Hurley Tosses UConn’s 200th-Win Game Ball
UConn coach Dan Hurley threw away a commemorative game ball after the Huskies beat Gardner-Webb 86-46 on November 2, reaching 200 wins with the program.
UConn’s 86-46 win over Gardner-Webb on November 2 marked Dan Hurley’s 200th victory as the Huskies’ coach. The No. 4 team opened its season with sophomore Braylon Mullins scoring 20 points. Khamenia and Hines, both new to the roster, contributed 14 and 12 points, respectively.
After the game, Hurley was presented with the ball. He told reporters he had thrown it into the hallway, explaining that he did not want it and was unsure what he would do with it. Sophomore Jayden Ross later described Hurley tossing the ball during a locker-room speech and recalled the coach telling the team, “I’m here for bigger stuff than this.”
Hurley said he might have time to appreciate milestones in the offseason, but was focused on the demands of the season ahead. He also credited former UConn coaches Jim Calhoun and Kevin Ollie. Hurley said he believed he had a good chance of reaching 300 wins, while joking that he might be “cooked” before 400.
Hurley has led UConn to national championships in 2023 and 2024, and the team has reached the championship game three times in the past four seasons. Its next major test is a Friday-night rematch with No. 16 Michigan, which beat UConn in the 2026 national championship game in April.