Days after reigning champions exit March Madness, Dan Hurley reflects on highs and lows on UConn's season

The UConn Huskies, coached by Dan Hurley, did not accomplish their goal of a coveted national championship three-peat in the 2024-2025 season. On Sunday, March 23, they were trounced out of the winner-take-all tournament after they were defeated by the top-seeded Florida Gators by just two points, in a thrilling overtime affair, 77-75, as the eighth seed of the West region.

Getting eliminated in just the second round of March Madness, it was disheartening for Hurley and Co. to not make it all the way given that they were on the verge of making history. A number of factors could attest to their demise, such as the loss of key cogs and the overall competition heating up.

Ultimately, days after their elimination, Hurley is keeping a positive mind, as the 2025-2026 season offers him and his program a chance at retribution. In his recent media availability on Wednesday, March 26, the 52-year-old reflected on the highs and lows of the year his team just had.

"I would say overall just have a team battle just that again you get back from Maui and and AK is not playing in the Baylor game at home and the team's not in a good space and being able to close out the non-conference you know winning at Texas, and then you know you know playing well against Gonzaga there and recovering," Hurley shared. (0:06)

"And then, being able to go on the road and win at Creighton and win at Marquette like two tough places to go and win games. Obviously, putting ourselves in position to if we just made a couple more shots there, I think, having a chance to still be playing," he added.

Hurley then re-asserted that he is super grateful for his squad at the end of the day.

"You know, I'll be always be proud of the way the guys fought, the whole year but in particular when, you know, we got to the tournament," he concluded.

When the tenured tactician was asked about the first few days of the offseason, he said:

"Early stages of rewiring are going okay." (1:10)

The Huskies concluded the campaign with a 24-11 overall record, 14-6 during conference play, and were the third seed in the Big East conference.

The UConn Huskies were the first program in 18 years to accomplish a national championship repeat

Although they didn't make it to their goal of reaching the college basketball mountaintop a third straight time, Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies have still etched their place in history to win back-to-back national titles, in 2023 and 2024, since the 2006-2007 Florida Gators — about 18 years ago.

This year, Hurley's team was led by the likes of freshman star Liam McNeeley, who averaged a team-high 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest, along with veteran Alex Karaban, who tallied 14.3 markers, 5.3 boards and 2.8 dimes a game.