Dan Hurley’s No. 4 Connecticut Huskies men’s basketball squad topped the No. 22 Michigan State Spartans on Tuesday night in an exhibition game. The game at PeoplesBank Arena saw both sides struggle to maintain a consistent rhythm, but Hurley’s squad ultimately won by a score of 76-69. Meanwhile, Hurley’s passionate sideline presence in the game drew much attention.
How Did Fans React to Dan Hurley’s Passionate Speech Moment in the MSU Game?
A clip from Tuesday’s exhibition game went viral, where Hurley was seen passionately addressing his players during a timeout in their game against Michigan State. With UConn ahead 63-47 in the second half, he looked fired up as he spoke to the team, probably pushing for sharper focus and accountability.
We are so back. pic.twitter.com/7X4b6OrJq1
— Dan Meehan (@DannyBigMeech) October 29, 2025
After leading the Huskies to back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024, Hurley has established his status as one of college basketball’s successful coaches. His commitment to holding players accountable in the MSU game has earned him even more praise from fans.
“What a great role model for young men!!” a netizen said.
“Love the way he holds his players accountable, reminds me of a young Calipari,” a fan said.
Hurley signed a $50 million contract extension with UConn through 2029-30 and continues to show why he deserved the deal.
“I’m an SJU fan who hates Hurley…but this is why he’s one of the best,” one said.
“He looks so much like his dad here,” a person said.
“This game doesn’t count. I love him,” a fan added.
In the MSU game, Hurley’s squad jumped out to an early 8-1 advantage before Michigan State closed the gap to single digits about five minutes into the second half.
A 7-0 run by the Spartans cut the deficit to 71-62 before the final media timeout with three minutes left; however, the Huskies managed to hold on for the win.
Tuesday’s game wrapped up UConn’s preseason with a perfect 2-0 record, but rebounding and fouls remained areas of concern.
Ahead of the game, Hurley said that beyond winning, he wanted to see specific improvements and player performances against MSU and in general.
“I think you’re mostly looking for individual players to do certain things, like you’re looking for certain guys to step up,” Hurley said. “You’re looking for even beyond like analytics for the result. You’re looking for some physicality.”
“You’re looking to see what some combinations of players are going to look like. Then you’re making final decisions on game one, like who’s going to grant the terraces back. Now you’re like, who’s going to be in that eight or nine guys that’s actually going to play…”
The Huskies will kick off the 2025-26 regular season on Monday when they host New Haven at Gampel Pavilion.
