UConn Huskies men's basketball
Organization in Basketball
UConn Huskies men's basketball has come up in 3 episodes across 1 podcast in TMT, including Pardon My Take. 5 people have made recorded remarks about it.
What people said
Dan HurleyUConn men's basketball coach praised for tough coaching
Hurley says Alex Karaban weighed a projected late-first-round draft slot against NIL money and returned to chase history.
“he was slated to go somewhere from 25 to 35 in the draft”
Pardon My Take: UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley, April Fools Has Everyone On Alert, NFL League Meetings, Hot Seat/Cool Throne And Guys On Chicks (Apr 1, 2026) · Listen from 1:59:17
- Came true
Hurley says Silas Demery will be the healthiest he has been in a long time heading into the Final Four in Indianapolis.
“a big thing for us going to Indianapolis is Silas Demery is going to be, like the healthiest he's been in a long time for us”
Pardon My Take: UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley, April Fools Has Everyone On Alert, NFL League Meetings, Hot Seat/Cool Throne And Guys On Chicks (Apr 1, 2026) · Listen from 1:41:32
Hurley says college is the last place players learn life skills because professional teams will not teach them.
“college is really the last place that these guys are going to learn anything”
Pardon My Take: UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley, April Fools Has Everyone On Alert, NFL League Meetings, Hot Seat/Cool Throne And Guys On Chicks (Apr 1, 2026) · Listen from 1:56:00
Hurley argues society has gone soft on young people, citing the removal of dodgeball and standardized testing.
“we've gone so soft on young people that like, you don't even have to go through like the pressure and stress of like having to prepare for that test”
Pardon My Take: UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley, April Fools Has Everyone On Alert, NFL League Meetings, Hot Seat/Cool Throne And Guys On Chicks (Apr 1, 2026) · Listen from 1:53:50
Alex KarabanUConn forward pursuing a third national championship
Karaban credits assistant Luke Murray with constantly designing new sets to give UConn an edge.
“So he was nonstop thinking about new, new sets and really just trying to give us an advantage”
Pardon My Take: World Cup With Roger Bennett, 2X National Champ Alex Karaban, Knicks Parade, Ronaldo vs Messi And Fyre Fest Of The Week (Jun 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:50:47
Karaban says Dan Hurley challenged him harshly after a Big East title loss, which fueled the March run.
“he goes alex you really want to end like a soft motherfucker like i love it”
Pardon My Take: World Cup With Roger Bennett, 2X National Champ Alex Karaban, Knicks Parade, Ronaldo vs Messi And Fyre Fest Of The Week (Jun 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:43:50
Karaban recounts that UConn arranged a full-day academic tour to win over his mother during recruitment.
“From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., we visited every academic building with every professor”
Pardon My Take: World Cup With Roger Bennett, 2X National Champ Alex Karaban, Knicks Parade, Ronaldo vs Messi And Fyre Fest Of The Week (Jun 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:36:42
Dan KatzBarstool Sports personality known as Big Cat, co-host of Pardon My Take
Katz endorsed a definition of blue blood programs requiring championships under multiple coaches, which would exclude Duke.
“a true blue blood is winning championships with multiple coaches. Duke just had one coach”
Pardon My Take: Final Four Weekend As Michigan And UConn Advance, John Fanta Talks CBB + Possibly Taking The UNC Job, Geno Crash Out + National Sports Podcast Topics And Who's Back (Apr 6, 2026) · Listen from 1:48:02
Katz argued UConn wins because their offense forces constant defensive decisions and communication.
“They run an offense that makes you think at all times. You can't just take possessions off”
Pardon My Take: Final Four Weekend As Michigan And UConn Advance, John Fanta Talks CBB + Possibly Taking The UNC Job, Geno Crash Out + National Sports Podcast Topics And Who's Back (Apr 6, 2026) · Listen from 27:44
John FantaNBC Sports college basketball broadcaster
Fanta compared facing UConn to being pursued by Jack Nicholson's character in The Shining.
“You ever see the movie The Shining? Yep. Yeah. The opponent for... Jack Nicholson”
Pardon My Take: Final Four Weekend As Michigan And UConn Advance, John Fanta Talks CBB + Possibly Taking The UNC Job, Geno Crash Out + National Sports Podcast Topics And Who's Back (Apr 6, 2026) · Listen from 1:33:26
- Came true
Fanta predicted Michigan would beat UConn eight out of ten times and questioned whether the title game would be one of the exceptions.
“I think Michigan wins the game eight out of the ten times. The question on Monday night is, is tomorrow one of the two?”
