Dan Hurley on UConn flight delays to Final Four: 'That's why God made caffeine'-ZoomTech News

John Fanta

School Basketball Broadcaster and Reporter

GLENDALE, Ariz. – It was the spotlight of Thursday’s media festivities on the Males’s Last 4. Dan Hurley says he “ruminated, spiraled and had his head in his fingers lots” on Wednesday evening when he was together with his UConn group, ready to take off for Phoenix.

The Huskies, who have been scheduled to take off at 6:30 p.m. ET Wednesday night from Bradley Worldwide Airport in Connecticut, have been delayed for over seven hours attributable to mechanical points with their authentic airplane, and the flight crew assigned to UConn’s journey had gone over their most hours, per FAA pointers. The brand new, smaller plane, which arrived from Cincinnati, was alleged to take off at 11:30 p.m. ET. Because of baggage loading and the de-icing course of, that airplane didn’t depart till 1:33 a.m. ET, with the group lastly touchdown in Phoenix at 3:12 a.m. PT.

[UConn arrives in Arizona for Final Four after seven-hour flight delay]

“It was therapeutic to look at the de-icing,” Hurley mentioned to a collective laughter within the press convention room. “There was an actual aware train from like, 11:30-1:45 on the tarmac. I received two hours of sleep on the airplane and I received two on the lodge. That is why God made caffeine.”

The NCAA handles journey preparations for its groups to the Last 4, and whereas these airline points are past their management, it performs proper into Hurley’s “us towards the world” mentality, which he has mentioned with the media over the past two years.

On account of the journey delays, UConn’s Thursday schedule was altered and gamers weren’t made accessible to the media. Hurley and his workers adjusted the group’s follow plan, and he mentioned his group will take it simpler Thursday evening than they usually would. However, he additionally clarified that they cannot dwell on the truth of the state of affairs.

“Who would not take care of issues with airways? It is one thing individuals take care of throughout the holidays,” Hurley mentioned. “It sucked. However when you get previous complaining and cursing and muttering, you do not actually deserve to indicate entitlement. We’re fortunate to be right here and fortunate to compete within the Last 4.”

On the opposite aspect of Saturday’s nationwide semifinal matchup between UConn and Alabama, Nate Oats sat down at State Farm Stadium and needed to set the file straight.

“It wasn’t me. I did not ship anyone over there to mess with the mechanics,” Alabama’s head coach mentioned with fun when referring to UConn’s airplane points. “I did get a very good evening’s sleep final evening, in order that’s good.

“I’m glad I am not the ops individual for the College of Connecticut basketball group throughout this journey, that is for certain. I am certain Dan [Hurley] will likely be fired up and able to go Saturday. It will likely be enjoyable.”

Whereas Hurley’s group was late arriving to Phoenix, he cracked a joke of his personal when speaking concerning the different Last 4 groups, who’re spending time practising at Arizona State College in Tempe, the place his older brother Bobby is the top coach.

“Him sabotaging the opposite groups at his website goes to offer me a definite benefit,” Hurley mentioned.

The Huskies, who’re the primary males’s school basketball group to win 10 straight NCAA Event video games by at the least 13 factors, will tackle the Crimson Tide at 8:49 p.m. ET Saturday on TBS.

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