"I was not ready for that stage and I knew it": Dan Hurley opens up on struggles while facing his brother Bobby Hurley's Duke in 1992

Before becoming a two-time NCAA champion coach at UConn, Dan Hurley was once a college basketball player at Seton Hall. He opened up about the time he struggled against his brother, Bobby Hurley, and the Duke Blue Devils in the 1992 March Madness during the latest edition of E60, which ESPN posted on its YouTube channel on Friday.

The Seton Hall Pirates sent their fans into a frenzy in the 1992 NCAA Tournament, reaching the Sweet 16 after beating La Salle and Missouri in the earlier rounds. Next up for the Pirates was a showdown with the Blue Devils, the first time the Hurley brothers locked horns on the college basketball stage.

"I remember the media crush," Dan Hurley said (Timestamp 1:12). "It went from 0 to 100 real quick for me and it was a scary proposition for me just knowing that I was going to be a focal point of the media. I had a role on the team, but I wasn’t an integral player. I was not ready for that stage and I knew it.

"I went out there, I let it rip. I was firing away. I didn’t hit anything. I was like missing everything. That game was much worse for my brother playing against his little brother. He was just totally in his own mind."

Dan Hurley failed to score a single point in that contest, which Duke won 81-69. The freshman guard missed all four of his field-goal attempts against the Blue Devils. He did record one assist and one steal in 18 minutes. Bobby Hurley also struggled in that game, scoring just four points on 2-for-7 shooting for Duke. He dished out seven assists but committed six turnovers against Seton Hall.

Comparing Bobby Hurley and Dan Hurley's national championships

Bobby Hurley flourished in his playing career with the Duke Blue Devils, winning back-to-back national championships in 1991 and 1992. He won his first-ever title under Mike Krzyzewski in 1991, with Duke beating Kansas 72-65 in the final. Hurley dazzled in the title game, recording 12 points and nine assists.

The Blue Devils successfully defended their title in 1992, beating the Michigan Wolverines 71-51 in the championship game. Hurley scored nine points and issued seven assists in that contest.

UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley cuts down the net after defeating the San Diego State Aztecs in the 2023 national championship game. Photo: Imagn

Dan Hurley failed to win an NCAA title during his playing career at Seton Hall, with his best finish being that Sweet 16 run in 1992. He ultimately found success when he became a coach at UConn, leading the Huskies to back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. UConn defeated San Diego State and Purdue in those title games, cementing Hurley's status as one of the all-time coaching greats in the NCAA.