$20 million worth Dan Hurley makes his feelings known after matching up vs Oklahoma in NCAA Tournament

Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies will open their title defense in the NCAA Tournament on Friday against the Oklahoma Sooners at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. The UConn coach shared his thoughts on the matchup on Sunday after the 2025 NCAA Tournament brackets were announced.

Hurley told reporters in a press conference on Selection Sunday that he was thrilled to qualify for the NCAA Tournament again and is looking forward to facing Oklahoma in the first round.

"It never gets old that feeling when you hear your name called cause you got to earn your way into the tournament. We’re excited to be in it," Hurley said (Timestamp 1:05).

Despite a roller-coaster season in the Big East Conference, Dan Hurley remained confident in his team's chances of winning another title.

"I think it’s just what all coaches and players and teams experience (Timestamp 1:21). You could have an incredible regular season in the sport and it’s cruel in a way if you don’t play well in March, you’re judged basically just on this tournament and whether you could succeed in it or not."

"You’re excited to be in it. We’ve been successful in it. I think we have a team that’s battled the whole year. I’m excited to see how we’ll play on Friday because from early in November, we’ve had to battle just to put ourselves in position to do this."

Dan Hurley, who has a reported net worth of $20 million, knows the Huskies will face a challenge against the Sooners in the opening round.

"They come from a great league. UConn-Oklahoma is a fun, fun matchup," Hurley said (Timestamp 2:41).

How Dan Hurley's UConn reached the 2025 March Madness

The UConn Huskies will not be among the title favorites when the NCAA Tournament begins on Tuesday, following a disappointing campaign in the Big East Conference. They finished the regular season with a 22-9 overall record, including a 14-6 mark in conference play.

Head coach Dan Hurley of the UConn Huskies reacts toward the referee in the first half of their quarterfinal game against the Villanova Wildcats during the Big East Tournament. Photo: Getty

Dan Hurley's team also failed to defend its Big East Tournament title, losing to the Creighton Bluejays in the semifinals at Madison Square Garden on Friday. They had no answer for Jasen Green and Jamiya Neal in the 71-62 defeat, as the Creighton stars each scored 19 points in the Big East matchup.