Analyst makes his feelings known on Dan Hurley's UConn being the biggest threat to SEC powerhouse during March Madness

Dan Hurley's UConn Huskies begin their chase for a third straight national title on Friday. They take on Oklahoma in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament as the eighth seed in the West Region.

Although the Huskies won back-to-back championships, this season they failed to win the Big East regular season and tournament titles, so they enter the big dance with less momentum compared to last year.

However, Chris Walker, a CBS Sports college basketball analyst, believes the Huskies are still the biggest threat to Florida — the SEC powerhouse and top seed in the West region.

"The biggest thing they need to worry about is Dan Hurley," Walker said Wednesday, via CBS Sports Network. "I've said all year long when everyone was talking about UConn and saying they're going to struggle at the point guard position.

"But as I've always said, this is a new tournament. They just have to play well now. They have one of the best block rates in the country, so it's hard to score on them inside in the two-point range. The bottom line is preparation. Danny Hurley is a great offensive coach. ... I would say this guy has a chance to win again."

If UConn can survive the first round against Oklahoma, they could face off against the Gators in the second round. Florida plays Norfolk State in their opener.

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Dan Hurley says UConn isn't focused on a three-peat right now

Before the start of the 2024-25 season, Dan Hurley was determined to lead the team to another national title and complete a three-peat. However, as the season progressed, UConn faced its fair share of challenges, losing 10 games overall.

While the ultimate goal is still intact — defending their title and winning a third straight championship — Hurley maintains that the team isn't focused on that at the moment.

"The way we've played, to this point, it's not something we're even talking about," Hurley said, via the CT Insider.

Dan Hurley said that the team's mindset is solely on the task at hand — winning against Oklahoma and advancing to the next round.

"We have as good a chance as a lot of teams to advance in this tournament and to have a great March, but we haven't had a good enough year to think on those terms. It's kind of a relief to be at this point, to be honest with you. It’s been a heavy year."

The UConn Huskies have +12,500 odds to win the national championship this year, according to ESPN BET, far from favorites like Duke (+280) and Florida (+350).