"My f**king Oura ring is ready to explode": Dan Hurley gets honest on the pressures of UConn's season

The UConn Huskies, coached by Dan Hurley, just had a nail-biting finish against an unranked conference opponent on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The back-to-back defending champions defeated the Villanova Wildcats by seven points, 66-59, on their homefloor to earn their 10th Big East victory of the season, 19th overall.

Freshman standout Liam McNeeley led the charge with another double-digit scoring outing, with a game-high 20 markers, including a perfect 9-for-9 clip from the foul line, seven rebounds and two assists. Providing a spark off the bench was junior center Tarris Reed Jr., who pitched in 13 points, nine boards, three dimes and a block in 27 minutes of action.

During the post-game presser, however, Hurley opened up about the pressures of being at the center of UConn's bid for a national championship three-peat. It hasn't exactly been a season for the Huskies in that direction, as they've had their fair share of inconsistencies when it comes to racking up victories.

"I don't know what it is, man. We've had it so good, now you can add this one too like the down 14 against DePaul, win at Marquette, heartbreaker versus St. John's in a game where you're minus 15 turnovers and it's a one-possession game with 30 seconds to go, win at Creighton, lose that over the weekend. And now, get down 14 against this team and win," Hurley shared.

"I can't imagine what our fans, I mean I know what my nerves are like. My f*ck*ng Oura ring is ready to explode," he added.

An Oura ring is a smart finger accessory that tracks a user's sleep and physical state. Given that Hurley is usually seen with his expressive behavior on the sidelines while dealing with the pressure of bringing the powerhouse program another national championship, there's no doubt that the tenured tactitian makes use of the ring to check on his well-being.

Taking a look into the UConn Huskies' road for a national title three-peat

Following their win over the Villanova Wildcats on Tuesday, the UConn Huskies will have five games left in the 2024-2025 regular season before post-season play begins. Two of their remaining opponents, however, will be against ranked programs — through which Dan Hurley and Co. will have to lock in for a successful Big East tournament run, given that they are no longer nationally ranked.

The journey starts with a rematch against the No. 10-ranked St. John's Red Storm on Sunday, Feb. 23, in Madison Square Garden, followed by a Feb. 27 face-off against the unranked Georgetown Hoyas on their homecourt. Their final ranked opposition will be the 16th-ranked team in the nation, the Marquette Golden Eagles, on March 5 at home.