March 20, 2026, 7:42 p.m. ET
Dan Hurley has anxiety.
That’s not breaking information.
The UConn basketball coach is understood for his explosive sideline demeanor, particularly when interacting with officers and opposing followers.
But even after successful two nationwide championships, Hurley remains to be working on pins and needles because the second-seeded Huskies open the NCAA Tournament towards Furman at Xfinity Mobile Arena.
“The pre-game jitters, night before a game where you don’t sleep, none of that stuff dissipates by accomplishment,” the Jersey City native, Seton Hall alum and part-time Sea Girt resident stated in his pregame press convention. “If anything, it creates an even higher standard in your mind of what you want to achieve, which, you know, it definitely churns.”
Even after reaching the highest of his career, there’s rather a lot churning inside Hurley. The Big East fined him $25,000 for a confrontation with official John Gaffney during UConn’s remaining common season sport, a 68-62 loss at Marquette. Hurley acquired inside a whisker of Gaffney’s face however stopped simply in need of making contact.
But he stated it’s really simpler to coach, mental-health clever, in March Madness’s elimination-game setting.
“You have more anxiety November, December, January where you worry more about losing a game and the domino effect that it could have now on dragging you through a miserable season,” he defined. “Whereas when you get to this time of year, it’s like, you know, win or the season’s over is kind of, in a weird way, it’s kind of freeing, where you just go out, you play your heart out, you coach your heart out, and the next day, if you win, it’s survive advance and some level of joy. If you lose, you’re not picking the pieces up the next day. The pieces are gone.”
The UConn-Furman tip is 10 p.m. Friday. The sport is airing stay on TBS (stream with Sling).
Jerry Carino has coated the New Jersey sports activities scene since 1996 and the school basketball beat since 2003. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.
