You capture any championship you can. As long as they are keeping score, the true competitors will always want to win the game. What could be better than winning a Big East championship at Madison Square Garden? The Mecca? The World’s Most Famous Arena?
Nothing except winning a national championship at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., and becoming the first team to repeat since Billy Donovan’s Florida Gators did it in 2006 and 2007.
For Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies, there is nothing like having your championship-thirsty fans transform the Garden into Gampel Pavilion, there is nothing like cutting down the nets after defeating Marquette 73-57 for the school’s first Big East championship since Kemba Walker’s five-games-in-five-nights heroics in 2011.
Nothing except winning six games in March and April Madness.
For Hurley, there is nothing better for a Jersey City Kid like making your parents seated at courtside proud yet again and standing on a podium showered with confetti and on a ladder with scissors in your hand awash in the adulation of your fan base.
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Except watching your son Andrew dribble out the final seconds of the NCAA championship game against San Diego State on the NRG Stadium floor in Houston.
“I can’t add much to what has happened in these last two years,” an incredulous Bob Hurley Sr. told The Post on the court. “He has worked his profession. He wants to be good at this. He continues to get better at things, and he’s surrounded by great staff.”
Dan Hurley celebrates after UConn’s 73-57 Big East Tournament-clinching victory over Marquette. Jason Szenes for the New York PostExcept joining the likes of Adolph Rupp and John Wooden and Mike Krzyzewski and Donovan as coaching legends who celebrated back-to-back championships, and in Wooden’s case, back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back at UCLA.
“That could be a crazy milestone to hit,” Andrew Hurley told The Post on the court. “I think our focus was the Big East Tournament and winning this one is the most important game, and now it’s time to move on for the [NCAA] Tournament and see what we could do.”
There is nothing like One Shining Moment on a Saturday night in March at the Garden.
Except Another Shining Moment on a Monday night in April with the college basketball world watching.
“It’s hard to comprehend, ’cause it feels like an impossible accomplishment,” Dan Hurley told The Post. Donovan was a mentor to him. He idolized him as a player. “We’re obviously a long way away from getting there. … We gotta beat a lot of great teams to get there. But we have a lot of confidence this time of year. We believe in ourselves. We believe that we’re pretty dangerous if we get out of the first round of the [NCAA] Tournament.
Donovan Clingan celebrates during UConn’s win in the Big East Tournament. Jason Szenes for the New York Post“UConn starts to believe they’re supposed to win it.”
It was 7-foot-2 Connecticut son Donovan Clingan (22 points, 16 rebounds) who rescued UConn against the defending conference champions that had handed Hurley his third consecutive Big East semifinal loss a year ago.
Even with deafening roars exploding through the arena from the pro-UConn crowd, even when it felt like Marquette Against the World, the Golden Eagles would not blink, would not flinch.
The UConn offensive machine had been broken. Nothing was working.
Except for Clingan around the basket.
UConn star Tristen Newton (center) was named the MVP of the Big East Tournament. Jason Szenes for the New York PostClingan around the basket and then Jaylin Stewart from downtown Storrs, and that relentless Husky defense. And when Winning Time arrived, UConn smelled it and ended it.
Asked how long he would celebrate this one, Clingan said: “Not long, man. We got the NCAA Tournament coming up. So we have to flip the switch and go on to bigger things.”
Before Donovan’s Gators began defense of their NCAA crown, they routed Arkansas for their third straight SEC Championship, and Donovan said at the time:
“I remember when we used to get knocked out early and people said I didn’t want to win this tournament. Remember that? I’d always get asked that. ‘Do you not want to win this and keep your guys fresh for the NCAAs?’
“People thought I didn’t care about this tournament. We try to win every game. We always wanted to win this tournament.”
Bob Hurley Sr. talked proudly about how his son had kept his national championship team together and added only Cam Spencer through the transfer portal and said: “This is anti-portal.”
Dan Hurley has been stalking a Triple Crown — regular-season title, Big East tourney title, national title. Two down, one to go.
Beast of the Big East down.
Beast of Everywhere again to go.
