REPEATING IS HISTORY
UConn begins quest to be first team with back-to-back titles since ’06-07
Dan Hurley gave his returning players two weeks to enjoy last seanational on’s title. Then, it was time to get ack to work. Sure, there were trips to e White House, Fenway ark and Yankee Stadium ixed in, but by the end of pril, workouts had begun r the 2023-24 season. The hard-driving Connecwas cut coach going to tart early in eliminating the otential for a post-champihangover. nship “It’s really easy to get sethinking uced into it’s goeasy g to be to do it again, r it’s going to be easy to ake another run. Espewe ially when did it in such ominant fashion like we id last year,” Hurley said hursday, as his Huskies, the top seed in the East Region, prepared to begin their title defense against No. 16 Stetson at Barclays Center, looking to become the first back-to-back champion since Florida in 2006-07. “I’ve been tougher on the group throughout the season because I’ve just been trying to root out any form of complacency or entitlement with this team. You’re not entitled to anything, especially this time of year.”
An argument can be made that Connecticut (31-3) is better this year than the team that cut down the nets last April in Houston. That team was a No. 4 seed and failed to win either the Big East regular season or postseason tournament. This group has just one loss at full strength, is the overall No. 1 seed and s one of three eams ranked n the top 15 in offensive first) and defensive (13th) efficiency. Perhaps what makes hese Huskies so unique given their alent level s the desperation they play with. They are an elite defensive team, they are 10th in rebounding margin and can win in a variety of ways. In the Big East Tournament semifinals, UConn outscored St. John’s in a shootout. The next night, it overwhelmed Marquette, the second seed in the Midwest Region, with defense and physicality. The Huskies can beat you at your style.
It begins with Hurley. He admittedly has been harder on this team this year, more intense and demanding in practice. More of a perfectionist, harping on every detail. He spoke to a number of coaches in the offseason about trying to repeat, from Billy Donovan to Tom Izzo and Jay Wright to Mike Krzyzewski. The message from Donovan, the coach of those Florida teams: Don’t chase a repeat. If you obsess over it, “it’s going to make you crazy,” Donovan, the Bulls coach, told him.
Early on, he set the bar high. He singled out the path — from Brooklyn to Boston to Phoenix — which Connecticut would have as
the No. 1 seed in the East Region.
“That was something we had targeted for a while,” assistant coach Luke Murray said. “That’s probably why we won in the first place, that sort of attitude of being able to move onto the next thing. The same thing applies this year, you come off a great win, you have to be able to turn the page quickly and get right back to the next thing.”
Another significant factor is so many players in this group have different roles or weren’t a part of those champions. Donovan Clingan was a backup. Alex Karaban was a role player. Samson Johnson and Hassan Diarra are key cogs to the second unit. Freshman Stephon Castle and impact Rutgers transfer Cam Spencer are new. Despite many familiar faces, it is a different team, one that several Big East coaches believe is an improved version.
“If you go up to this point, by the first round, yes. But we have to win it all to say we were better than the team last year,” said Diarra, a Queens native. “I was on last year’s team, so maybe that’s a little bit of motivation.”
It is clearly a motivated team. The results back that up. Hurley wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Coach has a motto: Reign and repeat. We live through that motto and we want to do that,” Diarra said. “He doesn’t talk about [Florida in 2006-07], but he talks about us making history and how we have a big opportunity to do so.” zbraziller@nypost.com