INDIANAPOLIS — A complete appreciation of the moment.
Joy.
And, surprisingly, no pressure.
Those are some of the impressions I had after sitting down with each of the head coaches one-on-one at the Final Four.
Dan Hurley is here for the third time in four seasons. He’s got a chance for a John Wooden-like run of three titles in four seasons. He’s become UConn royalty. And yet I found him incredibly calm, relaxed and at peace with this glorious chance to win a title after an epic, drama-filled 19-point comeback against Duke — capped by Braylon Mullins’ three-point buzzer-beater (well, with 0.3 left).
“Maybe I’m just tired,’’ Hurley chuckled. “Maybe I’m just set. We had an emotional weekend.’’
True. But there was something different about him. Climbing the mountain in 2023 was exhausting. Trying to repeat in 2024 was filled with plenty of self-induced pressure. That’s not the case with UConn this season.
The Huskies didn’t win the Big East regular season or tournament title. And while they did have significant nonconference wins against Illinois and Florida at Madison Square Garden, at Kansas and over Texas, they still had to gut through a number of key games without a healthy Mullins, Tarris Reed Jr. or Silas Demary. “It’s not been about domination like ’23 or ’24,’’ said Hurley. “It’s been more like the will of a champion, the fight of a champion.’’
That will, that determination, was on full display in UConn’s comeback. The Huskies never looked beaten and kept chipping away at the deficit before the fateful shot.
“You only get here with special people who are incredibly clutch and aren’t afraid,’’ said Hurley, which could be said about himself. He referenced Mullins’ shot as having the “guts” to take it and that it was a “magical March moment.’’
‘Expect a Real War’: UConn and Illinois Are Ready to Rumble
The Final Four is finally here — UConn and Illinois get the party started on Saturday at 6:09 p.m. ET at Lucas Oil Stadium
Brad Underwood hasn’t been here before but he seems so overjoyed with the accomplishment for his staff, players and the Illini nation. Underwood played at Hardin-Simmons and Independence CC before Kansas State and then coached in junior college and spent 10 years as assistant at Western Illinois before spinning through JC, assistant gigs and ultimately landing as a head coach at Stephen F. Austin. That led to Oklahoma State for one year before he jumped to Illinois in 2017.
“I’ve always been a big dreamer,’’ said Underwood. “And I always believed that we could do it at Illinois. We were knocking at the door (losing in the Elite Eight two years ago to UConn) and I believed that one of these years things would break for us. And here we are. I’m most happy for my wife and kids. My wife (Susan) of 38 years never doubted me.’’
Underwood said when he was cutting down the net in Houston, he saw all the orange in Houston and said how much he was thrilled to help create a memory for the fans. “I love our fans and I love the orange crush.’’
And there’s no question that how Underwood got this team here is even more satisfying. The Illini are led by a freshman in Keaton Wagler who wasn’t on the top 100 radar last summer, a collection of international players who came together, and a few returnees who have been instrumental in getting to the Final Four. Their gritty defensive effort last weekend in Houston (holding Houston to 55 points and coming back against Iowa) was another benchmark for this team.
Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, who announced from the podium Friday that he was staying with the Wildcats — a new five-year deal — is here after coaching for a national title twice with Gonzaga as an assistant in 2017 and in the bubble in 2021.
Lloyd has always had an international flavor to his recruiting and has a roster at Arizona littered with big-time freshmen (Koa Peat and Brayden Burries) and returnees led by Big 12 Player of the Year Jaden Bradley.
“This is a full circle moment,’’ Lloyd told me about being back in Indianapolis after the bubble Final Four.
And if there was a moment that showed Lloyd has stayed in the moment, with his feet firmly planted on the ground, it came last weekend in San Jose. “We were playing Purdue, and this is a true story, and I woke up that morning and I didn’t know if we were playing in the Sweet Sixteen or Elite Eight,’’ said Lloyd. “I laughed when I thought about it, but that’s a good thing. It lets me know that I’m not chasing something. I’m just in the moment. And if I can stay in the moment, then I can help my team play as well as they can.’’
Dusty May was standing under the basket, his hat backwards and his team starting to cut down the net at the United Center.
At first glance, I thought he was a manager.
But that’s May. He’s incredibly unassuming. And he has managed this run to the Final Four in a similar calm, cool and collected fashion.
“We knew we had the pieces and the talent and the prerequisites,’’ said May. “I’m more proud of the way we’ve handled the past five months.’’
May said the players’ lives changed after their domination in Las Vegas at the Players’ Era event. “The attention was because of the glitz and the glamour and the way they played,’’ he said.
And that has led to more blitz runs, like the 21-0 run to put away Tennessee.
“We don’t notice the type of roll that we’re on because we’re consumed with the game,’’ said May. “But when we’re making shots it just becomes contagious. We’re sharing the ball better, we’re playing off each other. It’s a joy to watch.’’
May said Michigan fans have relayed that they’ve never had a basketball following like this, and that’s saying something for a program with a history that includes the 1989 title and the Fab Five, not to mention John Beilein’s two national title-game appearances.
“Our players have won at a high level and they’re easy to watch,’’ said May. “Our pace of play and how they compete defensively adds to the attention that our players have now.’’
And, as May said, it’s “enjoyable to watch.’’
That’s another reason why we should have a blockbuster doubleheader Saturday night.
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