConn is a trendy Final Four pick, and they are talented, and they might get there.

But as we sit here today, Dan Hurley has been little more than a reputation built mainly on being named Hurley.

He is the best active college basketball coach named Hurley, though. I will give him that.

[tower912]

Yes, inexplicable that he did not force the ball into his greatest asset being guarded by a freshman.   Just as it was inexplicable that Anderson did not run his offense through Addae-Wusu

[Dr. Blackheart]

Yes, inexplicable that he did not force the ball into his greatest asset being guarded by a freshman.   Just as it was inexplicable that Anderson did not run his offense through Addae-Wusu

Sandago had a bruised elbow.

[Tha Hound]

He's also a complete dickhead

[avid1010]

Sandago had a bruised elbow.

Play of the game when Kam used his face to take out Sanogo's elbow. 

Shaka talked about looking out on the court last night and seeing a bunch of freshmen and sophomores fighting their tails off.  Watching those kids go chest to chest with a bigger and more experienced UCONN team, in the Garden, and come out on top was one of the more fun wins in recent memory.  The toughness was off the charts last night.

And once again...Shaka owned halftime. 

[MU82]

Play of the game when Kam used his face to take out Sanogo's elbow. 

Shaka talked about looking out on the court last night and seeing a bunch of freshmen and sophomores fighting their tails off.  Watching those kids go chest to chest with a bigger and more experienced UCONN team, in the Garden, and come out on top was one of the more fun wins in recent memory.  The toughness was off the charts last night.

And once again...Shaka owned halftime.

Yep, Hurley was outcoached by Shaka.

As for Sanogo's elbow ... It first was bruised by O-Max's chin before Kam wrecked it with his face.

[connie]

And once again...Shaka owned halftime.

Still adjusting to halftime being a good thing for MU

[StillAWarrior]

The guy in front of me last night was a really nice UConn fan (they do exist - who knew?). At the half he wasn't confident at all. His take was that Hurley is a great recruiter, but lacks coaching chops.  Sounded oddly familiar.

[wadesworld]

If we didn't have Shaka I'd take Hurley.

Shaka's excitement on the sidelines would be hated if he was coaching Creighton against MU.

[JakeBarnes]

I don't mind the trash talk. He's good for the league, albeit a bit premature with the resting on the laurels of others. Ideal for our league is when each team has a true identity.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Ideal for our league is when each team has a true identity.

[MU82]

If we didn't have Shaka I'd take Hurley.

Shaka's excitement on the sidelines would be hated if he was coaching Creighton against MU.

Wouldn't dispute any of this.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Ideal for our league is when each team has a true identity.

[mugrad_89]

Safe to say his decision to use Andre Jackson on Kolek kinda backfired.

[DoctorV]

Good post MU82.

Sometimes, with as good as this run has been this season, we forget that these teams Marquette is facing night in and night out are loading with experienced upperclassmen that should be much better on paper.

Hurley did mishandle the game at the end there, and his squad did underachieve in the regular season conference slate as well as in the BET.

I'm just glad we have Shaka and hope he stays forever.

Shaka is starting to become so coveted again that one of my buddies who's a diehard UNC fan text me last night saying that he's heard/read that if UNC doesn't "keep it in the family" like they typically do (with Jerry Stackhouse for example) they will turn to Shaka as their top candidate.
I expect we hear a lot of these such things over the next several years

[Viper]

I like that he's coaching in the BE. A character. A villain, even. Hoping Pitino goes to StJ. Miller at X is a cheater. Easy to find some hate. Let's rumble!

[tower912]

Hurley is a decent coach and a perfect foil. You need a heel for the baby face.

[Lennys Tap]

The guy in front of me last night was a really nice UConn fan (they do exist - who knew?). At the half he wasn't confident at all. His take was that Hurley is a great recruiter, but lacks coaching chops.  Sounded oddly familiar.

You're a smart poster. I hope you're not comparing Wojo to Hurley.

[FairWeatherEagle]

Biggest takeaway from last night is MU closes AGAIN they learned how to do it and Shaka gets credit.
Not a takeaway is Hurley being a bad coach. Criticism of him is overblown. He's not great but good for our conference. I love it that he really wants to beat us! I love it that you can see competitive angst on his face in the post game presser. I love it when big east teams have competitive coaches that work hard at it and are good at it. Hurley is one, Cooley, McDermott, others. Man I wish Jay W. Was still here. Hurley is an asset to the Big East.

Shaka's the Best though! 😁

[Lennys Tap]

+1

[Scoop Snoop]

The guy in front of me last night was a really nice UConn fan (they do exist - who knew?). At the half he wasn't confident at all. His take was that Hurley is a great recruiter, but lacks coaching chops.  Sounded oddly familiar.

I've posted before that my UCONN alum friend is very much a gentleman and that I have asked him to show me his UCONN diploma.to prove he really went there. He's the polar opposite of the knuckle draggers who show up at MSG.

He is a very perceptive bball fan and has said a number of times that Hurley is a terrible game coach. I admit I was skeptical but have learned to listen to his take on UCONN. He nailed it.

[Class71]

You had to have watched Bob Hurley Sr coaching HS to fully appreciate the out of body experience that it was. He used to travel the tough playgrounds in NJ to find players for St. Anthony's. He was a probation officer on and off the court. Tough would understate his coaching style. What he offered was a way out of a difficult life in Jersey City and beyond.

I think with the right players Shaka has a much better approach to coaching then the Hurley's.

[MU82]

Biggest takeaway from last night is MU closes AGAIN they learned how to do it and Shaka gets credit.
Not a takeaway is Hurley being a bad coach. Criticism of him is overblown. He's not great but good for our conference. I love it that he really wants to beat us! I love it that you can see competitive angst on his face in the post game presser. I love it when big east teams have competitive coaches that work hard at it and are good at it. Hurley is one, Cooley, McDermott, others. Man I wish Jay W. Was still here. Hurley is an asset to the Big East.

Shaka's the Best though! 😁

I can't speak for others, but I never said Hurley was a bad coach. Like you, I did say he's not proven to be great coach yet. I also never said he's bad for the conference.

Basically, what I'm saying is I'll buy into the national hype for Dan Hurley as soon as he wins something tangible at UConn. Again, he might just do so over the next few weeks; he has put together a talented team.

[warriorchick]

Sandago had a bruised elbow.

Yeah, he bruised it on O-Max's throat and Kam's head.