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Headlines
Hello DC, Goodbye Luke
Dan Hurley’s Huskies are in the Sweet 16 thanks to senior leadership, as Tarris Reed Jr. delivered a historic performance in the win over Furman before a masterful outing from Alex Karaban in the UCLA victory.
With their best players thriving and injured players getting healthy, a UConn team that rarely seemed at its best at the end of the season may be approaching that level now.
It would help to have Silas Demary Jr. at 100 percent, but that may not occur given the severity of the injury he’s playing through. At least he’s getting better, and Jaylin Stewart is no longer on the injury report.
In our Fast Break preview show, we discuss the UCLA win and the MSU matchup.
On Thursday, news broke that UConn assistant coach Luke Murray has accepted the head coaching position at Boston College. It appears Murray will stay with the Huskies through their tournament run, but it will certainly be a big opening to fill this offseason. Murray is credited with helping Hurley and the Huskies innovate offensively and is also known as a strong recruiter.
It’s a good hire for BC and a tough hit for UConn’s future, though Hurley has proven adept at filling staff openings. Before adding Mike Nardi from Villanova this past offseason, Murray was the last addition to the staff in 2021. He had previously worked under Hurley at Rhode Island and Wagner.
WBB Cruises to Sweet 16
After winning their first two NCAA tournament games by a combined 81 points, the UConn women’s basketball team sets its sights on the Fort Worth regional.
The Huskies were dominant through the first two rounds and will take on UNC in the Sweet 16. In their second-round win over Syracuse, Azzi Fudd scored 26 of her 34 points in the first half as the Huskies mounted a 31-0 run in the first 20 minutes.
Sarah Strong heads to Texas with one major piece of hardware on her shelf as her illustrious season continues. On Wednesday, the sophomore was named USBWA National Player of the Year.
Confidence is high across the roster as the Huskies, now 36-0, prepare for Friday night’s matchup. Tip is set for 5 p.m. against the 4-seeded UNC at Dickies Arena.
They’ve also had a special visitor in practice, a local WNBA superstar…
Photo: Twitter - @UConnWBB
Men’s hockey season ends in Worcester
It was not for a lack of trying. UConn men’s hockey placed 42 shots on net in its regional semifinal game against Michigan State in their NCAA Tournament opener. Big Ten Goaltender of the Year Trey Augustine stopped 41 of those shots as the Spartans advanced with a 2-1 win.
For the second straight year, the Huskies earned a slot in the big dance. This year, they failed to survive past the first round as the program still searches for its first Frozen Four appearance.
It was a game emblematic of UConn’s season as a whole. The Huskies, looking to leave a loss in the Hockey East title game behind them, were burned by costly turnovers in their own defensive zone, struggled on special teams, and could not finish on an assortment of chances.
A heavily penalized Michigan State team gifted UConn five power-play opportunities, none of which the Huskies would capitalize on.
Outside of its CT Ice victory in January, Mike Cavanaugh’s squad will not be lifting any trophies this season. A year that will be defined more by its losses, namely Thursday’s to Michigan State and the aforementioned loss to Merrimack, the Huskies will have to wait until next year for their next crack at a major championship.
Photo: Ian Bethune
Baseball’s up-and-down start continues
Back home after a 5-4 West Coast trip, UConn baseball lost to Quinnipiac for the first time in 20 years, falling 8-3 at Elliot Ballpark.
UConn had previously won eight consecutive meetings against this in-state rival, last losing to the Bobcats on the road in 2006. Quinnipiac last defeated UConn in Storrs in 2004.
“I think this is probably my first win as a coach against UConn,” Quinnipiac skipper John Delaney said postgame, now in his 12th season at the helm in Hamden. “We’ve had a lot of close games… we beat them when I was a player before.”
For the Huskies, the loss is another step in the wrong direction. After losing two out of three to Portland, UConn grabbed four wins in six games to round out its spring break trip out west.
Our baseball newsletter has extra context on the Huskies’ time in California:
The midweek contest was the Huskies’ final chance to tune up before Big East play starts, but a five-run loss only raises more questions for Jim Penders’ squad.
“We got out-coached, out-pitched, out-defended, out-hit,” Penders said postgame. “Not much else to say.”
UConn starts a three-game set against Xavier on Friday, with first pitch at 3:05 p.m.
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Weekly Rewind
Men’s Basketball
Castle Puts on a Show against Spencer, Newton and Martin Break Out in the G League – Former teammates square off in the latest edition of Huskies in the Pros.
Gampel Pavilion to undergo renovations across 2026 and 2027 – The university announced a $99-million face-lift project that will work through three phases.
Sweet 16 Opening Odds: UConn a narrow favorite against Michigan State – See the odds with the Huskies marginally favored.
Husky ReView: UCLA (3/22/26) ($) – In-depth takeaways from the Huskies’ big win in the round of 32.
UConn men’s basketball advances to Sweet 16 after win over UCLA – A date with Michigan State looms on Friday after a masterful Alex Karaban performance.
NCAA Tournament First Round: UConn men’s basketball takes down Furman, 82-71 – Tarris Reed Jr. posted the fourth 30/30 game in tournament history.
Women’s Basketball
Rapid Recap: UConn destroys Syracuse, advances to the Sweet – Instant reaction to UConn’s win over the Orange.
UConn women’s basketball wallops Syracuse to advance to Sweet Sixteen, 98-45 – Azzi Fudd tied her career high in points as the Huskies advance.
Blanca Quiñonez becomes latest UConn freshman to shine in NCAA Tournament ($) – Quiñonez scored 15 points and stuffed the stat sheet in UConn’s romp of UTSA.
UConn women’s basketball detonates 16-seed UTSA, 90-52 – Sarah Strong scored 18 points as the Huskies breezed through to the second round.
Chasing Perfection: Making our NCAA Tournament picks – Will the Huskies repeat as national champions?
The Weekly: Geno plans to return as UConn’s head coach next season – Barring something unforeseen, Auriemma will be back for season No. 42.
Hockey
Once again, UConn comes up short in Hockey East title game – The Huskies drop to 0-3 all-time in the tournament championship.
UConn falls to Merrimack in Hockey East title game, 2-1 – The Huskies put 50 shots on net, though Merrimack’s Max Lundgren made 49 saves to keep UConn at bay.
UConn’s senior line keeps the season – and their careers – alive with OT victory over Boston College ($) – The Huskies’ most experienced grouping got it done when it mattered most.
Tristan Fraser’s overtime winner lifts UConn past Boston College, 4-3 – The win clinched a spot in the Hockey East title game and the final at-large bid for the NCAA tournament.
Baseball
UConn baseball wins two in doubleheader out West – The Huskies get revenge over both SDSU and SJSU in a doubleheader sweep.
UConn baseball falls to San Diego State, 6-4 – The bats went cold and the Huskies made three errors in the loss.
UConn baseball galls to SJSU, 16-6 – The run-rule ends the contest early.
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