The University of Connecticut has joined rarified air by winning its second consecutive NCAA men’s basketball championship. The Huskies dispatched Purdue University, 75-60, on April 8 in Phoenix to repeat as champions, the first time a men’s team in Division 1 did so since the University of Florida in 2007.
Sports can be superstitious business, and UConn head coach Dan Hurley leans into that, wearing dragon underwear during games.
“It feels to me almost like it’s putting on armor before the game,” he told TODAY on April 9.
“It kind of settles me down a little bit. It gives me some things to do because the entire team, they warm up out on the court with my entire staff, except me. And I’m back in the locker room just by myself, totally alone while everyone is out there about an hour before the game, so I just have a lot of time by myself.”
Hurley also said the underwear has become a bit of a headline grabbing item, which he has embraced.
“I think having some things that just make you feel kind of comfortable and relaxed, obviously, the dragon underwear have gotten a ton of attention,” he said.
“And most people think I only use the dragon underwear on game night in these high-stress situations, but I also, I’m very good to the dragon underwear because I’m going to wear them to the White House. I’m going to wear them at the parade next week in Hartford. I’m obviously going to wash them in between, I'm going to wash them in between, but I also reward them for a job well done.”
Hurley's son, Andrew, was a senior on this year's team. His dad said winning another title together was an experience he won't forget.
"You miss so much of your kids' lives as a coach, as a college coach, as a pro coach," he said.
"So to have him on the team with me these last four years, we've made up for a lot of lost time and, obviously, the last two years, to experience the absolute pinnacle of what you can do in this sport and to do it with your son and he's 43-0 in games he's played in at UConn, which is going to be a record that's kind of tough to beat."
The Huskies finished the season 37-3 and steamrolled their way through this year's tournament field, winning their six games by an NCAA record 140 combined points, as the school claimed its sixth national title, all since 1999. All told, the team has won 12 straight tournament games by at least 13 points, a first for any program.
“It’s a dream come true for us. We’ve had a historic season at UConn, and UConn is a tough place to have a historic season at because of all the incredible players and championship teams," Hurley told TODAY.
"But followed up last year’s national championship, to have an even better season, to set all-time records at the school in so many different categories, to win 37 games and to run through the NCAA Tournament again, it’s something that we worked towards for years, putting this organization together around talented and great team players."