The UConn Huskies are set to face one of their toughest tests of the young 2025-26 season when they face Florida in the Jimmy V. Classic at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night. The game will mark a matchup between the two last college basketball national champions as well as a rematch between the two teams for the first time since the Gators knocked the Huskies out of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Last March, the Huskies were going after a three-peat, but they quickly fell short of that goal when Florida defeated them 77-75 in the second round.
Hurley went back and rewatched that game ahead of Tuesday’s matchup. He noted, “It didn't make me too sad. It made me realize how worthy of a champion they were.”
“I got a lot of respect for those guys. I loved the team,” Hurley added. “They truly earned that championship with the quality of teams they had to beat along the way and then some games where they were tested and had to show the heart of a champion and the will and the execution. It was all on display.”
Heading into this year’s game against the No. 18 Gators, UConn is off to a hot start. The No. 5 Huskies are 8-1 and have already gone 3-1 in games against ranked opponents with wins against No. 10 BYU, No. 13 Illinois and No. 19 Kansas and a four-point loss to No. 1 Arizona. Though Florida is only 5-3 having lost to No. 1 Arizona, No. 3 Duke and TCU, Hurley is well-aware of the challenge they’ll pose.
"Florida’s as big a challenge as anyone we’ve faced or anyone that we’ve seen,” Hurley said. “... You’ll seen them go on the road and show that championship DNA. ... When it’s all said and done, whoever wins the national championship come March, come April, the Florida Gators are going to have a lot to say about that.”
UConn-Florida will begin at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dan Hurley Had Classy Message for Florida Ahead of UConn Rematch.