5 takeaways from Dan Hurley's press conference ahead of UConn's Final Four matchup against Alabama

Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies are back in the Final Four for the second consecutive season, where they will face the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday. The Huskies had no issues in East Region, winning their four games by an average of 27.75 points per game.

Hurley met with the media ahead of Saturday's showdown, where he addressed a number of topics. Take a look at five takeaways from UConn's coach's press conference below.

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Five takeaways from Dan Hurley's press conference

#1: Dan Hurley not taking return to Final Four for granted

The UConn Huskies are in the Final Four for the second consecutive season. Despite being the only coach remaining with previous experience in the Final Four, Dan Hurley is not taking things for granted, stating:

"You don't really deserve to show entitlement. It's such an honor to get a chance to - and a once in a lifetime experience - to play in a Final Four, coach in a Final Four. Once kind of that edge wore off, you start [thinking] we're lucky to be here, lucky to get an opportunity to come play in a Final Four."

#2: Dan Hurley praises Geno Auriemma and UConn Huskies women's team

The UConn Huskies women's basketball team is also in the Final Four. It marks head coach Geno Auriemma's 23rd Final Four in his coaching career, an NCAA record.

Dan Hurley praised the program, stating:

"Just to see it in the building because you walk by the training room and they got like a top-five team in the country that's hurt and not playing. It's why Geno is one of the best coaches of his generation and obviously Paige [Bueckers] and the crew, they're special. To do it with everything they've dealt with the last two years, it's incredible. It just speaks to the level of Geno and his staff and UConn women's basketball and why they've been the premiere program in the country."

#3: Dan Hurley praises Alabama Crimson Tide's offense

The Alabama Crimson Tide have averaged 90.6 points per game this season, leading the nation in scoring offense and ranking second in offensive rating, trailing only the UConn Huskies.

Dan Hurley weighed in on facing a high-powered offensive unit:

"With what Alabama's shown, in terms of what they're capable of, to beat a No.1 seed in North Carolina and just with how good their offense is, it'll be the best offense that we've guarded this year. As good as Illinois was, this is better. They're deeper, more athletic, just more guards that can break you down... If we're not on our identity, we're vulnerable like everybody else."

#4: Dan Hurley weighs in on facing close friend Nate Oats

Hurley and Nate Oats have a relationship that dates back over a decade, with the latter crediting the former and his brother, Bobby Hurley, with being the reason he coaches at the collegiate level.

The UConn Huskies coach discussed facing a close friend:

"You'd rather not play Bob or Nate or anyone that you're close to, maybe, in the first round of the tournament or maybe an Elite Eight game, but this one I think I'm excited to compete against a friend in such a big spot. Final Four, I think kind of changes it a little bit for me because we've both done something incredible with the season and then somebody that I really care about is going to play for a national championship - preferably me, but I also care about Nate, too."

#5: Dan Hurley reveals who he has talked to about repeating as champions

Hurley is looking to become just the eighth coach in men's college basketball history to win back-to-back national championships. He revealed who he has discussed his efforts with, stating:

"Billy Donovan, I got [to] talking to him immediately, really a week after the season ended last year and I kind of hit that emotional crash when it's over and it doesn't feel like, maybe, what you thought it would in terms of that sustained euphoria. It kind of disappeared quickly so we talked a lot about that and the emotions of it all."

Check out the full press conference below: