Dan Hurley May Have Just Jinxed UConn's Title Hopes By Calling Them 'Bulletproof'
If you’re a UConn Huskies men's basketball fan, you’re probably not thrilled with head coach Dan Hurley at the moment.
Don’t get me wrong, he’s doing a phenomenal job at maximizing his roster’s potential. In total, they’ve won 33 games this season (March Madness games included), claimed the Big East tournament crown, and have bulldozed their way to the Sweet 16. Hurley has kept his guys focused, and they’re holding up their end of the bargain with blowout win after blowout win.
Dan Hurley (left) and Stephon Castle (number 5) look poised ot repeat as champions. But they might be too confident in their own abilities. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
They look fantastic on both sides of the ball, are right now the most complete team in the tournament, and look poised to repeat as national champions.
Hurley knows that, which isn’t a problem. The problem is that he’s willing to proclaim it to the rest of the world.
After steamrolling Northwestern 75-58 in the Round of 32, Hurley proclaimed that UConn is practically unbeatable.
"We are bulletproof," Hurley said. "Again, elite offense, elite defense."
Hurley Expressed A Potentially Catastrophic Level Of Confidence In His Team
The second part of his quote isn’t a lie. UConn has averaged scoring 81.6 points per game while giving up just 63.9. In every sense, the Huskies are a juggernaut.
But calling yourself "bulletproof" - and proudly proclaiming that to your competition - is one of the most foolish things you can possibly do. Any team that thinks they simply cannot be stopped will inevitably stop assessing themselves to find ways to improve, or will stop taking their opponents seriously.
Take Tom Brady before Super Bowl XLII as an example. The Patriots at this point were 18-0 and were the definition of football perfection.
So when New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress said the 18-0 New England Patriots would only score 17 points in that game, Brady scoffed at the idea, a sign that he wildly underestimated how much of a fight the Giants could give them.
What happened during that epic title game? The Giants’ defense outdid Burress’ prediction, stifling Brady & Co. en route to a 17-14 win.
As the old saying goes, "pride goes before a fall." It’s that same pride and arrogance Brady had about his team that is riddled within Hurley's comments.
UConn Will Have A Tough Time Getting to the Final Four
To be fair, Hurley and UConn could still massacre every team they face en route to another title. But at the same time, there’s a real possibility that they could fail to get out of their own region.
I’m not saying that the San Diego State Aztecs are going to beat them in the Sweet 16, I think the Huskies win that game by at least 15.
But Illinois or Iowa State? Those teams could certainly send UConn packing.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 17: Illinois Fighting Illini guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (0) and Coleman Hawkins (33) lead a team that could be UConn's biggest challenge in repeating as national champions. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Fighting Illini have a quarter of well-rounded, savvy scorers each capable of dropping 12 each in a game - Terrence Shannon Jr., Dain Dainja, Coleman Hawkins, and Marcus Domask. That’s a fearsome combination that would give any defense nightmares. If these guys get hot, they can beat anyone in the tournament.
Then there are the Cyclones, the Big 12 champs who, as of right now, boast the best defense in the country according to KenPom. They’re not scared of anyone either; they beat the then AP Poll No. 1 Houston Cougars by 28 in their conference final.
So, is UConn truly the best team in the tournament? At the moment, they are. But they are not unbeatable, and from here on out, winning games will only get tougher for Hurley and his squad.
We’ll see just how bulletproof they are in the next few days.