“We don’t have to be as good as we were last year”: UConn HC Dan Hurley shares a strong message for team’s potential 3-peat run 

Dan Hurley led UConn to their second consecutive national title in April. Following what was a dominant regular season, the Huskies defeated Purdue in the national championship game to retain the crown. Undoubtedly, there've been talks about the possibility of a three-peat next year.

Ahead of the upcoming season, Dan Hurley believes his team doesn't have to be as good as they were last season to retain the national championship. UConn suffered only three losses last season, blowing out a lot of teams on its way to achieving its ultimate goal:

"We should be comparing who we are and where we are to other college programs," Hurley said. "We don't have to be as good as we were last year to win championships next year. Because no one can get close to how good we were."

Dan Hurley believes Alex Karaban's situation is a win-win

Alex Karaban was undoubtedly UConn's best player in the previous season. The forward now faces the dilemma of returning to college basketball or going to the NBA ahead of next season. Dan Hurley believes his decision will be a brilliant one for the Huskies whichever way it goes:

“Alex has earned as much time as he needs," Hurley said. "Alex's situation is a total win-win … With Alex's situation, I think at some point, you know, 'Does the NBA really want you?' You know. Alex is a really smart guy. He and his family, I think it's a pretty cut-and-dry situation for him.”

UConn has plans in place in case Karaban decides to depart, with the coaching staff closely monitoring several power forwards as potential additions. His exit to the NBA would leave the Huskies with two available scholarships, but they would likely opt to fill only one of them.

The 2023 'Fab 5’ to get their chance

Four of UConn's “Fab Five'' of the 2023 recruiting class will be returning next season. This is expected to be a big boost for the team on route to retaining the national title. Dan Hurley believes some of these guys will finally get their chance in the team in the 2024-25 season:

"We just feel great that some of these young guys are going to finally get a chance," Hurley said. "Or, we just recruited them, and we feel like they're ready to go right away.

“I think Jaylin and Solo have a chance to make a huge jump, as you've seen freshmen to sophomores have made for us. I think we expect that, they expect that.”

Considering the depth of UConn’s roster, the program has a strong chance of retaining the national championship next season. The Huskies eye history in the 2023-24 season as they aim to become the first team to record a March Madness three-peat since UCLA achieved the feat in the 1960s.

The Bruins won the national title for an astonishing seven consecutive seasons under John Wooden from 1967-1973. That is a huge record perhaps too far away from Dan Hurley’s team just now.

Do you think UConn can three-peat next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.