Dan Hurley reveals the key to putting SDSU away in second half of Sweet 16 game
UConn and San Diego State are running back the 2023 National Championship matchup, except this time, it’s in the Sweet Sixteen. At halftime, UConn leads the Aztecs 40-31. Before heading into the locker room, Huskies head coach Dan Hurley revealed how his team can secure the win in the second half.
“It’s gonna take a full 20 [minutes],” Hurley told Andy Katz. “These are two teams that met in the national championship game. Neither one of us is gonna go quietly into the night.”
History is on UConn’s side. When the two teams met with the national title on the line last year, the Huskies ran away with a comfortable 76-59 victory. UConn is 20 minutes away from eliminating San Diego State from March Madness again.
Despite UConn’s convincing lead at halftime, the team struggled in the first half, only shooting 39.5% from the field. Nevertheless, the Huskies made up for the inefficiency on the glass, hauling in 12 offensive boards compared to San Diego State’s five.
Cam Spencer was the only UConn player who shot above 50% from the floor in the first half. The senior guard exploded for 16 points and three rebounds while shooting 6-9 from the field and 2-3 from beyond the arc.
Hurley knows the Huskies would be in dangerous territory if it wasn’t for Spencer’s hot hand in the first half.
“We got off to a great start offensively by everybody and then everybody went cold except for Cam,” Hurley said. “Cam helped us close the half, so ‘Killer Cam’ has been great.”
Now, Dan Hurley and Co. will look to put its foot on the pedal and leave San Diego State playing catch-up. The game will resume shortly.
Dan Hurley criticizes current state of transfer portal
Hurley has more to worry about than the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Transfer Portal is already raging while the postseason marches on. On Wednesday, Hurley pulled back the curtain on his feelings on the transfer portal.
“I think we could wait until we get to maybe the conclusion of the season,” Hurley said. “That would be nice. It almost feels like in a way right now teams that are really, really successful and having great seasons, it’s almost becoming pro sports, where it feels like we’re going to have the last pick in the draft.”