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While the UConn Huskies have their sights set on a return to the national championship on the line, it’s hard not to keep thinking about the crazy finish against Duke, where a layup shot sealed the win in March Madness fashion.
But head coach Dan Hurley credited his wife, Andrea, whom he called a “Jersey boss lady,” for making sure the Huskies didn’t do anything they’d regret after the three-pointer gave them a 73-72 lead that clinched a spot in the Final Four.
Appearing on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take,” Hurley agreed with Dan “Big Cat” Katz when he mentioned how “amazing” Andrea was in making sure all players and staff went back to the bench after the shot was hit.
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Connecticut Huskies head coach Dan Hurley reacts during the first half of a quarterfinal game against the Villanova Wildcats during the Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 13, 2025 in New York City, New York. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
With 0.3 seconds left on the clock, the Huskies may have been given a technical foul that would result in free throws for Duke.
“Yeah, she’s a boss. She’s the jersey boss lady. And her language is colorful, too. I mean, she grabbed people by the back of their warm-ups. And she doesn’t know anything about basketball, you know?” Hurley said.
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Hurley revealed the conversation he had with his wife after the Final Four spot was secured.
“I told her on the plane, ‘This is crazy. Three out of four years you’re going to the Final Four. Do you ever imagine this with your life,'” Hurley said.
“And she says, ‘I didn’t even know the Final Four existed until four years ago.
Four years ago, Hurley made his first trip to the Final Four, and the result was exactly what he had hoped for: a national championship title.
Andrea Hurley, wife of UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley, watches the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame exhibition game between the UConn Huskies and the Boston College Eagles at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., on Oct. 13, 2025. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire)
The Huskies were able to defend that title in 2024, maintaining their No. 1 overall seed throughout the year. But after losing in the second round to Florida in last year’s NCAA Tournament, the Huskies came in looking for redemption.
They got as high as No. 2 in the AP rankings and are the No. 2 seed to face No. 3 Illinois with a chance to return to the national championship next Monday.
But that wouldn’t have been the case if his players didn’t intercept a pass by Duke star Cam Boozer, son of Duke and NBA great Carlos Boozer, and Braylon Mullins, who drilled a three-pointer almost at the buzzer in a bizarre ending to their Elite Eight game.
UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley watches from the sidelines as his team takes on the Columbia Lions at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn. on Nov. 10, 2025. (David Butler II/Imagn Images)
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In that moment, UConn came back from what was a 19-point deficit to stun the Blue Devils and earn a trip to Lucas Oil Stadium to take on Illinois, the top-ranked offense in the country this year, for a spot in the finals.
The teams tip in Indianapolis at 6:09 PM ET on Saturday.
