UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley Sounds Off After Losing To Florida
Fresh off a 77-75 loss to the No.1 seed Florida Gators, UConn head coach Dan Hurley was not happy about his squad’s three-peat hopes being spoiled.
As he was heading into UConn’s locker room, Hurley issued an explicit warning about the officials while walking past Baylor’s basketball team.
“Hope they don’t (redacted) you like they (redacted) us,” said Hurley. “I hope they don’t do that to you, Baylor. I hope they don’t do that to you guys.”
Although UConn was much more efficient from the line, shooting 86% compared to Florida’s 64%, they shot 12 less free-throws than the Gators.
While Florida’s free-throw struggles slowed them, they scored at a better rate from three (47.4%) and the field (46%). 47.4% (9-19).
Ultimately, Hurley paid his respect to Florida and acknowledged the silver lining in losing to the Gators.
“If it’s going to come to an end for us, I wouldn’t have wanted it to be in a game where we lost to a lower seed,” Hurley said. “There’s some honor, I guess, in the way that this went down.”
As usual, Florida was led by First-Team All-American guard Walter Clayton Jr, who finished with 23 points while knocking down five three pointers.
The SEC Tournament Player of the Year turned it on late in the game, nailing a clutch three-pointer to take the lead with less than three minutes left.
“Credit Clayton,” Hurley said. “He made some NBA level 3s off the dribble to beat us. It took that for somebody to put us down in this tournament after obviously winning a bunch in a row here.”
Next, Florida will face the winner of No.4 Maryland and No.12 Colorado State. This is the Gators’ first time reaching the Sweet 16 since 2017 when they lost 77-70 to South Carolina.
