University of Connecticut Athletics
UCONN MBB HAS BUILT-IN MOTIVATION
6/11/2021 8:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball
UConn Athletic Communications / June 11, 2021
STORRS, Conn. – It's no secret that the 2020-21 basketball season did not end the way the UConn men's team would have liked. Despite the significant forward strides made by the program throughout the season – a successful transition to the BIG EAST Conference, an appearance in the Top 25, a return to the NCAA Tournament – the way the Huskies brought their season to a close left a poor taste in their collective mouth.
Especially the last 45:07.
That would encompass the last 5:07 of UConn's 59-56 loss to Creighton in the semifinals of the BIG EAST Tournament and the entire 40 minutes of its 63-54 defeat by Maryland in first round of the NCAAs. Considering they were far from the Huskies' finest minutes of the season, better to forget the past and start fresh as the team prepares for 2021-22, right?
Not so fast.
Not only does coach Dan Hurley want his players to remember the last 45:07, he wants them to bring it up often in 2021-22 – like every time they need motivation.
"There's not a program in the country that's going to have a bigger chip on their shoulder going into the year," Hurley said Friday, addressing the media in a face-to-face press conference for the first time in 15 months. "I think we all feel confident that we achieved some goals, but none of us are walking around the building patting each other on the back about how we did last year."
Hence, the references to 45:07 – which is left on the scoreboard in the Werth Center, appears on tee shirts the Huskies wear, and randomly shows up on laptops Â
"You need things that are driving you," Hurley said. "Like, these guys are in a lift and somebody doesn't want to finish his last set – somebody's got to in there yelling '45:07.' You don't want to watch film as a coach on July 3 at 6 o'clock because you want to go food shopping for a barbeque the next day --- 45:07. You need that to drive you."
Deprived of spring and summer workouts last year by the pandemic, UConn is determined to have a full off-season of development this year. All the Huskies are already on campus, participating in the four hours of coaching allowed per week. UConn has nine scholarship players returning from last season and three incoming freshmen.
"We take full advantage of every second we can spend together," the UConn coach said. "A lot of college programs talk about player development as part of a recruiting pitch – we live it. We're practicing four days a week – it's very fast-paced, very competitive. We're focused on how we're going to play next year – try to extend the court more defensively, pressure more, play faster, get out in transition more. We have a very athletic team."
An athletic team that figures to play an exciting brand of basketball – the type pf game that should excite the fans as they also return to a more normal season.
"There was so much that went on (last year)," Hurley said. "Going to the Big East Tournament, where normally, there are fans on the streets and instead, we're in quarantine. And then we go to Indy (NCAA Tournament), and you couldn't even explain how bizzare that was, how different than a normal NCAA experience.
"We're so excited that there's a First Night on the horizon and a Big East first game back, with the fans back. We all missed the fans. You have no idea how much the fans mean to sports. Sports without fans are just not it. We can't wait for the fans to come back."Â Â
