{"id":693198,"date":"2026-04-02T03:41:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T03:41:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/693198\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T03:41:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T03:41:19","slug":"battle-tested-uconn-men-embrace-underdog-role-entering-the-final-four","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/693198\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Battle-tested\u2019 UConn men embrace underdog role entering the Final Four"},"content":{"rendered":"

Even after the UConn men\u2019s basketball<\/a> team achieved the improbable last Sunday by erasing a 19-point deficit and beating top-seeded Duke in the Elite Eight, sports analysts across the country continue doubting the Huskies.<\/p>\n

In fact, No. 2 UConn is currently a 2.5-point underdog entering its Final Four matchup against No. 3 Illinois in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis at 6:09 p.m. Saturday.<\/p>\n

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The point spread comes despite the fact the Huskies handedly beat the Illini 74-61 earlier this season at a neutral site.<\/p>\n

RELATED: Solo Ball leads No. 5 UConn to victory over No. 13 Illinois at Madison Square Garden<\/a><\/p>\n

UConn also set an NCAA record with its active 18-game winning streak in games played in or after the Sweet 16.<\/p>\n

While a contingent of so-called experts is picking against the Huskies, head coach Dan Hurley isn\u2019t fazed. Two wins away from a seventh national championship, his program isn\u2019t seeking any validation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe haven\u2019t had an easy draw to this point, you know\u2026 We\u2019re battle-tested,\u201d Hurley said in a press conference on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

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If UConn is to cut down the nets in Indianapolis, Hurley knows he must get more from his perimeter shooters, specifically junior guard Solo Ball and freshman guard Braylon Mullins.<\/p>\n

Despite Mullins\u2019 heroic 35-foot shot to beat Duke with 0.4 seconds left, he and Ball have both struggled to make shots consistently during March Madness.<\/p>\n

Entering this weekend, Hurley says he has cooked up a new scheme that could get both scorers better shots against Illinois.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a lot of hope that we\u2019re going to do some things that tactically we\u2019re not doing for our shooters that I think we\u2019ll be able to do in Indianapolis to get them better looks. They\u2019re some fundamental, tactical strategies to get Solo, to get Braylon even better looks,\u201d Hurley said.<\/p>\n

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If these two players can get it going offensively, UConn will be very difficult to stop. Hurley is confident they will both perform at a high level in the Final Four.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019re excited to try to implement that for those guys. Those guys are awesome shooters. They\u2019re great shooters. Hopefully, now the pressure\u2019s off, and they can just relax. And hopefully, it starts raining threes,\u201d Hurley said.<\/p>\n

As he prepares for his third Final Four appearance in four years, UConn\u2019s two-time national champion head coach spoke highly of senior center Tarris Reed Jr., who has had an NCAA Tournament for the ages.<\/p>\n

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Through four regional games, Reed scored 87 points and grabbed an incredible 54 rebounds.<\/p>\n

Hurley reflected on Reed\u2019s journey from being a top-tier recruit to having struggles at Michigan and transferring amid a difficult coaching situation.<\/p>\n

From the beginning, UConn\u2019s coaching staff believed Reed had potential to be great.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith Tarris, we knew\u2026 he needed UConn, how hard we fight, the fire that I coach with, the fire that the program plays with and the intensity we have here,\u201d Hurley said. \u201cHe needed that injected into his veins as a player\u2026 The motor, the relentlessness, that was the missing piece for him because he\u2019s so skilled and such a freak.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Hurley explained that all players develop at a different pace. In Reed\u2019s case, for UConn, it\u2019s better late than never, as he\u2019s finally cracked the ceiling on being an elite college big man.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt clicks for different people at different times in their career. Hopefully, the light switch has gone on for him and will stay on for him to finish the tournament and then in his pro NBA career. But this is just who he is now,\u201d Hurley said.<\/p>\n

RELATED: UConn fans rally in Storrs to send men’s team off to the Final Four in Indy<\/a><\/p>\n

As the Huskies continue to embrace the role of the underdog with a chip on their shoulder, Hurley reminded the public that this is still a 33-win team.<\/p>\n

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After losing out on the Big East regular season and tournament titles, the Huskies are still hungry too.<\/p>\n

Hurley spoke further to the depth of UConn\u2019s roster, as anyone can step up on any given night.<\/p>\n

As the team grows healthier and more confident, there\u2019s no reason the Huskies can\u2019t be national champions this time next week.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis team has just been resilient and incredibly great,\u201d Hurley said. \u201cThe whole reason why we came here was to get to a place where you could achieve those elite experiences, championship moments, play at the top of the sport, be in contention to get to this time of year.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Dalton Zbierski is a story desk editor and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at\u00a0dzbierski@FOX61.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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