"That league is just a total monster": Dan Hurley previews Jeremiah Fears' Oklahoma ahead of UConn's NCAA tournament game

Dan Hurley previewed the UConn Huskies' NCAA opening round game against Oklahoma while talking to the media after his program was handed the eighth seed in the West region. On Sunday, Hurley commended Sooners coach Porter Andrew Moser and his leadership acumen in a tough Southeastern Conference.

He also highlighted the caliber of the SEC All-Freshman Team inductee Jeremiah Fears, praising the team's confidence throughout the season.

"Porter is a great tournament coach, he's proved that in his career," Hurley said (at 2:11). "Winning the Bahamas was huge, they had an incredible amount of confidence, a lot of huge wins and then that league is just a total monster.

"I mean watching their conference tournament quarterfinals and on was like, some serious basketball being played there. So, they come from a great league. UConn Oklahoma is a fun matchup, great, one of the best freshmen in the country, obviously Moore is an excellent wing."

Dan Hurley's crew face the Sooners on Mar. 21 at the Lenovo Center.

Porter Andrew Moser mounted a dream run with Loyola Chicago, orchestrating the Ramblers to a Final Four run in 2018. The former Coach of the Year has a 6-2 NCAA winning record, three MVC championships and a CBI trophy under his belt.

Jeremiah Fears came to Moser's roster as the 25th-best recruit in the nation after withdrawing his talent from Illinois. He has averaged 17.0 points and 4.1 assists on 43.6% shooting this season, solidifying himself as a top-15 pick in mock drafts by major outlets.

The guard has also showcased the ability to switch things up as he averaged 28.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.0 steals on a 47.3% clip in the SEC tournament.

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Porter Andrew Moser on facing Dan Hurley's UConn

Dan Hurley is the defending champion coach of the NCAA tournament, having won the title for two consecutive years. Despite UConn Huskies' struggles, he is aiming for nothing short of a three-peat this season.

Porter Andrew Moser understands the level of basketball Hurley can showcase. However, he is aiming to take on the journey one game at a time.

"There's a lot of little things that go into this but it's belief, it's preparation, it's one game at a time and then it's this mentality, you're chasing it," Moser said in an interview with Tulsa World on Sunday.

"We've played the best of the best and we're going to be playing the best of the best - defending two-time national champions. But it's time to go compete one at a time."

Even though both coaches have gripped their respective programs for some years now, Friday will mark the first-ever face-off between Dan Hurley and Porter Andrew Moser's teams.