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A 63-point win is not a big deal for Dan Hurley! The No. 4 UConn Huskies demolished UMass Lowell on Friday night in their second clash of the 2025–26 NCAA season, ending the game with 110–47. But amidst all the praise and celebration over their victory, head coach Hurley has sent a clear message to his ‘well-resourced’ players – one that very well addresses the concerns of many fans and donors. Following their win, coach Hurley used the post-game press conference to remind his players that privilege comes with expectations, and if they aren’t met, he won’t shy away from putting his players on the bench. “To (whom) much is given, much is expected,” he said. “You know, we invest a lot in these players to come out and perform to their absolute maximum and give everything they got. I mean, these players are very well-resourced.” Ever since the NCAA introduced the NIL rule, allowing players to profit off their name, image, and likeness, the change has transformed how athletes approach the game, turning players into brands and college sports into a new business frontier. And with that shift has come growing concern: Does the money and exposure make players complacent? Well, at least not at UConn! ADVERTISEMENT “I think they owe it to the university,” coach Dan Hurley further added. “They owe it to each other, they owe it to the coaching staff. They owe it to the fan base. They owe it to the donors. They owe it to a lot of people to go out and play on game night and practice every day to the absolute max for all the resources that are invested in them. So that should be every night. In every practice, a player should show up and play to the level of effort that they played with tonight. That’s not a one-off. If they can’t provide that, I’m going to get their a** out of the game.” While it’s not clear if the coach had anyone specific on his mind while saying this, with most of the roster finishing in double digits, it’s safe to say he just might be setting a tone about accountability from his players. Hurley’s Big East counterpart, Rick Pitino, who coaches St. John’s, had voiced similar views about NIL deals last season when he spoke about point guard Kadary Richmond. At the time, Pitino acknowledged that expectations were high because, as he put it, “we paid him a lot of money.” ADVERTISEMENT More recently, the Hall of Fame coach shifted the conversation, arguing that financial rewards aren’t what drive most college athletes today. Speaking on Boomer and Gio this Thursday, he explained, “You know, the greatest misconception is because they’re being paid [they don’t care about winning championships].” He went on to add, “I would say, there’s no difference than 20 years ago. The pay means nothing at all to them. Matter of fact, I would say that 90% of the players give the money to their families. So it’s really not the compensation. If you watched us practice, you wouldn’t think it was any different than 25 years ago….” ADVERTISEMENT Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports However, Hurley doesn’t see the NIL process so kindly. After all, the same made him want to leave UConn after the previous season. “The transfer portal and NIL deals made every college player a free agent, so right after the tournament I needed to be in my office, in Storrs. If I left town right then, I wouldn’t have a team for the 2025-26 season. At that point, I wasn’t even sure that I would return for the 2025-26 season,” he wrote in his book. So, considering that Hurley chose to return despite the emotional toll and despite having a $70 million offer to coach the Lakers, it makes sense that he is asking for the best in return from his players. ADVERTISEMENT Dan Hurley praises Tarris Reed Jr.’s impact as UConn gears up for tougher tests In the Huskies’ recent win, the most standout player was Reed, who, fresh out of his hamstring injury, dropped 20 points, secured 12 rebounds, and made four blocks while shooting 9-of-12 from the field. His strength, rebounding, and defensive presence instantly stabilized UConn’s rhythm and gave them control of the paint. “It helped everybody. It helped Eric (Reibe)’s performance; it allowed Eric to kind of slide into the Donovan (Clingan) freshman situation, where he had Adama (Sanogo) out there, who paved the way for him to be in a more comfortable position. But you could see the impact on the defense, the impact on the offense,” Hurley said. “He makes a big difference on both ends, on the backboard. He’s one of the best big guys in the country.” With a veteran and dominating soul like Tarris Reed Jr. on their team, UConn is one of the deadliest teams in the tournament. The Huskies will be facing off against the Columbia Lions in their next game. However, it is the game after that, for which the fans are the most excited, as the Huskies will lock horns against another powerhouse in the tournament, No.8 BYU Cougars. ADVERTISEMENT With Hurley setting the tone early and Reed back to full strength, the Huskies look every bit like a team ready to chase another deep March run, and the eyes will be on them to see if they can clinch this season’s championship title.