Pardon My Take: Final Four Weekend As Michigan And UConn Advance, John Fanta Talks CBB + Possibly Taking The UNC Job, Geno Crash Out + National Sports Podcast Topics And Who's Back (Apr 6, 2026) · Listen from 1:34:24
PFT CommenterBarstool Sports writer and co-host of Pardon My Take
PFT Commenter said UConn's apparent luck is really the product of coaching and players.
“They're the consistently luckiest team ever. Which means that it's not luck”
Pardon My Take: Final Four Weekend As Michigan And UConn Advance, John Fanta Talks CBB + Possibly Taking The UNC Job, Geno Crash Out + National Sports Podcast Topics And Who's Back (Apr 6, 2026) · Listen from 27:17
Predictions
- Came trueJohn Fanta
Fanta predicted Michigan would beat UConn eight out of ten times and questioned whether the title game would be one of the exceptions.
“I think Michigan wins the game eight out of the ten times. The question on Monday night is, is tomorrow one of the two?”
Pardon My Take: Final Four Weekend As Michigan And UConn Advance, John Fanta Talks CBB + Possibly Taking The UNC Job, Geno Crash Out + National Sports Podcast Topics And Who's Back (Apr 6, 2026) · Listen from 1:34:24 · UConn Huskies men's basketball
Fanta framed Michigan as a strong favorite (winning 8 of 10 times) over UConn in the title game. Michigan beat UConn 69-63 on Monday, April 6, 2026, in Indianapolis for its first national championship since 1989, so the game was not one of the two upsets. The 8-in-10 figure is a probability that one game can't test, but the pick it implies happened.
Sources: Michigan beats UConn, wins 2026 men's basketball national championship | NCAA.com · Michigan Defeats UConn 69-63 to Win First Men's NCAA Basketball Title Since 1989 · Michigan wins its first men's basketball national title since 1989, defeating UConn 69-63 | CNN · National champs! Michigan beats UConn to complete title run
Checked Sep 30, 2026
- Came trueDan Hurley
Hurley says Silas Demery will be the healthiest he has been in a long time heading into the Final Four in Indianapolis.
“a big thing for us going to Indianapolis is Silas Demery is going to be, like the healthiest he's been in a long time for us”
Pardon My Take: UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley, April Fools Has Everyone On Alert, NFL League Meetings, Hot Seat/Cool Throne And Guys On Chicks (Apr 1, 2026) · Listen from 1:41:32 · UConn Huskies men's basketball
After a high ankle sprain on March 14, Hurley put Silas Demary Jr. at about 65% the first tournament weekend and about 75% in the regional. Before the Final Four, Hurley said he would be about 90%, and a local report said he 'looked as healthy as he's been in weeks' in the April 4 win over Illinois (7 pts, 9 reb, 7 ast). His limited minutes in the April 6 title game loss came from foul trouble, not the ankle.
Sources: UConn's Silas Demary expected to be at 90% for Final Four - ESPN · Why Silas Demary's Improved Health Is So Significant For UConn In Final Four - Yahoo Sports · Underdog UConn men take fight to Illini in 71-62 Final Four victory | fox61.com · The free throw disparity that has UConn, Dan Hurley fuming, explained
Checked Sep 30, 2026
Coverage over time
Podcasts
- Pardon My Take · 3 episodes
Episodes
World Cup With Roger Bennett, 2X National Champ Alex Karaban, Knicks Parade, Ronaldo vs Messi And Fyre Fest Of The WeekPardon My Take · Jun 19, 2026 · 2 h 32 min
Pardon My Take hosts recap the Knicks parade and Trae Young's opt-out, talk World Cup with Roger Bennett, and interview UConn champion Alex Karaban before the NBA draft.
Final Four Weekend As Michigan And UConn Advance, John Fanta Talks CBB + Possibly Taking The UNC Job, Geno Crash Out + National Sports Podcast Topics And Who's BackPardon My Take · Apr 6, 2026 · 2 h 18 min
Big Cat and PFT Commenter recap the 2026 Final Four, Geno Auriemma's press conference and NBA topics, then John Fanta previews the title game.
UConn Head Coach Dan Hurley, April Fools Has Everyone On Alert, NFL League Meetings, Hot Seat/Cool Throne And Guys On ChicksPardon My Take · Apr 1, 2026 · 2 h 24 min
Big Cat and PFT Commenter reverse-prank Jerry O'Connell for April Fools', discuss NFL owners meetings and the NBA, and interview UConn coach Dan Hurley.