Next Up - UConn In The Elite Eight

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 27: Maliq Brown #6 of the Duke Blue Devils blocks a shot from Zuby Ejiofor #24 of the St. John's Red Storm in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 27, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images A fter Duke’s remarkable win over St.

John’s, the Blue Devils have to suck it up for another major encounter with a Big East team, and it’s UConn, and all the ties that it implies. For one, Duke and UConn have been the dominant programs in college basketball for some time: since 1991 in Duke’s case, and 1999 in UConn’s. Since then, Duke has won titles in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, and 2015, while UConn won in 1999, 2004, 2011, 2014, 2023, and 2024.

All of Duke’s came under Mike Krzyzewski, while the first three of UConn’s came under Jim Calhoun, the fourth under Kevin Ollie, and the final two under current coach Danny Hurley. And Hurley, of course, has great ties to the Duke program. First, his brother, Bobby, is one of the greatest Duke players of all time and perhaps the best point guard in NCAA history.

He led his team to three national championship games, won two, and set an assist record which stood until just a few days ago when Purdue’s Braden Smith broke it after 34 years. Danny has been an immensely successful coach, but it hasn’t been an easy road for the younger Hurley. His father was one of the finest coaches in the game, at any level.