"Matt painter robbed", "DESERVED": College hoops fans divided as UConn HC Dan Hurley wins Naismith Coach of the Year

Dan Hurley's red dragon underwear might have done the trick again as he has won the Naismith Coach of the Year award. The announcement came just ahead of their final showdown against Purdue for the NCAA 2024 title. This award is a testament to UConn's amazing season so far.

Under the guidance of Dan Hurley, UConn dominated the Big East conference through the 2023-24 season. They won the Big East Championship match against Marquette (73-57) and maintained a conference record of 18-2. They also had an overall record of 36-3.

Additionally, UConn was unbeaten at home this season, boasting a home record of 16-0 for the season. In March Madness 2024, UConn entered as a No. 1 seed in the East region and also played like one.

After beating Stetson in the first round (91-52), Northwestern in the second (75-58), San Diego State in the Sweet Sixteen (82-52), Illinois in the Elite Eight (77-52), and Alabama in the Final Four (86-72), UConn is now just one step away from its sixth NCAA title glory.

Despite their impressive run, Dan Hurley's Naismith award had a mixed bag of reactions on X (formerly Twitter) from college hoops fans.

"DESERVED!," said one fan.

"Matt Painter [Purdue Head Coach] was robbed. But he will be rewarded tomorrow night," said another fan.

Some fans were happy as they found Dan Hurley deserving of this award because of his achievement and his chances of winning two consecutive NCAA titles this year.

"Congratulations Dan. You deserve it," said another fan.

Meanwhile, some of the fans suggested that Painter or Kyle Smith should've won it.

"Matt Painter should have won it but what do I know?"

"Should have been Kyle Smith. No one did more with less than him. How does a coach carried by the bestroster win coty [Coach of the Year]," stated one fan.

Some of the fans said that he is a great selector and is the creator of this roster.

"I think as long as we have Coach Hurley, Connecticut will draw some of the best talent in the nation."

Dan Hurley's UConn vs. Matt Painter's Purdue: Title Match Odds

Alabama v Connecticut

In the match for the NCAA title, Purdue and UConn will face each other on Monday at 9:20 PM EDT in State Farm Arena, Glendale, Arizona. Purdue boasts a 34-4 record, entering its first title game since 1969. On the other hand, UConn, standing at 36-3, aims to secure back-to-back championships for the first time since 2007.

According to SportLine, UConn will be the favorite to enter the match, despite the masterclass by Zach Edey. The spread favors UConn by 6.5 points, with an over/under set at 145.5 points. On the money line, UConn stands at -273, whereas Purdue stands at +222.