Dan Hurley gets candid on "regrettable performance" after Seton Hall upsets UConn

Things are not going well for Dan Hurley and the defending national champion UConn Huskies as they suffered another loss on Saturday — this time against Seton Hall, which edged them 69-68 in a nail-biter in Newark, New Jersey.

The defeat marked UConn's eighth loss this season, fifth in conference play and second in the last three games, leaving the Huskies at 17-8 overall and 9-5 in the Big East.

Coach Dan Hurley did not hold back in his postgame remarks, criticizing his team’s performance while also taking responsibility.

"It took us a while to get control of the game and have a chance to win it in regulation," Hurley said. "But, just did a lot of things that make you look like you're a poorly-coached team to close out that game, multiple times."

"That's a reality. But credit Shaheen (Holloway) and credit their guys for fighting back at the end of regulation, fighting back at the end of overtime, and then discredit us for just really putting forth a regrettable performance."

Despite three of their top players — Alex Karaban, Solo Ball and Liam McNeeley — scoring in double figures, the Huskies still fell short. Their field goal percentage was a poor 37.3%, far from their season average of 48.1%.

Seton Hall had won just one Big East game this season and was on a nine-game losing streak entering Saturday’s contest, making the loss even more disappointing for UConn.

Dan Hurley and UConn brace for more difficult slate of games ahead

UConn's difficult tough stretch of games is not slowing down, and things may get worse before they get better.

The loss to the Pirates precedes difficult matchups against Villanova, St. John's and Marquette to close out the regular season.

During a timeout against Seton Hall, Hurley was caught on camera expressing disappointment at his players.

"This is our Super Bowl today, we have to have it," Hurley shouted. "Our pace sucks, our on-ball defense is awful. We’ve been driven to the front of the rim three or four times against a team that can’t shoot."

Dan Hurley’s “Super Bowl” remark emphasized the must-win nature of the game, as the Huskies had struggled against lower-ranked Big East teams before.

Unfortunately, for them, their upcoming schedule does not get any easier. UConn will face Villanova (15-11, 8-7), which sits fifth in the Big East below the Huskies, at home on Tuesday. The Wildcats beat the Huskies 68-66 in January.