“Take a page out of Coach Sampson’s book”: Dan Hurley aims to mirror one part of Houston’s gameplan for UConn
Dan Hurley will stop at nothing to make his UConn side perfect ahead of the 2024-25 season. Although the Huskies enjoyed a strong outing in a 102-75 exhibition game win against the Rhode Island Rams yesterday, the Huskies coach believes there is a concern in defensive rebounding that needs to be addressed.
While the Huskies had the 41-40 edge in terms of overall rebounding, they allowed the Rams to grab 18 offensive boards.
While addressing the media in the post-game press conference, Hurley hinted at delving into Houston Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson's playbook.
"Obviously, the defensive rebounding thing, we've got to get that thing figured out," said Hurley per the CT Post. "Then, obviously, the low post thing, whether we start trapping at a la Houston and take a page out of Coach Sampson's book. We've got to look for a remedy there."
Last season, the Huskies averaged 38.8 rebounds, while their opponents averaged 30.1. However, they lost a key contributor in center Donovan Clingan, the team's leading rebounder at 7.4 boards per game.
Tarris Reed Jr., a transfer from Michigan, will be tasked to replace Clingan in the middle this season.
Kelvin Sampson topped Dan Hurley for AP Coach of the Year last season
While Dan Hurley is generally considered one of the best coaches in the country, Kelvin Sampson is right up there as well. In fact, he edged out Hurley last year to win the AP Coach of the Year. Sampson is one of just 10 coaches to win the award multiple times, while Hurley has yet to win one.
After leading the Cougars to a 30-4 record before the NCAA Tournament, Sampson got 23 of 62 votes from the national panel that votes for the weekly AP Top 25. Hurley finished a close second with 21 votes.
However, Hurley still had his share of accolades. Aside from successfully defending their national title by beating the Purdue Boilermakers 75-60 in the final, Hurley was named the Big East Coach of the Year as well as the Naismith College Coach of the Year.
Dan Hurley and the reigning champions will begin their season on November 6 with a game against the Sacred Heart Pioneers in front of the UConn faithful at Storrs.