The first round of the NCAA Tournament wrapped up Friday night with the No. 8 seed UConn Huskies securing a 67-59 victory over the No. 9 seed Oklahoma Sooners. This win extended UConn’s streak to 13 consecutive NCAA Tournament wins, tying them with the 1991-1993 Duke Blue Devils for the second-longest streak in tournament history. UConn now faces the No. 1 seed Florida Gators in the second round after Florida dominated Norfolk State 95-69 in their opening game.
Ahead of the Sunday matchup, UConn head coach Dan Hurley reflected on his team’s remarkable success and expressed excitement about facing the Gators, the last team to achieve back-to-back national championships before UConn’s recent titles in 2023 and 2024. Hurley highlighted the significance of this achievement, saying, “You know, there’s only three teams that have done what we’ve done… us, Duke, and Florida. To be able to face the last team that went back-to-back, there’s a lot of honor in that.”
Hurley also acknowledged that while his viral moments and antics might overshadow some of their accomplishments, the team’s success over the past few years has been remarkable. He added, “It’s been an amazing run, one of the best runs anyone’s had.” Prior to UConn’s back-to-back titles, Florida’s 2005-2007 teams were the last to win consecutive championships.
Looking ahead, Hurley knows that to extend their streak, UConn will have to beat a Florida team that has been one of the hottest in the country, led by first-team All-American guard Walter Clayton Jr. Despite the challenges, Hurley remains confident. He stated, “If it wasn’t for all my antics and viral moments, obviously there’d be more focus on just what we’ve accomplished as a program over the last three years.”
Regarding their first-round victory, Hurley emphasized the importance of defense in securing the win, something that has at times been a weakness for UConn this season. “Our defense won this game for us today,” Hurley noted. “I’m just thrilled to be advancing in the tournament. It feels… it feels normal.”