NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
While the UConn Huskies have all their sights set on a return trip to the national championship on the line, it’s hard not to keep thinking about the crazy finish against Duke, where a halftime field goal sealed the victory in March Madness-worthy fashion.
But head coach Dan Hurley credited his wife, Andrea, whom he called “Jersey’s boss,” for making sure the Huskies didn’t do anything they might regret after that 3-pointer gave them a 73-72 lead, securing them a spot in the Final Four.
Hurley, who appeared on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take,” agreed with Dan “Big Cat” Katz when he mentioned how “amazing” Andrea was in making sure all the players and staff returned to the sideline after the shot.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
Head coach Dan Hurley of the Connecticut Huskies reacts in the first half of a quarterfinal game against the Villanova Wildcats during the Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 13, 2025 in New York City, New York. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
With 0.3 seconds left on the clock, the Huskies may have received a technical foul, which would result in free throws for Duke.
“Yeah, she’s a boss. She’s the boss of Jersey. And her language is colorful, too. I mean, she was grabbing people by the back of their warmups. And she doesn’t know anything about basketball, you know?” Hurley said.
ILLINOIS DEMOLS IOWA TO REACH FINAL FOUR AFTER DELAY DUE TO BUZZER MALFUNCTION
Hurley revealed the conversation he had with his wife after securing the Final Four spot.
“I told him on the plane, ‘This is crazy. Three out of every four years you’re going to the Final Four. Can you ever imagine this with your life?'” Hurley said.
“And she said, ‘I didn’t even know the Final Four existed until four years ago.’
Four years ago, Hurley made his first trip to the Final Four and the result was exactly what he expected: a national championship title.
Andrea Hurley, wife of UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley, watches the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame exhibition game between the UConn Huskies and the Boston College Eagles at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, on October 13, 2025. (Erica Denhoff/Sportswire Icon)
The Huskies were able to defend that title in 2024, maintaining their overall No. 1 ranking all year. But after losing in the second round to Florida in last year’s NCAA Tournament, the Huskies came looking for redemption.
They reached the No. 2 spot in the AP rankings, and are the No. 2 seed that will face No. 3 Illinois with a chance to return to the national championship next Monday.
But that wouldn’t have been the case if his players didn’t intercept a pass from Duke star Cam Boozer, son of Duke and NBA great Carlos Boozer, and Braylon Mullins hit a 3-pointer near the buzzer in a bizarre ending to their Elite Eight matchup.
UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley watches from the sideline as his team takes on the Columbia Lions at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Connecticut, on Nov. 10, 2025. (David Butler II/Image Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE Pak Gazette APP
At that point, UConn rallied from what was a 19-point deficit to upset the Blue Devils and earn a trip to Lucas Oil Stadium, where they will face Illinois, the nation’s top-ranked offense this year, for a spot in the finals.
The teams will kick off in Indianapolis at 6:09 p.m. ET on Saturday.
