“Donovan Clingan was a cheat code”: Dan Hurley reminisces ex-UConn star’s defense; details plan vs Gonzaga’s Graham Ike and Braden Huff
Ahead of UConn's game against Gonzaga in Madison Square Garden, coach Dan Hurley discussed the team's game plan for the hotly contested matchup.
In an episode of "The UConn Daily," Hurley reminisced on big man Donovan Clingan and his tenacity inside as the 51-year-old will now have to recalibrate schemes on how to stop Bulldogs' Graham Ike and Braden Huff with his new set of Huskies.
"Donovan was a cheat code for us defensively. What he did at the rim, what he would do to really good offensive players in the post, we don't have that (anymore)," Hurley said. (10:20)
Despite no longer having Clingan, who has been carving out a role with the NBA's Portland Trailblazers, Hurley is optimistic about how his team can contain the likes of Ike and Huff.
"I do think we've been better at guarding the post without fouling since we've gotten back from the MTE. We gotta work it out for us with those two guys (Ike and Huff)," he shared. (10:40)
Hurley then commended the Gonzaga frontcourt duo as it will be a hefty task for his players like Tarris Reed Jr. and Liam McNeeley to limit the two Bulldogs.
"I think, without question, the best tandem of centers offensively in terms of their ability to scare in the ball screen game," Hurley stated. (11:00)
Currently, in the 2024-25 season, Ike is averaging 15.3 points and seven rebounds a game, while Huff is contributing 12.2 markers per contest. The former, specifically, has been integral to Gonzaga's success as he is coming off a 28-point performance in an 89-90 OT loss to Kentucky last Dec. 7.
With the kind of frontcourt Gonzaga is fielding, players like McNeeley will have to be at their best in defending the ball inside and grabbing defensive rebounds and second chances.
The UConn-Gonzaga matchup will commence at 8:00 p.m. ET. in Madison Square Garden and will be available to watch on TV through Fox. Both powerhouse squads are looking for their eighth win of the year.
Hurley says they're fortunate that both Gonzaga bigs are lefties
Later on in the interview, Hurley further discussed how good both Ike and Huff really are. But, in true Hurley fashion, he jokingly and seriously considered that the fact that Ike and Huff are dominant on one side could be one of their keys to victory.
"The only thing that strangely helps a little bit is like, you are preparing for they're both kinds of lefties. If maybe one's was a righty and the other was a lefty, it be even worse," Hurley said. (11:40)
Besides their dominant hands, however, Hurley and the Huskies will have to take it up another notch if UConn will look to take down Gonzaga.