How UConn set the blueprint for the future of college basketball
UConn set the formula of how to build a championship winning team over the course of the last two years. The future is now in college basketball.
Led by Dan Hurley, the Huskies won back to back national championships with the same type of players in key spots. Veteran guards and dominant big men. It’s almost like it was an old school approach while using the transfer portal.
On3’s Andy Staples and James Fletcher broke down what’s next for teams across the country and how they’ll try to replicate that success.
“Tough, old guards, we’ve always said that’s how you win in the NCAA Tournament,” Staples said on his show Tuesday. “Tough, old guards, and then you throw the one and done in next to him and all of a sudden it’s pretty tough to deal with.”
Basically, build an NBA-type roster. Easy right? Well it’s certainly easier with the transfer portal and NIL these days.
UConn did it, which means others will try and follow suit.
“We have seen the formula, what the successful team looks like here,” Fletcher said. “UConn has paved the way. I think some of these other teams in the NCAA Tournament, who had great success did. NC State you can even look at. A dominant big man and veteran guards around him. It doesn’t matter how old that center is.
“But if you have that dominant centerpiece, and then guards around him, you’re going to be successful in college basketball. That’s why centers and point guards are the ones who are drawing the most attention in the transfer portal. That’s why they’re really hard to come by. But if you can find one, you can have success deep into the season.”
Even Hurley was asked after UConn won the national title: how did you do this? Winning back to back in this era seemed unthinkable.
UConn did it so others must be able to right? Not necessarily but the Huskies showed it is possible.“I mean, I think that’s probably for you guys to decide,” Hurley said postgame. “Obviously it’s a special run. Yeah, I mean, shit, we’re going to try to replicate it again. We’re going to maintain a championship culture. We’re bringing in some very talented high school freshmen. Our returning players, through player development, will take a big jump. We’ll strategically add through the portal. I don’t think that we’re going anywhere.”