Huskies accomplished three major goals this season

West Lafayette, Ind. — On the flight to Indiana for the NCAA tournament early last week, coach Dan Hurley reflected on UConn's journey this season.

Hurley checked a list of preseason goals he drafted in the notes section of his cellphone on September 1. The Huskies accomplished the three major ones in year three of his rebuilding plan.

Finish in the top three or four in the Big East.

Earn an NCAA tournament at-large bid.

Show major growth in the program from year two to year three.

Check, check and check.

"It's incredibly gratifying," Hurley said on Friday, the day before seventh-seeded UConn was beaten by No. 10 Maryland, 63-54, in the NCAA tournament East Region first round at Mackey Arena.

Hurley also wrote down, "reassess based on what you think we'll be able to do."

UConn entered the tournament with potential to make a run.

Easier said than done.

Hurley is aware of the enormous expectations that come with coaching at UConn, which has a proud postseason history that includes four national championships. Since 1999, the program has a stunning 39-9 record in its last 13 NCAA appearances.

These Huskies, who placed third in their return to the Big East, have more steps to take before reaching that elite level again. But they're making progress.

"We took a big step," Hurley said. "It's hard when you coach at UConn with everything that's Geno's done and coach Calhoun and Kevin (Ollie), and all the national championships to bow your chest out about just getting back in.

"But when you look at where it was a couple of years ago, just what we were putting on the floor in terms of quality and being in the American and now being back in the Big East and being a tournament team again and having a potential high draft pick, a top 10 (recruiting) class coming in, it's hard not to sit in this bubble and just not feel really good about where you're at."

Valuable advice

While UConn's players lacked postseason experience prior to Saturday, the coaching staff didn't.

In fact, three staff members own national championship rings.

Kevin Freeman played for UConn's first national title team in 1999 while fellow assistant coach Tom Moore served on Jim Calhoun's staff that season as well as the 2004 national title year. Taliek Brown, the director of player development, was the starting point guard for the 2004 champs.

Hurley also has tournament experience, coaching Rhode Island to NCAA tournament trips in 2017 and 2018. The Rams won a game each time before losing in the second round.

"I keep asking Taliek and Kevin and Tom Moore how to win the national championship," Hurley said. "They haven't told me anything yet that I could use tangibly."

What Brown, Freeman and Moore have done in the week leading up to the game is prepare the Huskies for their moment on the March Madness stage. They've told stories and offered advice.

"They're our resources," redshirt junior R.J. Cole said. "They've been through the fire, so they'll be able to help us weather the storm. They've been a big help. They've been talking to us through what it's been like, what it was like for them when they were in the tournament and what we should expect. They've been a great help for us."

Hurley, Turgeon battle again

Saturday's game wasn't the first time Hurley and Maryland's Mark Turgeon coached against each other.

In 2015, Hurley's Rhode Island team lost to No. 2 Maryland, 86-63, in the finals of the Cancun Challenge in Mexico. The two coaches had a heated verbal exchange on the sidelines late in the game and both received technical fouls. They continued to go at each other before walking off the court.

At the time, Hurley told the Providence Journal, "It was a championship game. We both wanted to win the game. There was some frustration on both sides, and that's that."