Dan Hurley, UConn To Face First Real Test In Maui: 'The Games Don't Get Easier'
Dan Hurley’s 4-0 UConn Huskies have arrived in Maui, where they will learn more about their team this week than they have in months.
UConn will face the Memphis Tigers on Monday to kick off their draw of the Maui Invitational. The field in Maui is robust: Michigan State, North Carolina, Auburn, Iowa State, Colorado, and Dayton are all prepared to challenge the two-time defending national champion Huskies.
Hurley is aware of the talented Maui bracket, which he spoke to during a preseason “Coaches Chat with Andy Katz” affiliated with this week’s multi-team event in Hawaii.
“Great teams,” Hurley said.
“They're just awesome brands, and I think a bunch of teams that have Final Four aspirations so it's going to be a tough (tournament).”
“The games don't get easier; they just get tougher.”
UConn is thirsting for a barometer of its potential after four buy games to start the year, all of which the Huskies won in blowout fashion.
No team really knows itself and its most important players from top to bottom until it’s been tested, and UConn will likely be tested in Maui.
It’s been made clear through the first four games that the Huskies are talented offensively, but how good are they defensively, and how tough are they? That’s still unknown.
As if looking weeks ahead, Hurley told Katz during the first week of November that one of the biggest questions about his team was going to be its toughness.
“The biggest question mark with this team would be having that UConn toughness that our teams have had the last couple of years – that UConn defense and that edginess,” Hurley said.
“This is where we're trying to get this group.”
It’s going to be a fascinating week of college basketball in Maui.
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-6cddf44b9a81eadb9d1a4c19c1b3db49.jpeg "Colin Keane")
Colin Keane is a contributing journalist for "UConn Huskies On SI." Born in Illinois, Colin grew up in Massachusetts as the third of four brothers. For his high school education, Colin attended St. Mark's School (Southborough, MA), where he played basketball and soccer and served as student body president. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Villanova University. Colin currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "UConn Huskies On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org