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UConn coach Dan Hurley jokingly snores in postgame press conference after win over Furman

Stephen Samraby: Steve Samra03/21/26SamraSource

UConn head coach Dan Hurley had a simple message after his team survived a late-night scare against Furman. He was ready to catch some sleep. 

Following the Huskies’ 82-71 win in one of the final games of the opening round, Hurley lightened the mood in his postgame press conference by jokingly snoring. The moment drew some laughs from the media after a tense, grind-it-out victory. Check it out below, courtesy of The Field of 68.

Behind the humor from their head coach was a performance that required everything UConn had to avoid one of the tournament’s early upsets. The Huskies leaned heavily on their star in Tarris Reed Jr., who delivered a historic outing to carry the No. 2 seed across the finish line.

Reed exploded for 31 points on 12-of-15 shooting while grabbing a staggering 27 rebounds, becoming the latest player in modern NCAA Tournament history to post a 30-point, 20-rebound performance. His dominance inside kept UConn afloat during stretches where the offense sputtered, particularly from beyond the arc. 

“That was the game, this guy,” Hurley said postgame, pointing to Reed via ESPN. “That’s as dominant a performance as you’ve probably seen from a big guy in tournament history. That’s what he’s capable of. This guy’s a total monster, and today he was a real grizzly bear.” 

More on the UConn Huskies, NCAA Tournament

Moreover, UConn found itself in a battle for much of the night, despite entering as heavy favorites. The Huskies struggled mightily from three-point range, missing 20 of their 25 attempts, which allowed Furman to hang around and even threaten late.

The Paladins cut the deficit to five with under six minutes remaining, putting real pressure on a UConn team dealing with injuries and inconsistency at the wrong time. But when it mattered most, Reed delivered again.

UConn closed the game on a decisive run, fueled by second-chance opportunities and interior dominance, to finally create separation and avoid a stunning first-round exit. The effort underscored both the Huskies’ vulnerability, as well as their ceiling when their star big man takes over.

Now advancing to face UCLA in the second round, UConn will need a more complete performance and perhaps a little more rest for its head coach. After a night that stretched past midnight and tested his team’s resolve, Hurley’s snore may have said it all. The Huskies survived and advanced, and now they’re able to get some sleep ahead of the Round of 32.