NCAA analyst sheds light on Dan Hurley's recruitment style: “That’s what we saw last year”
NCAA analyst Evan Miyakawa shed light on how UConn coach Dan Hurley assembled his team during the offseason. The Huskies won the last two college basketball titles and are favored to make it three in a row this coming season and Miyakawa believes how Hurley built his team in the transfer portal era was the key factor in this successful run.
During the latest episode of the "Locked On UConn" podcast, Miyakawa told host Mark Zanetto that Hurley's recruitment model is the best fit in the transfer portal era:
"You can get them from the transfer portal. You can get them from the high school ranks. You can re-recruit your own guys and keep them to stay for multiple years. What is the best way to do it and UConn [recruitment method] is the model," Miyakawa said.
(from 5:27 mark onwards)
Aside from acquiring quality recruits from the transfer portal and the high school ranks, UConn has successfully retained the quality players they had from the previous season.
This was evident in its championship run this past season. UConn kept a bunch of key players from its 2023 national championship victory and acquired high-level transfers and freshmen who filled in the holes left off by graduating stars.
"I think that's what we saw last year with guys like Tristan Newton, Donovan Clingan and Alex Karaban returning that was huge for UConn and that's the bulk of why they were successful last year," Miyakawa said.
"But then you get transfers or freshmen in like a Steph Castle for example who's going to raise the level, that's kind of the sweet spot where you want to be," he added.
(from 5:57 mark onwards)
The analyst believes Dan Hurley will continue to thrive with this process despite other teams adapting the similar formula that UConn applies to win it all.
Dan Hurley's UConn shows its might, beats Rhode Island in exhibition game
Dan Hurley's UConn Huskies gave a glimpse of what to expect for the 2024-25 college basketball season, beating Rhode Island 102-75 in an exhibition game on Monday.
UConn punished Rhode Island with backbreaking runs in the second half to turn a four-point halftime lead into a lopsided win at the Mohegan Sun Arena. Sophomore guard Solomon Ball topped the Huskies' offense, tallying 18 points, five rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
Junior Alex Karaban was workmanlike, finishing with 13 points, eight boards and four assists while transfers Aidan Mahaney and Tarris Reed impressed fans. Mahaney scored 17, including three 3-pointers while Reed came up with eight markers and 10 rebounds.
Five-star recruit Liam McNeeley bucked foul trouble and came up with 10 points. Ranked No. 3 in the first AP college basketball poll, UConn will formally open the season on Nov. 6 against Sacred Heart.